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Sound Reinforcement - Forums for Live Sound Professionals - Your Displayed Name Must Be Your Real Full Name To Post In The Live Sound Forums => HistoryOfConcertSound.org => Topic started by: Keith Broughton on September 13, 2015, 12:49:56 PM

Title: blast from my past
Post by: Keith Broughton on September 13, 2015, 12:49:56 PM
Cleaning out my parents house and came across these pics from circa 1978 from my club touring days. OMG!!!!
The PM700 was ours as was the rack. Not sure about the other console and REALLY not sure about the graphic EQ settings!
As I recall, the rig was 2 JBL 4520 subs with 2 Altec horns  of some kind driven with a BGW 500.
We later upgraded to a Soundcraft 1S and a Martin PA.
Title: Re: blast from my past
Post by: Steve M Smith on September 13, 2015, 02:38:08 PM
Somewhere there is a similar picture of me from that era... with similar eqipment and hair!


Steve.
Title: Re: blast from my past
Post by: Dave Pluke on September 13, 2015, 07:33:26 PM
... and REALLY not sure about the graphic EQ settings!

Must have had some super efficient mid cabs?

Around that era we had Crown DC300 + DC150 powering Anicom's Warp II's and JBL 2440 drivers on those squat, aluminum horns that could rip off heads at 20 paces.  Used a Crown Xover, but can't recall what EQ.

Dave


Title: Re: blast from my past
Post by: GenePink on September 15, 2015, 02:03:42 AM
Ooo yeah, memories. Let's see if I got this right. In the rack, top to bottom:

Ashly SC-70 crossover
DBX 3BX or similar bass enhancer
Ashly SC-50 Compressor
MXR 27 band EQ
Some sort of echoplex tape delay

At one time, I had all of these, except that much hair and the Echoplex, I went with the Roland 201 space echo.

Cool pix.

Gene

PS: Love the inconspicuous board light.
Title: Re: blast from my past
Post by: Keith Broughton on September 15, 2015, 06:40:50 AM
Ooo yeah, memories. Let's see if I got this right. In the rack, top to bottom:

Ashly SC-70 crossover
DBX 3BX or similar bass enhancer
Ashly SC-50 Compressor
MXR 27 band EQ
Some sort of echoplex tape delay

At one time, I had all of these, except that much hair and the Echoplex, I went with the Roland 201 space echo.

Cool pix.

Gene

PS: Love the inconspicuous board light.
Pretty much right!
I'm not sure about the bass enhancer though. Don't know what that item is but don't remember and kind of help for the bottom end.
Title: Re: blast from my past
Post by: Tom Burgess on September 15, 2015, 04:22:42 PM
Nice! 

Maybe the graphic was inserted in a channel?
Title: Re: blast from my past
Post by: Stephen Kirby on September 15, 2015, 06:23:29 PM
Nice! 

Maybe the graphic was inserted in a channel?
Taming the JBL eardrum perforators.   ;D
Title: Re: blast from my past
Post by: Tom Roche on September 15, 2015, 07:03:32 PM
Pretty much right!
I'm not sure about the bass enhancer though. Don't know what that item is but don't remember and kind of help for the bottom end.

At first I thought it might be a range expander, but I don't recall and cannot find any dbx products having the vertical white line that separates the last 1/4 of the panel face. 
Title: Re: blast from my past
Post by: GenePink on September 16, 2015, 12:28:06 AM

> At first I thought it might be a range expander, but I don't recall and cannot find any dbx products having the vertical white line that separates the last 1/4 of the panel face.

Yeah, I agree, probably not a dbx bass enhancer, but I got curious.

Attached is the dbx page from the 1986 Orion blue book,  anything look familiar Keith?

This is not an all-inclusive list, Orion wanted 20 survey responses of bought/sold from pawn shops to include an item and average out the numbers. The four numbers on the right are:
List price,
Average it sold for used,
Avg paid in mint cond,
Avg paid in avg condition.

Gene
Title: Re: blast from my past
Post by: Keith Broughton on September 16, 2015, 07:32:28 AM
> At first I thought it might be a range expander, but I don't recall and cannot find any dbx products having the vertical white line that separates the last 1/4 of the panel face.

Yeah, I agree, probably not a dbx bass enhancer, but I got curious.

Attached is the dbx page from the 1986 Orion blue book,  anything look familiar Keith?

This is not an all-inclusive list, Orion wanted 20 survey responses of bought/sold from pawn shops to include an item and average out the numbers. The four numbers on the right are:
List price,
Average it sold for used,
Avg paid in mint cond,
Avg paid in avg condition.

