The Joe Meek rundown...

[Seamus]

Can someone give me the background on the various Joe Meek strips? Were they better during the VCx series than they are now? (I know, possibly a highly subjective question, but that's what I want. Educated opinions) Any thoughts on the price/quality ratio on the current releases? Opinions seem to vary, which is why I ask. That, and I haven't been able to get my hands on one to try out. Sorry, if this is beyond redundant.

[scruffydog]

I have one of the older sterio comps' and quite like it for drums although I would expect the additional 'slopes' now offered would help..
And I have a small half rack thing..again quite elderly..and I use this for brightening percussion and as a portable phantom power/line out for my little portable recording rig..(just to mini disk in mono for speach etc) with an AT4033 ... sounds fine.
I never really liked the voice channel much..it was better for tape than digital in my opinion.
Scruffy

[bloodstone]

I have three VC6Q and 1 VC1Q. All models are prior to the advent of the "current sense" preamps. I've seen a lot of posts that imply the current sense pres aren't as desireable, but have no direct experience with that myself.

I really like the above devices. The 6Q seems best suited for tracking guitars and snares. I use the 6Q a lot when mixing. The 1Q seems better suited for voices, kick drums, snares or guitars when tracking or mixing. I never really like either device for bass guitar, whether DI or miced when tracking or mixing.

[Ruudman]

I think my VC1 works very well on bass.

ruudman

[jeronimo]

I like my old VC6... I used it on everything I could, electric guitars, kick, snare, vocals, bass....

[XHipHop]

I just bought a VC3.

Should i get a threeq and do a shootout of old vs. new?

[jeronimo]

why not?

[XHipHop]

Originally Posted by jeronimo

why not?

Well, it will cost me $. But i'll probably do it to serve as a reference for people that are wondering if they should go old or new.

[theom]

The one to find is the original vc1 brick. I dont know what components changed when it went to the full rackspace but it sounds way different. the old half rack one has a very colored, weird exciter circuit. I have never liked exciters, aphex, bbe, always sounded like distortion to me.
The exciter circuit in the original meek green brick is interesting and usable. And can add a interesting top end cut to vocal tracks. The comp is funky but cool too.

The original stereo comp has an intersting sound too.

[Empty Planet]

Want a peek at the Meek manuals? They're here .

I have one of the "newer" VC1Qcs, though it's several years old. When I bought it, I thought it was my big step up into the world of real pres.

So the "cs" is supposedly the one that isn't as good as the original, and if the scuttlebutt is true this has something to do with the original having an input transformer and the later version not. Sounds plausible to me; certainly the manual to the newer model doesn't discuss a transformer, only an "input amplifier." Gee, thanks. The pre amplifies the signal?! Wow. I also vaguely (and thus possibly slanderously, so no names from me ) remember that the naysaying of the cs might have been started by an individual with a vested interest in promoting his own product line, which was (is?) in competition with the unit, blah blah blah -- who cares; I'll just I take it all with a grain of salt till i side-by-side 'em, if ever.

Anyhoo, the green box has its uses. It is a very colored sound, dark (which actually can be good for taming particular harsh sources), it's a pretty great DI for a certain kind of bass sound (think less-than-full-frequency '60s), can sometimes do nice things for an EG through a 57, and does an interesting sort of "melding" thing with background vox for rock, which can be quite cool. The compressor does a weird "thickening" thing on most sources, which is sometimes a plus, but not always. The exciter has its uses, can bring out a nice high end on a bass whose player refuses to change strings (quoth Jamerson -- "The funk is in the funk").

Build quality is a little bit on the wonky side, dynamic range is LESS than spectacular, and the amount of self noise is high if you crank it.

It has its uses;it's a different color; I'm glad I own it..



Cheers.

[Ruudman]

Originally Posted by theom

The one to find is the original vc1 brick. I dont know what components changed when it went to the full rackspace but it sounds way different.

Way different than VC1?

Not in my opinion. I went to Threm's place (he has both) and did a shoot. His
Phoenix and Requisite pre's sounded way different. The Meek's didn't.

[Ruudman]

BTW Empty Planet, you speak like a true Vulcan


ruudman