VTypeV4

I've mixed pretty much every show I've done in the last three years (probably more than a 1000) has been on some form of digital console. I've tried in no particular order.. Allen Heath Qu24 Yamaha LS9 16 and 32 Yamaha 02R (w/unity) Soundcraft 328 Soundcraft 328XD Mackie D8B Mackie DL1608 Digico SD8 I've also had a play with a Behringer X32, a Yamaha M7CL and an Allen & Heath Qu16 and an iLive T112 but never mixed a show on them. If I never used another analogue console again, I wouldn't be upset. I love the charm of a big oldskool desk like an ML5000 with a giant rack of gear but to 'get the job done' I'd prefer a digi console everytime.

[quote name='Deedee' timestamp='1461101348' post='3031567'] Here's my new baby, a 1993 Hexavalve [/quote] Stonking!

Thank you kindly, sir.. I'm a total convert on the digital mixing front, it wouldn't upset me to never touch an analogue console again. I occasionally look on eBay for higher end analogue / VCA style desks such as Allen & Heath ML and Soundcraft MH models and consider a rack full of outboard but then thankfully reality sets in! They're very cheap these days considering they were 10 to twenty-grands worth of premium console not so long ago. Incidentally, the biggest console I ever used was an Allen & Heath ML5000 which was a 56 channel monster. I suppose the same could be said of the 02R (and my former 328XD) on the money front, both worth a fraction of their new cost but I guess thats progress. The biggest 'faller' I've seen in the last 18 months or so is the (not so) beloved Yamaha LS-9 in both 16 and 32 channel guises. I've seen 16s go for as little as £1250 and even 32s in the £1850 zone which considering what they'll do (not how they do it!) is a monsterous amount of bang for buck.. As for my consoles, I don't see me changing them soon and I know I said that about the Soundcraft but the capabilities of the two Yamaha desks is perfect for my setup. I'm very comfortable with how they work plus the bonus capablity of the Unity card especially with it's extended I/O rivals more modern setups. I'll snap some more pix when I get chance.

Unity card and 2.16 chips installed into the second (well, first really) 02R and we're on! The card has both engines active and both are set to M2000 which as this console is my live console, it's the perfect setup! As it's Wednesday, tonight has been open mic / acoustic night and a perfect opportunity to try a couple of those luscious TC reverb patches and on a couple of appropriate occasions a subtle bit of TC chorus on picked guitar parts. I left the internal Yamaha FX muted all evening to concentrate better on the TC effects and they certainly didn't disappoint to the point where one of the regular attendees commented and asked what was different and how big it sounded. Lastly, despite previous plans, I don't think I'll bother cascading the consoles as they now both have a UnitY card and if I install my cascade cards into each, I'll lose the extended routing capabilities. This will cost me channels that I'm not prepared to give up and almost defeat the point of two consoles so I think they may go back on eBay. I'll also have to give up my AES / EBU cards if I cascade as I'll run out of card slots too. All in all, it's all good!

[quote name='Deedee' timestamp='1459709066' post='3018843'] Just to give you guys an update, I've this afternoon pushed the button on a Hexavalve so once it arrives, I'll let you know how I get on. In the mean time, if there are any specific tips and tricks regarding one of these particular old heads, please let me know. [/quote] Superb! Nice one fella.. My only advice would be as the same as any other valve amp: A:) Make sure it's connected to the correct load so for example if you're working at 4 ohm, make sure it's on the 4 ohm tap. Some amps tolerate it better than others but the output valves / transformer prefer to work at their correct loads. B:) Have it checked over by a competant tech from time to time as old components can drift out of value and electrolytic filter caps dry out over time both of which will have a detrimental effect on the sonics of the amp. C:) Valves wear out over time and proportionally to how hard you use them so budget for that - 6 x KT88 / 6550 aren't cheap! Try different brands and models as each have their own sonic signature. When it does come time to change it's probably best to have a tech do this if you have no experience so he can re-bias the amp although something is telling me, the older Trace amps had a fixed / none adjustable bias. Again, a competent tech will be able to mod the amp to make it adjustable if it's already been done. Lastly, enjoy it! I'll eat my hat if you don't like it..

Well still no cascading as I've been terribly lazy but i've bagged another Unity card. The seller was unsure of the license status which un-nerved me a little but they have said if it doesn't work as it should, they'll offer me a full refund which seems more than fair enough. It also comes with the 2.16 operating chips so hopefully we should be all systems go, Forgot to add, it's an Adat / Tdif version with extended I/O..

[quote name='cheddatom' timestamp='1459429663' post='3016483'] looking good Matt! [/quote] Just a shame about my face! Ha! Cheers Tom.

Indeed it does! Ha, cheers man.

I managed to get a picture from Sam.. [URL=http://s778.photobucket.com/user/VTypeV4/media/IMG-20160330-WA0000_zpshtihzljq.jpg.html][IMG]http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/yy70/VTypeV4/IMG-20160330-WA0000_zpshtihzljq.jpg[/IMG][/URL] Must have been a really important note that one! You can just see the Trace and SWR in the background...

[quote name='longtimefred' timestamp='1459378646' post='3016082'] Do it, you will not regret it. [/quote] This.. ^

I do like these..

