Jim Williams, what gear do you like?

[DRC]

Originally Posted by Jim Williams

Favorites include newer Soundcrafts like Delta's, 6000's, Sapphires, etc. D+R is also very good. SSL's can be made to sing. Some tridents, MCI's can sound good. I like the first 3 as they offer the best stereo crosstalk or imaging.

Consider a Soundcraft Delta 8 32x8, seems that would fit your bill. A bit hard to find so a 6000 with 16 or 24 busses is also a good choice and affordable now.

Jim Williams
Audio Upgrades

Jim how much difference is there between the Deltas, Sappires and such compared to the new GB & MH series consoles? Would you say the crosstalk and imaging is close if not better on the new models? Would the Midas Verona or Heritage 2000's perform in a similar manner or is the Midas design a whole different ball of wax?

[DRC]

Originally Posted by Jim Williams

I've not seen any of the newer soundcraft stuff, seems it's all low cost live oriented now. They don't make recording consoles anymore.

Midas is live stuff as well. It's well made but I don't have any measurements on them. Crosstalk isn't as important for a live console as it is for recording.

I've done many D+R's, they are well designed but I have no crosstalk measurements as I never had a frame in to measure, just modules. They do make a quality product.

Jim Williams
Audio Upgrades

Thanks for the info Jim.

Ive been looking into using a live console for playback and mixdown as opposed to the summing box idea. The lack of auxes, mono channel inserts, panning and EQ just dont seem like something Id want to pay for. Who knows the next time I'll run into a TOFT ATB, and most recording consoles (with the exception of the Ghost) are out of my budget.

I take it a live console might not be the best idea?

[Sean Sullivan]

This is a pretty old thread, but I had a couple of questions.

1) Is there anything you've recently discovered that you like, besides the Bricasti?

2) I have one of your modified C460Bs and a modified C414B-ULS and I love the C414 on vocals, bass (electric or upright), and electric guitar. The C460B sounds great on mandolin, acoustic guitar, and fiddle. Two instruments I haven't tried them with yet is banjo and dobro. Do you have any experience recording those instruments with your microphones, and which do you prefer. Also, I was wondering which you prefer on drum overheads for rock music. Finally, what do you like to use on toms?

I have a feeling I'm going to end up with a lot of C460Bs and a pair or two of the C414s thumbsup.

[James Lehmann]

Originally Posted by Jim Williams

Even if the specs are great, sonic differences are heard that still aren't reflected into the test results, these machines only tell you when something is wrong, the ears tell you when it's right.

Bookmarking this wise post...

[AB3]

Jim - what do you think of the recording by Genesis on "Selling England by the Pound" - especially the last big cut - "Cinema show?" (where it takes off! in 7/8)

Just curious if you are familiar with it and have an opinion.

[ddageek]

Hey Jim I know you like the Kimber Cable (big fan of 8tc and some of his other stuff too)
But can't afford it for all the patchbay runs. So whats your favorite Mid priced cable (i.e Belden Mogamie Canare ect)?

[idylldon]

I never saw your answer to the Solidstatesman question, Jim. Why do you like these and what mods do you do to them?

Cheers,
--
Don

[alexstobbe]

In a couple weeks I'm going to get my hands on a Soundcraft 200b 24x4. I think it's a b. (4 band eq w/ 2 sweepable mids) I'd like to use it as a studio desk. From what I hear it looks like it's in rough shape. This board is not a delta. (it has 4 VU meters on the top right)
Anyways, would you be able to spruce this board up and do some mods to it? I don't see this model on audioupgrades.com, but I'd love the master section and all 24 channels to be modded.

Thanks so much for your time!
Alex

[idylldon]

Originally Posted by Jim Williams

I sold the Gates Solid Statesman on Saturday. I replaced some of the transistors, all the caps, aligned it. It just wasn't my thing, too dirty.

Jim Williams
Audio Upgrades

I've done pretty much the same to mine (with the exception of changing the transistors) and have found it to be a . . . "color" . . . item. Just thought I'd ask in case you found a way to clean them up a bit. I do have use for it in its present form occasionally, but most of my gear usually runs to the clean side of the spectrum.

Cheers,
--
Don

[dabigfrog]

[QUOTE=Jim Williams;1123487]I can't afford a $10,000 power amp, nor do I think you need one. This is for studio uses. I use the Adcoms because they are affordable, the design is absolutely first rate, with every stage using the best topology. I researched this very carefully and studied the schematics. With a few component fixes, they have beaten every amp brought in to compare, including $5000 Pass Labs amps.



can you elaborate on the adcom power amps for studio use?
which model / s do you like best?

what mods do you make to the stock ones?

I'm looking for new studio power amps, I'm looking at the 500 series, maybe 2 mono blocks.... or is there another specific model you like best?


thanks
john

[Jeff Jasper]

Originally Posted by Jim Williams

I sold the Gates Solid Statesman on Saturday. I replaced some of the transistors, all the caps, aligned it. It just wasn't my thing, too dirty.

Jim Williams
Audio Upgrades

But but but...it's old enough to be using germanium transistors! Doesn't that count for something? ;-)

Jus' pickin'....

I've spent many an hour behind a Stereo Statesman.

jj

[tapehiss]

Originally Posted by KevWind

they had Quicksilver open up for them

HAH, crazy!!!!!!!!! i worked with a member of quicksilver, still in downtown portland!!!!!!!!!! that was two years ago....

he loved to talk about the gold'ol'days.

[Pchicago]

Hi Jim,

I was wondering what a good Soundcraft model was to look for, used. (16 channels would be fine for my use)

Theres a guy near me (chicago) selling a Soundcraft Spirit Studio..he says the numbers are 16/32???

