The first Phoenix DRS-Q4 is mine all mine

[bing81]

After a conversation with Shaun recently, I've pushed the boat out and ordered the very first DRS-Q4. I already have serial no. 002 of the original DRS, and when I heard that 001 was still available on the Q4's, well .. couldn't help myself.

Not that that's hard to do or even that I have a serial number obsession. Buying the original DRS has been the single best gear purchase I've made. I have other pres, and work in studios with other pres .. but generally end up with the DRS.* To put it another way, I've yet to find a situation where I wouldn't have been more than happy to only have had the DRS.

So, the idea of having all that PLUS 4 bands of EQ for tracking/mixing is almost too good to be true.*

Frequencies are:

15K, 12K (hi)
6K,3K5,1K5 (hi-mid)
800,400,220 (lo-mid)
100, 65,35 (lo).

The Q is variable slope. Cut and boost is +-15dB.

http://www.phoenixaudio.net/pages/new_product_news.htm

Of course, I haven't heard it. But I know the quality of the work, the sound, the background of the guys at Phoenix, the customer support etc. It's not a difficult choice.*

Not to mention of course that there's a first run of 10 which is a) at a reduced price and b) the only ones that will be available till full production starts in a couple of months.

So .. 9 DRS-Q4's left.

B

[RKrizman]

Forget it, if I can't have #1 I'm not buying.

How much is it?

Will they take a DRS-2 in trade?

-R

[AdamJay]

damn you!!!

i got dibs on mine with Justin @ Phoenix....
so that makes 8 left actually.

i'm a fellow DRS-2 owner as well.
greatest fecking preamp ever.

[bing81]

Maybe Justin will pop up with more details .. such as pricing, shipping etc.

B

[RKrizman]

Originally Posted by bing81

Maybe Justin will pop up with more details .. such as pricing, shipping etc.

B

Didn't you buy one? You can't tell us the price?

-R

[Thermionic]

Hi,

These pre-production units are proving more popular than we thought; we haven't even finished building them yet, and people are offering to pay already!

If you want pricing info, please drop me an email or PM - it will be the usual percentage of discount we give for pre-production units.

Forgive me if anyone's emailed me this weekend and I haven't answered them - I'm on a different 'puter and won't be able to return email until tomorrow.

We're certainly excited about the DRS-Q4, and are looking forward to your comments!

Justin

[RKrizman]

As long as you've created some eq technology, any chance you'll ever make the eq available without the preamp? I've already got a DRS-2, as well as a Nicerizer 16, and it would be great to just add in some eq. Particularly in front of the Nicerizer.

-R

[Thermionic]

Originally Posted by RKrizman

As long as you've created some eq technology, any chance you'll ever make the eq available without the preamp? I've already got a DRS-2, as well as a Nicerizer 16, and it would be great to just add in some eq. Particularly in front of the Nicerizer.

-R

Hi Rick,

A major cost to us in all Phoenix units is our signature output-stage + custom transformer, and any EQ or Preamp will contain these items. The Phoenix differential input-stage costs us a similar amount whether it’s optimised for Mic or Line, and it wouldn’t make much difference to us financially whether a unit has either, so it was felt the DRS-Q4 might as well have a mic-input to widen appeal.

We’ve now had several requests for a dedicated EQ, so I’m going to have a chat with Shaun this week and see if a plan of action should be taken.

Taking suggestions from users is one of the things GS is for (thanks Jules!), and I’ll keep you posted on developments!

Justin

[Vari-Mu]

It would be really nice if there were patch points on the Q4 so the eq could be used independently. Can the d.i. input take line levels?

Best

Vari-Mu

[RKrizman]

Originally Posted by Thermionic

A major cost to us in all Phoenix units is our signature output-stage + custom transformer, and any EQ or Preamp will contain these items.

This may be an ignorant comment, but if I use an eq with the Nicerizer can't I use the Nicerizer as the output stage-transformer deal. Can't you just cook up a circuit that slides into the nicerizer topology? The Neve-like weightiness of the Nicerizer is just crying out for an accompanying eq to put a little agressive point on the sound.

-R

[Thermionic]

Hi Vari-mu,

The Phoenix DI circuitry is designed in such a way that it can accommodate Low / Medium-Z line-level outputs as well as High-Z Instrument outputs without compromise. Ask any DRS-2 user, and they'll tell you the DI input is versatile - we even released a dedicated DI (Nice DI) due to demand for a standalone DI input.

