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Re: What I do...

I am not familiar with the B&O units. I have a pair of Shure 300 ribbon microphones I use for the 2nd stereo pair when I am using more than one recorder. They also have very low output and I had the same problem when I also had a Ampex MX 10. I had always wanted a MX10 but after I got one I just couldn't get the detail out of it I wanted. It did have a vintage sound though. I was going to put in all Sowter transformers but never could justify spending the money so I eventually Fleabayed it. I also didn't really need a mixer as I always use just a pair of stereo mikes so I really needed a good set of precision balanced mike preamps. I decided to build my own. I also decided I couldn't afford all the transformers I'd need as it would take 2 per channel and I wanted to make 6 channels and it wasn't worth doing unless I used top notch transformers. I settled on a design from tube cad that was really a balanced phono preamp that used 6922 tubes so I removed the passive eq and tweaked the values to use 6021 sub mini tubes. I added switchable gain, phase and input termination but kept it pretty basic. As for other mikes, I have been playing around with converting Chinese Apex condenser mikes to use better capsules and other parts. They pretty much suck stock (1 reviewer said he had to go through 30 of them to find 2 that matched). Fortunately they use standard 34mm mounts so Peluso Neumann style capsules bolts right in and I removed the Chinese 12AX7 and used a 6021 submini and better passive parts. I am also rebuilding its power supply into a different cabinet and since the Sowter trannies I ordered to replace the internal Chinese probably won't fit in the mike shell I will put them in the power supply cabinet. I also have a pair of AKG C12 condenser mikes that are usually my primary pair but I have high hopes for these modified Apex units.
The Sony 777 machines are real workhorses but stock they double as a pink noise generator. I modified one so it now has external bias adjustment and better parts on the playback cards and it made a big difference. Ferrite playback heads off certain newer models can also be installed as they are compatible mount and impedance wise so I want to try that on the "J" version as the other versions have 2/4 track playback heads in one. I want to fix up 2 of them really nice and sell the remaining 4 so I'm not tripping over them anymore :)

Dave


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