Those numbers dont make sense to me and I cant find a reference to that anywhere...huh?

He says the pots and faders are pretty clean and everything is in order..the usual Craigslist schpieel..he wants $275 for it and says it's about 10 years old or so..

Anyhow, Im intereted in getting it up to speed and maybe sending a few channels to you to be modded etc.

Wondering if you can point me to a worthy Soundcraft model and/or let me know if this one seems promising..if i can figure what exactly it is..


Pete


Cool to hear about your Zappa connections and whatnot. I've seen Frank close 20 times over my life..grew up with a crew of total Zappa nuts.

[Pchicago]

bump for Jim's opinion

[memphisindie]

Wow, this is a great OLD thread resurrected.
This thread really confirmed a LOT of things for me. WHY a lot of thing I like are liked.
Good to know before a major purchase.

[Mike Jasper]

Originally Posted by upinflames

T I have one of your modified C460Bs and a modified C414B-ULS and I love the C414 on vocals, bass (electric or upright), and electric guitar. The C460B sounds great on mandolin, acoustic guitar, and fiddle.

JW's C460b was the number one modded mic in the small diaphragm mic shootout I did for Tape Op. That was my opinion and the 21-member listening panel's opinion, too.

Yes, this thread should really be ongoing. Maybe we can get a groundswell of support here and Tape Op will finally publish the interview I did on Jim for their Behind The Gear segment.

Jasper

[OCD]

I would like to read that interview.

[Mike Jasper]

Originally Posted by OCD

I would like to read that interview.

Me, too.

Jasper

[natpub]

AHA, a thread so old, hopefully even Jim won't sully himself with embarrassing replies:P

has an email address for a reason Don't be scared... Write them and ask things!

You dont need a 3rd-hand anonymizer to deal with Jim. He is NOT the BOOGIE-MAN! Oooooooooohhhhhhhhhh!

He has always been nice, and easy to get info from. hmm, as far as I know, LOL

cheers,

kt

[OCD]

Not sure I understand exactly what any of that means, but for some reason I want it.

[tommy_asakawa]

I think I ruptured my coccyx reading/laughing at all the posts!

[Dr. Mordo]

Wow, that is really interesting about the capacitor-less opamps. Would you mind telling what opamps they are so I can look into them? Would they be useful to create ultra-transparent preamps?

[Brad McGowan]

Op amps and capacitors are separate things. When you use op amps that offer low DC offset then you can avoid using coupling caps for DC blocking. I'm sure Jim will reply with a list of stuff he uses but the LME49720 and LME49860 are definitely on that list.

Brad

[ddageek]

I have to quit buying stuff and send my DDA Master section and some
modules to JW!, then MY ADL1000's then......

[Dimes]

Originally Posted by ddageek

I have to quit buying stuff and send my DDA Master section and some
modules to JW!, then MY ADL1000's then......

Jim has done, and is still working on modules for my Soundcraft TS-24 as well as modding some other various pieces for me. I can't say enough good things about his work.

[Brad McGowan]

Jim,

In what ways would you compare the Reflex and the Bricasti? Is it the depth and realism of space? Certain programs only?

I was just talking to a fellow GS user the other day about how much he adored his Bricasti.

thanks,
Brad

[ebot9000]

Hey Jim,
Any recommendations on educational materials? I've been learning the basics of electronics & circuit analysis, but I'm having a hard time finding good intermediate texts oriented towards analog audio. There are a plethora of basic electronics texts out there, so I've been able to pick that up okay, but most audio electronics books seem either very advanced or paint by numbers project books.

I'd like to actually understand what's happening in there...
-Ethan

[ddageek]

Originally Posted by Jim Williams

Before I ride off into the sunset, I have a couple new things here. I have a new Lexicon Reflex, a cheapo from the old days. It's fully programmable. It's very dense and thick, better than my LXP-15. I use it for drum ambience and it holds up very well to the Bricasti M7 ver.2.

I also have new opamps in the console, outboard and converters. They allow the entire signal chain to be direct coupled, no el caps except for the 2 in the hybrid summing mix amps. The signal from the mic preamp is direct coupled to the comp which is direct coupled to the converter which is direct coupled. The High Speed has one set of high end caps on the front end to block phantom, the Jensen transformer preamp I built has no capacitors at all and no servos.

The results are stunning. There is zero noise as the opamps are extremely quiet. Cymbal details are amazing with a bell like quality. Even vocals have a new intimacy, I hear the mouth open before the first note. The best part is I'm hearing new stuff from old tracks, a pleasant suprise. Everything sounds like a film was stripped off of it. That film was capacitors, good one's too.

Jim Williams
Audio Upgrades

Jim thats funny I always thought all the latter Lexicons went down hill after the reflex and that it was under rated for the dirt cheap box it was, the thing is Everybody else at the price had to add everything you could think of to compete with the sound and the Brains that ran Harmon had to Follow rather than keep making a great sounding box!
Now that stupid Alesis wedge was kind of cool but if anyone tried to use it like a larc the connections would pull out !

[Dr. Mordo]

Very interesting stuff, Jim!

Well, I'm glad you like the Reflex so much. Like I said when I listed it, I'm amazed that more people don't talk about them when one considers how cheaply they can be gotten. I can only imagine how it sounds after you worked on it!

[Melgueil]

LXP 15 - ha...used to have one of those and I fondly remember it, even though a lot of folks here pee on it. Those 70's shows ......for a period there in the mid seventies, seemed like I was going to one unforgettable concert after another ...couldn;t name them all here. Nice to see that we have enoough collective brain cells left after that period to patch together some recollection of what really happened

cdlt