There are no penalties if you use the DI for line level duties!

Rick,

I hear your point, and it would work. Unfortunately, the Nicerizer-16 would require extensive re-design, and we don't expect every N-16 user to buy our EQ (the Insert on the N-16 would have to be dedicated for our EQ).

It's an idea that deserves discussion though (Thanks!), and I will definitely talk it over with Shaun.

Regards,
Justin

[AdamJay]

woohoo, just paid for my DRS-Q4 this morning.

thanks again Justin...
i'm looking forward to the DRS-Q4 more than you would believe...
first test will be kick and snare duties, with my DRS-2 as OH.
then a little Rhodes 88 (original cabinets) with stereo tremolo...

[RKrizman]

Originally Posted by Thermionic

Rick,

I hear your point, and it would work. Unfortunately, the Nicerizer-16 would require extensive re-design, and we don't expect every N-16 user to buy our EQ (the Insert on the N-16 would have to be dedicated for our EQ).

It's an idea that deserves discussion though (Thanks!), and I will definitely talk it over with Shaun.

Regards,
Justin

I don't know how it all works, but it seems that as long as you're "in" (via your class A inputs) and have a way "out" (via your tranny output) that the actual cost of adding a little eq would be minimal. How hard is it to reach into the Nicerizer and grab an insert point on the channel inputs? Either as a retrofit or a new product. I mean, you've already taken a DRS-2 and done that, right? I just don't need anymore preamps or Nicerizer channels, and I'm sure I'm not alone.

BTW, would you pm me with a price?

-R

[Thermionic]

Hi Rick,

You're right, in that adding a basic EQ prior to the Nicerizer's buss or main O/P would be simple; however, the DRS-Q4 is not a basic EQ... Although it's not designed for forensic applications, and is more of a "tracking" EQ, or an EQ you would use on sounds that are relatively well-recorded and just need a change of contour, the component count is pretty high...

The guys who've ordered their DRS-Q4s will know what I mean if they take the lid off... There's a heck of a lot more under the hood in terms of component count compared to a DRS-2, and adding this circuitry to a Nicerizer would put it well on the way to becoming a fully-blown mixer...

PM on its way.

Regards,
Justin

[Thermionic]

Oh yeah, a couple of things before I check out of here:

Firstly, thanks for all the suggestions - we take the needs of users very seriously (pretty obvious I guess...if we didn't there would be no business:-), and we're going to have a think about implementing some of the suggestions made here.

Secondly: Adam, you'll have to let me hear a snippet of that recording - I'm a sucker for a shimmering Rhodes + tremolo

J

[RKrizman]

Originally Posted by Thermionic

The guys who've ordered their DRS-Q4s will know what I mean if they take the lid off... There's a heck of a lot more under the hood in terms of component count compared to a DRS-2, and adding this circuitry to a Nicerizer would put it well on the way to becoming a fully-blown mixer...

I wasn't suggesting you shoehorn this into the Nicerizer cabinet. But if you could tap into the right points and add a few jacks perhaps one could add x channels of eq as a sort of breakout box. Or apply the same thinking to a DRS-2, like Dan Kennedy did with his MP-2NV.

-R

[Thermionic]

I get you. Definitely an interesting idea... You could even power it from the N-16's supply, so all you'd need would be a rack unit containing just the EQ circuitry, and say, a circular locking multi-pin connector to interface the whole shebang.

This will be discussed with Shaun. Bear in mind it's tricky to satisfy everyone, so a "compromise" often has to be sought, but if we did release such an upgrade I can guarantee you a very special deal on it :-)

Regards,
Justin

[AdamJay]

Originally Posted by Thermionic

Secondly: Adam, you'll have to let me hear a snippet of that recording - I'm a sucker for a shimmering Rhodes + tremolo

J

no problemo!
here's a great story for you about that particular Rhodes....

last year, the day after my mother passed away, a good friend of mine who happens to be the best damn kb player in town asked me if there was anything he could do. I knew his main axe (a large Roland controller that he uses with a Nord Electro Rack and a Powerbook) was being serviced. He'd been using an Electro 73 for the last month and was getting pretty bored with it (he gigs daily, jazz, memphis blues, etc.).
So i asked him, just this once... to haul out his Rhodes Mk1 88 for a gig that Friday night just so i could get away from my thoughts for one night and hear that beautiful instrument. He said "done".

Later that night i showed up at the club, and to my surprise (as well as his bandmate's) he's also brought his huge Fender speaker cabinets. Big and wide enough to actually hear the stereo tremolo.