I rather suspect you're trying to fight fire with fire and the poor dummer may well be collateral! Personally, I wouldn't change my gear in a war of volume but if it was just more volume you need, your Trace offers plenty of connection to external power amps as mentioned above. Alternatively, you might just fancy some new gear.

Played at the Exchange for Samantha Lloyd's EP release.. All went smoothly I'm happy to report although I don't have any pix..

Gigged mine this evening.. It just works like very little else I had a Twin Valve combo for a while which too was excellent and if you're coming from GP7 or GP12 platforms it will be tonally familiar with a bit of added 'valve goodness'.. The V-Type series are a little different and a bit more traditional but they still have the Trace thing going on. I supplement mine with a Yamaha NE-1 to put the mid-range where I like it but i'd be more than happy to take any valve Trace on to any stage to play any show. Love 'em! To be fair, I'd take an SMX most places too.

I'll be honest, I still haven't done the cascade thing yet as I've been on pretty much every night plus I've had a few recordings to mix.. I'll get it covered in the next fwe weeks. I love desk overkill - people say 'why?' and the best possible response has to be 'why not!?' Ha! I did a corporate job on an LS9 - 32 a few years back and all I had through that were two lecturn mic and one hand-held radio mic. I'm sure much like me you'd rather be over rather than under specified.

[quote name='chevy-stu' timestamp='1458205260' post='3005486'] I think the newer Mesa cabs (since early 2000s) have used Mesa specced Eminence speakers.. older ones used alot EV speakers. [/quote] Good to know, cheers..

Many thanks ^ I'll keep this posted and hopefully share the solution (assuming there is one!) with all..

I think they're both set to default as channel one but I'll double check. I'll be really pleased if it's that simple..

[quote name='SubsonicSimpleton' timestamp='1457447815' post='2998677'] Roy Johnston (RMJ Loudspeakers) is also worth a call. [/quote] Roy is excellent, he did a pair of 15" Goodmans a few years back that no-one else would touch and they're still working great plus he did a JBL K140 for me that is also superb.. Not sure what driver is in your cab (possibly an EV?) but I suspect if anyone can sort you, it'll be Roy.

To the O/P, I'm not sure we're comparing like for like but none-the-less, that's a lovely rig.. A number of people on here have gone light cab / trace head route which apparently gives the best of both worlds. Personally, I'm happy with my heavy head and (reasonably) lightweight SWR boxes. Lightweight / compact / Class D doesn't interest me as I gig less than 10 (probably 5 at this rate) times a year, I don't have a glass back and am not ever persuing 'that' tone as I feel I already have it.

[quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1457775727' post='3001664'] just got hold of GP12 series 6 amp, anybody know what the black rocker switch does on the back? maybe something to do with the ohms load? [/quote] If it's a longer and thinner rocker than the main power switch then it's probably the ground isolation control to help reduce hum when connecting to external gear.

I've been expanding my live / recording setup recently and I'm looking to improve the automation and control side of things but I seem to have come to a standstill. I mix out of the box - I very much prefer putting a mix together on the Yamaha and despite its age, I think the 02R is a great console - all of my customers have been pleased with the results also . If I need to automate, I'll usually just do it in Pro Tools but doing this way feels slightly compromised and although it actually works well for what I need, I'd rather do it on the yam if poss. What I'm asking is there anyway to use the 02R to control (even a small part) of the software? In the Midi settings on the Yamaha, there's a 'Remote Control' page which has a Pro Tools profile with graphical representation of faders (controlled by the real ones) as well as a transport bar but it says 'connection failed' everytime I ask it to connect. I understand this profile is for a much older version of the software (version 5 or something) but was hoping at least some of the lineage was compatible. On the flipside, the software actually has an 'instrument profile' in it's midi settings for the 02R but despite this, they don't want to talk to each other. Lastly, I can see the Midi light illuminate on the 828x when the Yamaha is in 'Remote control' mode so I know it's transmitting something. Can anyone shed any light? I'm not looking to replace the Yamaha (I simply don't want to nor can I afford to) so I'm happy to accept it might not be poss but I can't help but think I just missed something somewhere. [URL=http://s778.photobucket.com/user/VTypeV4/media/IMG_20160307_171236_zpscn1vewbz.jpg.html][IMG]http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/yy70/VTypeV4/IMG_20160307_171236_zpscn1vewbz.jpg[/IMG][/URL] Thanks in advance.

[quote name='mike257' timestamp='1457434391' post='2998429'] That takes me back. Looking great! [/quote] Thanks Mike. My second cascade card arrived this morning so I'll try setting that up this week.. Winner!

The last 12 or so hours work.. [URL=http://s778.photobucket.com/user/VTypeV4/media/IMG_20160307_171236_zpscn1vewbz.jpg.html][IMG]http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/yy70/VTypeV4/IMG_20160307_171236_zpscn1vewbz.jpg[/IMG][/URL] It's nearly all finished but there's a few detail changes I need to sort but I'll wrap them up tomorrow / weds.

I've just bagged a second cascade card for the vast sum of £19.99! Plus a fiver postage of course but I'm really happy with such a bargain.. I'm having a major re-organize this weekend as my setup has become a bit messy. I've built a new table / surface to put it all on plus I'm gonna gut the amp rack and clean the amps, re-sort and tidy all the wires around the back of the soundcard and attempt to make it all much neater wih easier access.. I'll take some pix of the process..