Gene
Nothing comes to mind on the DBX front. You have to remember this was the late 70s and things were a bit "hazey" back then. ;)
As for the EQ, probably just bad use of equipment.
Monitors for this band were made from 12" guitar speakers and had an EV plastic re-entrant type paging horn for tops.
Powered by a GBX 4x50 watt amp unit.
This is where I started in "pro" audio and when I can't help but be stunned by how far the industry has come.
35+ years of DIY, teach yourself, blow it up and fix it, where did I go wrong, audio training.
Wouldn't have it any other way :D
Title: Re: blast from my past
Post by: Mac Kerr on September 16, 2015, 08:34:29 AM
Ooo yeah, memories. Let's see if I got this right. In the rack, top to bottom:

Ashly SC-70 crossover
DBX 3BX or similar bass enhancer
Ashly SC-50 Compressor
MXR 27 band EQ
Some sort of echoplex tape delay

At one time, I had all of these, except that much hair and the Echoplex, I went with the Roland 201 space echo.

Cool pix.

Gene

PS: Love the inconspicuous board light.

I don't see any dbx gear in that photo, although it is pretty blurry. The 3BX was a 3 band expander, and was 2RU with 3 horizontal LED meters in the middle.

Mac
Title: Re: blast from my past
Post by: Stephen Kirby on September 16, 2015, 05:30:04 PM
Is that other mixer a Tangent?
Title: Re: blast from my past
Post by: Tom Burgess on September 16, 2015, 05:31:51 PM
Is that other mixer a Tangent?
I thought it looked like a Teac / Tascam.
Title: Re: blast from my past
Post by: Geoff Doane on September 22, 2015, 03:55:15 PM
I thought it looked like a Teac / Tascam.

Judging by the big meters, I was going to guess Studiomaster.

I started off about the same time, but with a Yamaha PM-430 (8 channels) instead of the 700.  I don't think either one had inserts on the channels (or the mains!).

I have no clue about that thing between the two Ashlys in the rack.  Maybe a crossover?  That looks like a Dual cassette recorder sitting on top of the rack though.

GTD
Title: Re: blast from my past
Post by: Keith Broughton on September 22, 2015, 04:52:56 PM
Judging by the big meters, I was going to guess Studiomaster.

I started off about the same time, but with a Yamaha PM-430 (8 channels) instead of the 700.  I don't think either one had inserts on the channels (or the mains!).

I have no clue about that thing between the two Ashlys in the rack.  Maybe a crossover?  That looks like a Dual cassette recorder sitting on top of the rack though.

GTD
I have reviewed the pics and I'm stumped on what is between the Ashley units.
Title: Re: blast from my past
Post by: Dave Scarlett on October 05, 2015, 04:46:23 PM
Keith I figured from the stubby in the first picture you might be Canadian. Mentioning GBX confirms it, and I still have a bass preamp in my basement.
Title: Re: blast from my past
Post by: Keith Broughton on October 06, 2015, 07:31:37 AM
Keith I figured from the stubby in the first picture you might be Canadian. Mentioning GBX confirms it, and I still have a bass preamp in my basement.
WoW... Good eye!
Yep, Canadian and this pic is probably from some bar in northern Ontario or possibly Quebec.
We played every little bar and venue you could imagine...in the winter  :o
Title: Re: blast from my past
Post by: duane massey on October 06, 2015, 10:35:12 AM
The mystery unit looks an awful lot like a DBX Range Expander that were popular around here in the 70's. I couldn't find a pic or info online anywhere but I do remember them being somewhat useless.
Title: Re: blast from my past
Post by: Tim Weaver on October 06, 2015, 10:53:30 AM
WoW... Good eye!
Yep, Canadian and this pic is probably from some bar in northern Ontario or possibly Quebec.
We played every little bar and venue you could imagine...in the winter  :o

Can't identify any mystery units, but when I hear quotes like this, this song pops in my head immediately. I think it fits this thread...

https://youtu.be/tf94eYAFfYo
Title: Re: blast from my past
Post by: Keith Broughton on October 06, 2015, 01:54:31 PM
Can't identify any mystery units, but when I hear quotes like this, this song pops in my head immediately. I think it fits this thread...

https://youtu.be/tf94eYAFfYo
Black spray can painted school bus.... 8)
Title: Re: blast from my past mystery unit ID
Post by: Mike Caldwell on October 09, 2015, 12:31:02 AM
The second unit in the rack is a Shure 106 crossover.
There's actually one for sale on Ebay now. That's the first place I found one to confirm what I thought it was.


