Brent Averil 1073 vrs. Neve Portico

[Revelation]

I have both in my studio (Brent pre is a friends) and I have done several A/B against each other. There is no contest, the Brent Averil has a clearer more 3 dim sound. The Portico while it has the same family sound, it almost sounds a little filter in comparison. I tried adding a UAD Fairchild to the Portico which helped get a little more of a smoother sound, but even with playing with EQ, it just can't do with the Brent Averill does. But then the Brent pre is a thousand more than the two pre's that come with the Portico.

Is the Brent Averill worth it? It is big time in my book. I can't mention how it compares to a real 1073, but this is one killer pre.

[Rick Sutton]

Originally Posted by Revelation

Is the Brent Averill worth it?

Well, you'll have to say if it is worth it to you. I've got two Averill 1073 repros and two Neve 1073s and the Averills are definitely worth the $ to me. I feel that they compare very favorably with the originals.

[TonyBelmont]

Originally Posted by Revelation

Is the Brent Averill worth it? It is big time in my book. I can't mention how it compares to a real 1073, but this is one killer pre.

It is a "REAL" 1073... I've used them extensively and wholeheartedly recommend them for someone needing a 1073. Others make great products, but if you want a 1073, the Brent Averill is a 1073.

[Fletcher]

You're comparing apples and oranges.

The Portico does what it does exceptionally well... the Brent Averill 1073 is a rather competent clone [different iron than the majority of original units] of a 1073 [except for the ones that BAE racked which are indeed original units... though I have found Brent's power supplies to be lacking... which is an easy fix and Brent offers an optional larger supply that will indeed take you to the promised land].

From my use I have found the Portico to have an "air" and "delicacy" I have never found in any "vintage Neev" module... but that could just be me and my limited experience.

There is no one pre that will do it all... but there are always pre's you will find that will do most of it. If that's the BAE 1073 for Mr. Revelation so be it... in my world it has rapidly become the NPNG pre but that ain't on the market yet so why start hyping it now?

[Football]

Originally Posted by Fletcher

in my world it has rapidly become the NPNG pre but that ain't on the market yet so why start hyping it now?

NPNG pre?

I see it's not on the market yet but is there a place to find out a bit more about it before the release?

[Fletcher]

It is in "alpha stage prototype development". I see you're in Boston, the unit is about a 1/2 hour south of Boston in Foxboro if you'd like to drop down and hear it/see it in action. We'll be doing some guitars and possibly vocals with it Wednesday [13 December '06] and then I think it may need to go back to Atlanta for a couple of tweezes before its return. You're more than welcome to give a call and be a fly on the wall should you so desire. +1 508-543-0069... talk to Adam [my assistant] about scheduling.

[Football]

Hey Fletcher, I am swamped with work till after the Holidays but that is a heck of an offer to come down and hear it firsthand in an actual session.

I will contact Adam after the New Year and see if the opportunity is still there.

[Dog_Chao_Chao]

Sorry, I can´t help a little hi jacking here:

i have a potencial deal on an original neve preamp pair racked by brent averill (1272) at the same price that a new pair (1272 clone) from brent averill also.
3 questions:

1-wich would you take: the new one, clone but more reliable or the old, original but not sure how long it will work or if its working right....

2-Do they really sound different? How?

3- Diferences between 1272 a 1073 and a portico.


Thanks and sorry for the hi jacking

[Fletcher]

Originally Posted by Football

I will contact Adam after the New Year and see if the opportunity is still there.

The opportunity is damn near always there... the NPNG may or may not be there, or it [or any of the other "development" stuff] could in different [not necessarily better, but definitely different] state of the development process.

Originally Posted by Dog_Chao_Chao

3- Diferences between 1272 a 1073 and a portico.

Originally Posted by Fletcher

You're comparing apples and oranges.

Listen for yourself and make an educated decision!!!

[heyman]

Fletcher, what time of the day is that Demo on Wednesday?

I just picked up a old guild 12 String, if the demo is later in the day I can bring it by if you need a instrument to evaluate that new pre..

Thanks

[Jeff19]

Originally Posted by Fletcher

The Portico does what it does exceptionally well... the Brent Averill 1073 is a rather competent clone [different iron than the majority of original units] of a 1073 [except for the ones that BAE racked which are indeed original units... though I have found Brent's power supplies to be lacking... which is an easy fix and Brent offers an optional larger supply that will indeed take you to the promised land].

Just to be clear...do you believe that all of the power supplies are lacking or just the ones that use the "8-module self powered rack"? would you consider the single space rack mounted 1073 unit to need more power?

[Dog_Chao_Chao]

Sorry fletcher, I can´t demo any. I wish I could. I woudnt have to ask.

Ill be more specific then. Is there a sonic difference between a 1073 and a 1272?

And is there a sonic difference between a original 1272 racked by BA and a new 1272 BA?

Im curious about the power supply issue also. Is there any way I can check this in the older BA model with the original neves? What should I look for?

Thanks

[Fletcher]

Originally Posted by heyman

Fletcher, what time of the day is that Demo on Wednesday?

I usually have a session every Wednesday evening... after hours. I'm working on a record for a friend, we do "poker night" every Wednesday like 7p-Midnightish and Sundays after football until we decide to go home.

If you want to bring by a guitar and just f*ck around or something give a call and we can schedule something [or if there is a song that might call for a 12 string on my bud's record we can do that then... again, we just need to work out the logistics in advance].

Originally Posted by Jeff19

Just to be clear...do you believe that all of the power supplies are lacking or just the ones that use the "8-module self powered rack"? would you consider the single space rack mounted 1073 unit to need more power?

I saw some 2 channel frames they did a bunch of years ago... the power supplies were insufficient in my opinion to deliver proper current on demand to form a proper bass wave or pass a proper transient. The modules "worked" fine but the audio was not optimal in my sick and twisted opinion... obviously many mileages differ from my snot tastes so you probably shouldn't lose any sleep over the opinion of one asshole with no valid track record.

Originally Posted by Dog_Chao_Chao

Ill be more specific then. Is there a sonic difference between a 1073 and a 1272?

Up to about 40ish db of gain, no... there is no difference. Once you get past that then you're missing an additional amplifier stage found in the 1073 but not in the 1272... with that said, I don't know how they wired up the gain application on the 1272... there are a bunch of ways to do it. In theory you want to increase the gain on the input amplifier at the same time as the output amplifier for a 1272 to operate in a manner similar to that of a 1073 but I've found that there are other ways of applying the gain that can yeild different results.

When I had some pre's built for me around the Neve® B283 amplifier board I had the input gain continuously variable with a switch that could increase the output gain by 20db. In theory that is the wrong way to perform the function... in practice I liked the way it sounded better than when it was done according to the theoretically correct method.

The bottom line is that a lot of this is a matter of taste. When the Great River MP-2NV was finished I got rid of all my "Frankenstein" modules because the MP-2NV did what I had really wanted the B283 based pre's to do except with a measure less fuzz and a whole lot less bullshit... again, a matter of my twisted opinion and sense of aesthetic... there are many that will argue [very possibly correctly] that I'm an asshole and should have stuck with the B283 based pre's... but I didn't see it that way.

Bottom line... Your Mileage May Vary.

Peace.

[heyman]

Fletcher, talk to your friend.. If he needs a 12 string for tomorrow night, let me know and I will be there.... Also the time when you want me to show up..

If he doesn't want to use it, no problems. I am sure I will be up that way soon.

thanks,
Jim