Ashton Audio & Classic Audio Products of Illinois present the VP312 Mic Pre

[matta]

It is with great joy that I announce the first Ashton Audio modular design, and first commercially available 51X alliance module, The VP312 Mic Pre, a collaborative effort between Ashton Audio and Classic Audio Products of Illinois.

Discussions began with Jeff Steiger, Owner of Classic Audio Products of Illinois back in October 2009 about a joint venture, the result of months of work culminated in the VP312.

Jeff himself is the owner of a 1976 API™ model 3232 console and, like me, longed for tonal/sonic characteristics reminiscent of that 'vintage' tone.

The 'classic' 312 has been heard the world-over on many a record, it is anything but pristine, one look at the response graph will show you that, yet it delivers one of the punchiest sounds of any preamp: textured, coloured and compressed in all the right places.

Outside of Jeff's dedicated work, we have to thank Ed Anderson, who painstaking recreated both the input and output transformers. This took 2-3 YEARS to perfect and they are virtually indistinguishable from the original 2622 & 2503 transformers.

Lastly we needed to find a way to get back to the original 'Huntington' era 2520 opamp, which we have Gary Barnett of Barnett Industries to thank for.

Gary created the gar2520, based on the work of friend/college Peter Lazaro of LAZ Pro Audio in the UK.

Gary handbuilds each gar2520, checking each one not only on the scope, but by ear and each one undergoes a 48 hour burn in time before leaving the workshop. Each is unpotted and uses discrete, through hole electronics, making them easy to repair in the field, in the unlikely event of failure.

The preamp itself boasts standard features like Polarity/Phase inversion, +48V Phantom Power and a 20dB Pad and additionally features a MUTE switch, most handy when A/Bing microphones or unplugging an instrument from a DI box etc.

Instead of adding an instrument input to the preamp we decided to rather add an output attenuator. This is NOT a 'cheap' pot but a custom built Clarostat T-PAD attenuator that allows you to control the output of the mic pre post the 2520, allowing you to drive the opamp into saturation while dialing back the output volume for an array of tonal possibilities.

Another reason for not adding an instrument input was that most that do have it set up POST the input transformer where a lot of the mojo lies. By using a passive DI box from the likes of Radial Engineering into the VP312 you gain back this added tone.

A VP312DI is in the works (though several months out), which we will offer as an option, but it will retail at a substantially higher price point.

As stated the VP312 is 51X compliant and features an onboard switch allowing you access to the +-24V rails for higher voltage/headroom opamps from the likes of JLM Audio, John Hardy, APP, Fred Forsell etc.

The modules are of course also pin compatible with ALL 500 series racks, but the +24V pins need to be removed in order to work with the 500 series 15 pin format (a FREE service on ordering) and the downside is you loose the options for the +-24V rails.

As with all Ashton Audio products the pres are hand-built here in South Africa and each comes with a 5 year service warranty on labour. They are built to order on a first come, first served basis (current lead times are +- 6-8 weeks at the moment).

We are running a 'special' direct to GS members of $500 per pre ex shipping.

[matta]

Additional Rack Shot

[stevelindsay]

Hi Matta

How much gain does the pre put out? Couldn't find that info readily....

Steve

[matta]

Hey Steve,

Sorry, should have posted that... toooo many long nights, LOL.

Gain = 25.5 to 60.1 Min and Max of Gain Pot (Bourns, for the record...)
Input Z = @1khz = 1K Ohms, PAD 1k5 Ohms
EIN = -119dbu with 150ohm Input Terminated
CMR = >100 dbu measured only at 1Khz
Current Draw per rail = 23.3mA up to 28.1mA, but with 600 Ohm it reaches 50.5mA
Headroom = +27.4dbu and +25.8dbu with 600 Ohm
THD+N @ 40db / 1khz = 0.008% and read the same for IMD @ 4:1
Freq Response = -3db from 14hz - 38.9khz

Hope that helps thumbsup

Matt

Originally Posted by stevelindsay

Hi Matta

How much gain does the pre put out? Couldn't find that info readily....

Steve

[matta]

Also on the 2622 input transformer the turn ratio is 1:7, so that is 17db+ of gain there BEFORE you hit the opamp, so you may want to take advantage of the PAD as well as the Output Attenuator

Cheers

Matt

[tapehiss]

i'm trying to understand the 24v. rail option...

would this only be necessary if i was looking to occasionally place hardy 990's in the 312 500 modules??????

otherwise, there is no reason for the 24v...... is this correct????

or are there other benefits?

[plunderpot]

Congrats Matt et al,
Sounds like awesomeness. And I think the aesthetics are fantastic, they look great! Best of luck with them!