Title: Re: blast from my past mystery unit ID
Post by: Keith Broughton on October 09, 2015, 05:55:26 AM
The second unit in the rack is a Shure 106 crossover.
There's actually one for sale on Ebay now. That's the first place I found one to confirm what I thought it was.
Good catch!
I have no memory of that piece of equipment at all.
Maybe it was the original crossover and the Ashley replaced it.
Title: Re: blast from my past mystery unit ID
Post by: Mike Caldwell on October 09, 2015, 08:59:03 AM
Good catch!
I have no memory of that piece of equipment at all.
Maybe it was the original crossover and the Ashley replaced it.

Buy the one that's on Ebay and start recreating you vintage FOH rack!

The bottom unit has got me stumped, the silver color makes me think a home stereo piece, possibly one of the many home stereo reverb units that were out in the 70's. All of the ones I know of or found pictures of don't have that same looking front panel.
Title: blast from my past
Post by: Tim Weaver on October 09, 2015, 11:26:40 AM
Holy Cow you're right. I Used to have one of those crossovers too. They were a fixed frequency, but by replacing some resistors in it you could go 1x, 10x, or .10x thereby "adjusting" the XO point!
Title: Re: blast from my past
Post by: Mike Smith on October 09, 2015, 04:39:22 PM
I thought it looked like a Teac / Tascam.

The second mixer is a Tapco C-12 Catalina.

A blues/jazz club in downtown Dayton, Ohio had one for years in its house system. I spent many lost evenings pushing sound out of that audio-truck and into a PA loaded with Gauss fifteens, Gauss twelves, and topped with EV DH1012 drivers on the wonderful "big white horns."
Title: Re: blast from my past
Post by: Monte Anderson on October 10, 2015, 01:16:48 AM
The EQ was probably not in the chain. That's the piece of "dummy gear" for drunks that have "tips" for you when you're mixing. I used to employ that trick all the time. When a drunk would come up with suggestions on how to improve the sound, I'd either adjust an unused  channel on the board or mess with something in the rack that was just taking up space. It worked wonders!
Title: Re: blast from my past mystery unit ID
Post by: Keith Broughton on October 10, 2015, 07:08:09 AM
Buy the one that's on Ebay and start recreating you vintage FOH rack!

The bottom unit has got me stumped, the silver color makes me think a home stereo piece, possibly one of the many home stereo reverb units that were out in the 70's. All of the ones I know of or found pictures of don't have that same looking front panel.
It's a Dynacord Echocord tape delay.
There is a slider bar on the front to adjust the position of the head for delay time.
Title: Re: blast from my past mystery unit ID
Post by: Mike Caldwell on October 11, 2015, 08:07:31 PM
It's a Dynacord Echocord tape delay.
There is a slider bar on the front to adjust the position of the head for delay time.

And with that the rack mysteries are solved.
For what it's worth there's one of those on Ebay now, one more piece
of the puzzle to rebuilding the rack.
Title: Re: blast from my past mystery unit ID
Post by: Keith Broughton on October 11, 2015, 08:40:20 PM
And with that the rack mysteries are solved.
For what it's worth there's one of those on Ebay now, one more piece
of the puzzle to rebuilding the rack.
That rack is firmly in my past and will stay there  ;D
Title: Re: blast from my past mystery unit ID
Post by: Mike Caldwell on October 12, 2015, 09:23:14 AM
That rack is firmly in my past and will stay there  ;D

EVERYONE needs to have used equipment like that at somepoint in their past!!
Title: Re: blast from my past
Post by: Anthony Bowe on January 04, 2016, 06:29:02 PM
This is where I started in "pro" audio and when I can't help but be stunned by how far the industry has come.
35+ years of DIY, teach yourself, blow it up and fix it, where did I go wrong, audio training.
Wouldn't have it any other way :D

Absolutely true.
Title: Re: blast from my past
Post by: Jim McKeveny on January 23, 2016, 01:19:51 PM
I've gotta break out a scanner and post some similar pics. Though only a couple years newer, the EQ curves are  similarly embarrassing.
Title: Re: blast from my past
Post by: Keith Broughton on January 23, 2016, 03:39:27 PM
I've gotta break out a scanner and post some similar pics. Though only a couple years newer, the EQ curves are  similarly embarrassing.
Those EQ curves were not "embarrassing" they were "system compensation curves"  ;D ;D
I remember the old Yamaha EQs used with Martin systems were worn out where everyone set them to tame the rig!