Vintage Design 500 Series Modules

[djbrough]

What's up fellow gearheads,
I'm about to make the plunge into the 500 series market. I've read the countless threads on different manufacturers, and I'm intrigued by the brent averills, buzz audios, purples, a designs, etc. (I'm getting and 11 space rack by the way). I ran across Vintage Design 500 series modules on the internet @

http://www.vintagedesign.se/en06/enframe2.htm

They look interesting as well. Has anybody had any experience with these modules? They look like Neve clones (referencing the 73's and 81's). How do they stack up against the competition? Any insight would be helpful.

Thanks,
D

[thenoiseflower]

These arent 500 series, I wish they were tho.

[djbrough]

Are you sure? they look like lunchboxes to me. The description also states that they require a separate PS and mounting frame. The US distributor is Mercenary Audio, but I can't find any info on the modules on Mercenary's web site. Maybe I'll give them a call.

BTW, where's Fletcher when you need him? LOL.

[pan60]

not 500, ( lunch box ) frame.
Fletcher is on vacation as i understand, but that should not stop you from calling Mercenary's.
their are many different frames out their that may look at first glance similar to the 500, ( lunch box ) frame but they are not.
make sure ( if you are looking at the 500 frame gear ) to get a lunch box or a bucket that is correct for the 500 format.
BA
OSA
API

[djbrough]

Thanks guys,
I just got off the phone with Mercenary. They haven't received the vertical units yet, but they aren't 500 series. I will be purchasing the BA rack BTW. This just limits my choices a little. It's probably a good thing.

on another topic, I wonder why vintage designs would design a module so close to the size of a 500 series module without making it compatible to a lunchbox? It seems that they may have cut themselves out of some money.

[amino]

Originally Posted by djbrough

Are you sure? they look like lunchboxes to me.

Look at the holes for the screws and you'll see that it's not the 500-format. To me they also look too wide (or too short) to fit.

Great products and great manufacturer anyway.

[pan60]

Originally Posted by pan60

their are many different frames out their that may look at first glance similar to the 500, ( lunch box ) frame but they are not.

Originally Posted by djbrough

Thanks guys,
on another topic, I wonder why vintage designs would design a module so close to the size of a 500 series module without making it compatible to a lunchbox?

because their are many different frames out their!

[Henrik]

Here's the deal with Vintage Design:

Their current offerings are basically clones of old Neve stuff, all discrete with transformers from Carnhill/St. Ives. They have vertical units that go into a lunchbox type of frame. These units are the preamps M73R and M81R, the EQ73R/RB and the compressor C1R. There are also stand-alone versions of the preamps, called M73D and M81D. These have an internal PSU and do not need to be mounted in a frame to work.

On top of these vertical units, there's a bunch of 19" rack mount gear as well; a stereo comp, pre+EQ combinations and a summing amp. Check out their web site.

The company is a one-man venture based in Halmstad, Sweden. Do a search here at GS, some very positive comments.

Best,
Henrik

PS The M81D recently got upgraded to "mk2". The biggest difference is that the mk2 has an instrument DI. We have a couple of mk1's left that we clear out. In case you'd like to dip your toes.

[djbrough]

Thanks, Henrik.
I want to stay with the 500 sereis lunchbox theme. I do want a 1073/1081 type of pre. I may look at the Eisen stuff to see if I can come up with the closest configuration.

[EisenAudio]

Originally Posted by djbrough

I wonder why vintage designs would design a module so close to the size of a 500 series module without making it compatible to a lunchbox? It seems that they may have cut themselves out of some money.

Well, in that sense you could say Vintage Design was cutting itself out of a market from the very beginning. The Neve-style circuits are single-supply, requiring just +24VDC, whereas the 500 Series racks provide + and -16VDC for bipolar op amps. Even if you stepped the +16V rail up to +24V with an on-board switcher, the current draw might be too great. Aside from that, the 1.5" 500 Series module width (and 1" clearance above PCB surface) is a very tricky fit for the type of output transformer you'd want to use.

Having said that, I must mention that while I don't own any Vintage Design products, I think the owner, TK, is a real gentleman. Very helpful and generous with his information. I'm sure he's saving all parties some money on chassis and power supplies by offering a modular rack, albeit something new.

Originally Posted by djbrough

I want to stay with the 500 sereis lunchbox theme. I do want a 1073/1081 type of pre. I may look at the Eisen stuff to see if I can come up with the closest configuration.

I've been using the Neve 10468 input transformer (same model found in 1073 and 1081) with a Purple Audio op amp and 1:2 steel output transformer to make something Neve-ish. Of course the gain structure is totally different because there's no output fader or second amp stage, but sound-wise I think it's in the same league.

[gainreduction]

500-series modules from Vintagedesign are on their way.

I spoke to Thomas (mr vintagedesign) a couple of days ago and he's working like crazy to get a 500 series module done before AES.

[djbrough]

@ Jens J.
Now you really have me interested in your stuff. Will you be @ AES? I would loive to hear some of it first hand.

@gainreduction

That's great news. I'll be sure to look out for them at the convention.

[EisenAudio]

Originally Posted by djbrough

Will you be @ AES? I would loive to hear some of it first hand.

No, I won't be at AES, but shoot me an e-mail.

[uncle duncan]

I just got a pre-built Eisen 'neve-ish' pre a couple of weeks ago. I'm not sure if it's the same as the one he talks about in his post, but this thing kicks butt. It's got a beefy low end and a sizzly top end, and really does a magic thing to vocals. I like it way better than the A-Designs P1 or Blue for that application. Not to knock the A-Designs stuff. It's just that this Eisen model has a really distinctive character that gives a vocal that 'finished' sound.

[carloff]

I got the same "Eisen 1073" on the way...and Im really looking forward...Jens is great guy...and I think that 1073 sound was the thing what we were missing in 500 format...Now it is here!