J.

[mistaD]

why did you guys choose the gar over the sll red dot??

[eqverb]

Will the VP312 be distributed in the US through Classic Audio or will Ashton Audio manage all sales directly ?

Thanks

[pan60]

congrats!!!!
looks very sweet!

[jamroom]

I have more pre's than I can use already but this one looks like something I'd be interested in. Nice job.

[[silent:arts]]

Good work Matta

[jsteiger]

Originally Posted by tapehiss

i'm trying to understand the 24v. rail option...

There are some major advantages to having 24V rails, even for the simple 312 circuit. Like mentioned before, you can use one of the discrete opamps that have been designed to run on higher voltage rails. This equates to higher headroom.



This gives the user the opportunity to use an opamp from Fred Forsell or maybe one from
JLM Audio. Of course there is also the famed 990 version from John Hardy. I think John will also tell you that the 990 is not the best DOA in a 312 type circuit with a 2622 input transformer.

Our friend Pier Paolo Abbate manufactures the APP2050E, which is the high class A version of his APP2050. The E version has a higher max output current (1A peak) than that of the normal version (250mA). The APP2050 has similar THD values to the JE-990. He has designed the E version to do even better. The APP2050E has a very high headroom if used with 24V rails and 1:2 output transformer configuration (like in the VP312). We are talking about 34dBu!!



Pier's White Market thread can be found here.

So, there are many new and exciting possibilities. If you have a standard 500 series rack, just cut off the unused pins (16-18) and jumper wire over the PCB switch. It is a permanent mod though.

Special care should always be taken. Just like Volker says, 24V and a 2520 will not get along very well for long. Smoke and the nasty smell of burning silicon & epoxy will happen very quickly.

Cheers, Jeff

[Silver Sonya]

Cool!

Price?

- c

[elambo]

$500 plus shipping to GS members.

[matta]

otherwise, there is no reason for the 24v...... is this correct????

or are there other benefits?

Jeff has already covered this, in detail, but it comes down to added headroom at higher voltages. It was a simple addition only costing a pair of diodes and switch, so we thought, why not!

why did you guys choose the gar over the sll red dot??

Well really I feel both products are interchangeable and would have no reservation recommending either.

As to why the gar over the sl, well firstly I like the fact that ALL the parts on the gar are discrete/through hole vs SOME on the sl, this makes it much easier to repair in the field without specialized tools.

That is on a technical level, on a personal level. I gotten to know Gary over the years and instead of opting to build/layout my own opamp I wanted to support OTHER manufactures and decided to buy the opamps, premade, providing him with a small income source and I believe that this product is as good as it is because we have embraced partnership and not competition, one great mind is good, a couple are better... and I think taking that all into account we have been able to achieve an amazing price point on it.

Will the VP312 be distributed in the US through Classic Audio or will Ashton Audio manage all sales directly ?

No, I will handle all the finished products sales directly from SA, Jeff has enough on his plate as it is!

Jeff will however make the VP312 available as a kit, like the VP25 & VP26. I support this notion and encourage those who can build one to do so, it will of course be cheaper, but not have any warranty/support and not done my custom face panels (Made in Prague!) and a couple smaller tweaks are different. But this is great option for those that have an interest in electronics and are steady handed with a soldering iron.

Cheers

Matt

[Silver Sonya]

Originally Posted by elambo

$500 plus shipping to GS members.

Thanks! (And sorry!)

I guess I was THAT GUY who asked a price that was already mentioned.

- c

[jsteiger]

Hey guys,

Here's an example of how to mod the VP312 PCB's to be permanently 500 series, VPR compatible.

It's quite simple.

• Hack saw off pins 16-18.
• Leave out diodes CR1 and CR2.
• Jumper connect the bipolar 16V rails where the PCB switch would go.
• Done.

Time to enjoy!

Matt will do this for any of his Ashton builds, if you request it.



BTW, that's a gar1731 DOA you see the side of there. Smooth as silk!

Cheers, Jeff

[Undahaus]

The pre's in Matt's pics are actually the eight built for my studio. So, I own serial numbers 1 to 8!!! As always, Matt's attention to detail and workmanship is astounding. Matt has built a bunch of custom gear for my studio and once again has delivered to the highest standard.thumbsupthumbsupthumbsup

Almost done with the wiring, can't wait to get working with these special pre's!!!

All the best,
Robin

[matta]

Another pair shipped out, sitting in Atlanta waiting to start tracking guitars on the upcoming Third Day record, in good company with the Avedis MA5's... glad Avedis changed his panels to black otherwise that rack would look very, um, red

Cheers

Matt

[Undahaus]

I thought I'd post some pics of my racks with the newly installed VP312's.. I've just started tracking some of the first sessions with them and all I can say is that they are fantastic!!!!!!! Such a complement to my Neve's. I'll give a more in-depth report once I can speak with more experience.

