VTypeV4

I love my NE-1 and as stated, not really a pedal but it works superbly aloft the Trace. At the time I was looking for an SM7 EQ pedal but funky Pete said he'd got the Yamaha for sale and that I should try it to see if it did what I wanted. That was about 12 years ago..

Just spent the weekend working at the Box in Crewe for Kirk Brandon's Spear of destiny as part of their annual Westworld Weekender. A cracking few days for all involved! It's a gig I've done for the group many times but just thought i'd share that this was where my digital journey began back a good few years back.. [url="http://s778.photobucket.com/user/VTypeV4/media/DSC_0179_zpsqz2mpggs.jpg.html"][/url] Adrian's battered XD that I've had the pleasure of mixing on the past few days and the very first digital console i ever used. Half the paint is missing and it's a little grubby but everything still works just fine and it's rock solid in operation. These are old but they're still a lovely desk to use and I'd happily take one anywhere to mix anyone. I've made next to no changes on the 02R front, I just made sure my outs via ADAT on slot 3 in the first console are recived without issue into the extended I/O section of the Unity card in slot 4 on the second 02R. I've simply decided to run LR (although groups worked too) of the first into the second console as I can send it straight to the LR of that second console so any FX or processing I do is still done at source without any compromises on inputs or complications that would arise using the cascade cards. Doing it this way will enable me to run 24 channels from the stage and via my ADA8000 and I'll be able to record 26 simultaneous channels if needed and 28 mix channels on play back. [URL=http://s778.photobucket.com/user/VTypeV4/media/DSC_0167_zpshlsar83t.jpg.html][IMG]http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/yy70/VTypeV4/DSC_0167_zpshlsar83t.jpg[/IMG][/URL] Token 02R pic from a few days after I collected the second one..

I think the series 6 models came in '89 and I'm sure I've seen an old advert in a copy of guitarist from about '86 saying 'next generation' with a number of MK5 series amps so I'd have thought your GP11 would be between those dates.. As a foot note, series 6 and all following (SMX etc) went to 12 band EQ from 11 band with addition of the 30Hz slider.

I too have little positive experience with AKG D112 on anything - infact they're the only mic I make a point to avoid and have an active dislike for.. An SM57 on the other hand is like a trusty old friend you can rely on. I love the '57 on pretty much any instrument including vocal if push comes to shove.. Just thinking outside the box (and I never recorded it, only used it live) was an AKG D190. Not a big bottom but a lovely warm thickness and great definition with pronounced low mids.. Can be gotten reasoanbly cheap too.

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.