The sound he got that night was amazing.

I would later find out that he hadn't brought that kit out for a gig in the last 10 years.

To record it through serial #3 of the DRS-Q4 should help me get him to bring it out once more this year, but after that.. it might not be for another 10 years till i can hear it in a large club again.

[Thermionic]

Further to a few enquiries, I just want to clarify that the DRS-Q4 is a DRS-2 with EQ; if you bypass the EQ, you effectively have a DRS-2.

Adam,

An associate of mine is a Rhodes specialist; if you get him started talking about Harold Rhodes about half a day flies by before he stops talking :-) He's even designed his own electro-mechanical keyboard and effects, around a *similar* principle to the Rhodes. His site is here, with a quick Rhodes overview: http://www.alphaentek.com/rhodes.htm

Touching story...sorry to hear about your Mom.

Justin

btw - if you're into keyboards, make sure to give Ron's site a thorough visit!

[TEMAS]

I just payed for and secured serial number 4.

.....only 6 left!!

And I just ordered a Gama 8 too. Hope its all worth it.

[raydo]

#5 is Mine

[Thermionic]

Rick,

Just to let you know, I pressed Shaun on your Nicerizer retrofit EQ question; unfortunately, it doesn't look too practical as a retrofit, and a new version of Nicerizer would have to be marketed...

Although it seemed simple in theory, and the EQ could get away without needing transformer-outs, it would still need a fair amount of active buffering to insert it into the Nicerizer's topology, and the Nicerizer would need an extensive PCB revision to accommodate the interface for the EQ.

David Rees (our head designer for anyone unaware) designs every product from scratch, and doesn't crib ideas from the Internet etc; on account of this, we believe his designs to be highly original, and I think the situation here is one that seems simple in theory, but the reality is that David's topologies aren't run-of-the-mill, and inserting the EQ anywhere other than the dedicated insert points looks to be trickier than even I could have thought.

Regards,
Justin

[Thermionic]

Looking forward to your impressions Temas and Ray.

Remember I'm just an email away if you need any assistance integrating the Q4 into your setup thumbsup

J

[TEMAS]

I certainly will let you all know my thoughts and am really looking forward to using it.

[Trulsux]

I just laid down the deposit for # 007 ( the Bond version) thumbsup

Now i just want 3 weeks to pass really fast!!!!

/ Truls

[Thermionic]

Just so GS members know: there is only one pre-production DRS-Q4 unit left!

Justin

[Paul David]

Email sent, Wether I'm lucky #10 or not I think this is a brilliant idea for a product and I've always loved the DRS-2... So I have some high hopes for this EQ. Is it similar to anything out? 1081, W295, GML, Transparent, oozing with character, Macky 1202 ?

[thethrillfactor]

Originally Posted by bing81

Frequencies are:

15K, 12K (hi)
6K,3K5,1K5 (hi-mid)
800,400,220 (lo-mid)
100, 65,35 (lo).


B

Would a prefered 16K and 10K(12K will do).

Maybe 110 on the low.

And either 8K or 7.2K on the hi mid.

Is this a stereo unit?

[Thermionic]

Hi Paul,

You have email!

Thrill,

The original DRS-Q4 had a 10K setting, but was changed in favour of 12K as it was felt 12K had more universal appeal... When we polled users who tried the early prototypes, it seemed they viewed 10K as an "orphan frequency"; too high to be of use in the "high-mid" sense, and too low to add any real brightness to cymbals / hats etc...

I've witnessed users complain that a 10K setting on a custom return-section was useless to them... Hmm...

Goes to prove you can't satisfy everyone I guess. I see your point on the other freq points as well; again, the inverse could be the case with some users, and they may prefer 6K to 7.2K or 8K.

If you have access to a qualified Tech, we can supply a chart illustrating resistor / cap values that can be changed to adjust the EQ to any value you want.

The DRS-Q4 is a dual-mono unit btw.

Justin

[Thermionic]

Ok guys, just to let you know:

We have 1 left, and many emails have enquired...

The only fair policy to implement we believe is to offer it to the first person who gives us their telephone number...

Paul David currently has first refusal and we'll be calling him in an hour or two; if Paul doesn't take it, it's the first person who gives us their telephone number.

I don't handle the ordering side of things, so if you want it, email your telephone no. to Shaun: phoenixaudio@btinternet.com

It's first-come, first-served - no favouritism here!

Justin