Added as well are the pics of some other gear built by Matt of Ashton Audio - a custom 8 channel sidecar of 80B eq's (he says he won't build another one of these guys!!! ), 4 of the 8 converted 1272's, a stereo 2254C compressor and two Buss compressors..

Matt, you da man!!!

[tapehiss]

that 2254 style comp looks killer..... and i imagine it's sound is close to the original.....

how much is he selling those for, if he even sells em???

is ashton a company?? or more of a project?????? or is this a for friends only kind-a thing?

[gar381]

Undahaus..

Very beautiful racks of goodies !!

Matt IS da man !!

GARY

[pan60]

Originally Posted by Undahaus

I thought I'd post some pics of my racks with the newly installed VP312's.. I've just started tracking some of the first sessions with them and all I can say is that they are fantastic!!!!!!! Such a complement to my Neve's. I'll give a more in-depth report once I can speak with more experience.

Added as well are the pics of some other gear built by Matt of Ashton Audio - a custom 8 channel sidecar of 80B eq's (he says he won't build another one of these guys!!! ), 4 of the 8 converted 1272's, a stereo 2254C compressor and two Buss compressors..

Matt, you da man!!!

very nice!!!!!!!
i love Matt's work:: )~

[George Necola]

I will take serial nr. 666 and the matching 999.

all the best.

cheers
G

[matta]

Hi tapehiss,

The 2254c has the audio path of the 2254 and the sidechain of the 33609, the design is actually Igor's, I just bought the boards from him and built up a limited run of 3 units for a couple customers, a pic of the guts is attached.

They do indeed sound GREAT, very musical/smooth and just running programme material through the audio path (3 audio transformers, the same compliment as the 1073) adds pizazz (big bottom/smooth top end) to the tone.

With regards to being a company, I most certainly am, and have been running as such for over 5 years, though the VP312 is my first 'official' commercial offering.

All my other work is custom, I do everything from wiring studios, to refurbishing gear to custom racking, which I balance between being an active, in demand recording engineer (I get to actually USE the tools I make and make adjustments accordingly to taste)

One of the jobs can be seen in Robin's rack about, 4 of his 8 Neve 1272's, which, when I received them where still in cassettes and I added all the extra functionality to make them usable mic pres, I've added a pic on the inside wiring.

I've racked a serviced a fair bit of kit as well, also added a pic of custom supply I made and oak 'lunchbox' for a pair of 1066's, when I received them they were as dead as doornails and the front panel and marconi knobs on one were SMASHED to pieces, looked like it was used as a hammer.

Robin is one of my closest friends and a GREAT engineer, we met through my racking of those Neve's year ago and our friendship has grown since. I'm blow away with his confidence in me and my ideas/builds, he could afford anything he wants and still chooses to have me build him custom, one off pieces, which I find most humbling.

One of which is that Trident 80B 8 channel line EQ, the guy responsible for the metal work did it in a 3U, not 4U rack, and made it SOOOO shallow, it meant all the wiring had to be done off board, over 500+ wires, as seen in the photo, I won't be doing that again

I still do one off's/custom wiring and racking, but I'm hoping to focus more on being able to offer commercial offerings like the VP312, hopefully with more support from the community at large it will allow me to put more time resources into developing these projects further.

In my personal life my wife and I are expecting our first child in June and I'm wanting to spend more time at home, less time in the studio, so Ashton Audio will be default become more of a priority to me as my workshop is my garage.

Robin, Pan & Gary, thank you all for your kinds words, support and friendship.

Cheers

Matt

Originally Posted by tapehiss

that 2254 style comp looks killer..... and i imagine it's sound is close to the original.....

how much is he selling those for, if he even sells em???

is ashton a company?? or more of a project?????? or is this a for friends only kind-a thing?

[matta]

Rather devilish of your George

Originally Posted by George Necola

I will take serial nr. 666 and the matching 999.

all the best.

cheers
G

[Undahaus]

Undahaus..

Very beautiful racks of goodies !!

Matt IS da man !!

GARY

Thanks Gary, very proud...

Peace,
Robin

[Undahaus]

Here's a clip of the dry drums that I recorded over the weekend using a combination of the VP312's and Neve's.

Peace,
Robin

[Sonic Nomad]

Hey Robin,

It's been a long time. Think the last time we spoke I was still running the studio dept at TOMS.

That sample sounds great. Well done!

Your studio is looking and sounding the business

David