Brother in law is having an estate sale of his Dad's stuff. Has a Soundcraftsmen AE 2420R and asked if I wanted it.
Who has one of these and how well does it perform? Thoughts appreciated
I had an earlier (70's) model a while back and though I generally don't use EQ's, it performed OK. It wasn't particularly quiet and it seemed to have a 'thinning' effect on the overall sound but then, that's my complaint about most EQ's I come across. Most SC models tend to sell for $25-50 so there are better EQ's out there. Still, they're nice to have around when the need/curiosity arises and its certainly a nice gesture from your BiL.
Thanks!
EQs of this vintage were mostly built around opamp ckts and as such sound like it. I don't think you would want to use it in your system for listening purposes, but if it comes with the calibrated mic and the LP that orginally came with the unit it might be good for use as a room tuning tool.
Unless you have a really bad room node that needs correction, I'd pass on it. Usually, the more things you add into the music path, the more noise you introduce.
Then again, if you have a party planned and want to adjust the EQ so it thumps your guests across the floor while they're disco'ing, go for it! :rofl:
SN
Thanks to all. May just take it and have it in the rack as a show piece. I've got the room
The only way to know for sure is TRY it in YOUR system. :thumb:
SN
Got the unit and now have to read up on it. Came with the record and microphone. When I get the time, I may play around and see what the mic tells me. Since I am recording LP's on my Teac 4 track, may be a nice addition for playback from the deck.
On another note, who is attending Axpona here in Chicago?
Triode Wire Labs meaning Triode Pete. Volti room.
charles
Quote from: Brap on March 30, 2015, 06:26:13 AM
Got the unit and now have to read up on it. Came with the record and microphone. When I get the time, I may play around and see what the mic tells me. Since I am recording LP's on my Teac 4 track, may be a nice addition for playback from the deck.
It can always be an interesting (and usually eye opening) exercise to measure the frequency response of your room, so this could be a fun toy to play with from that perspective.
However if you are recording LPs to RtR tape you are obviously concerned with SQ. Given that these units are not only built around op-amps, but very early op-amps at that, my brain. is flashing "Danger Will Robinson". From a purely intellectual standpoint I would be very worried that the circuits in this until will cause more damage than improvements to the signal. Realize that this unit pretty much predates the rise of "High End" equipment and while it may have sounded just fine in 1970s mass market systems, a modern high resolution system could very well expose a lot of signal degradation that was not resolvable in systems of yesteryear.
But I have been around this hobby long enough to know that logic sometime just does not rule the day. I think Bill has the right idea that you will need to throw it in your system and just decide for yourself if the pros ourweigh the cons. Either way I would highly recommend that you do not use it to EQ any signals before they get to tape. If you EQ the input signal, the effect of that box can never be undone. If you record strait in and EQ only on the playback side you will always have a clean signal to work with if you later decide it need less processing.
and FWIW, I have ownedmany different types of signal processing "boxes" over the years and the better my system got over time, the less I found I wanted to use them, to the point when now not a single one is still in my main system
Tmazz -- we are on the same page here. I have spent so much time in making a "dead" quiet system I would hate to introduce any foreign noise. I was just going to play with this for RTR playback only and see what happens. Room is wide open, unfinished anyways so doing this would only be a gimmick for analysis right now anyway. Fully agree on the pre-dating in the technology department. Heck, I had a 12 bander in my car in the '70's just to get the extra "thump" from my 6x9 Jensen tri-axials since subs were not offered way back then! But as Stereo-nut said - could be fun to get things thumping on the patio for outdoor dance parties!!
Quote from: Brap on March 30, 2015, 08:05:00 AM
Heck, I had a 12 bander in my car in the '70's just to get the extra "thump" from my 6x9 Jensen tri-axials since subs were not offered way back then!
You got me beat there. My 74 Camaro had 6x9 Jensens (which were pretty much top shelf back then as far as car speakers went), but mine were only coaxials. :(
Wish I could have that car back again. Like every other 74 Camaro, the rear quarters rotted out, but with the friends and tools I have now sectioning in new steel would be a piece of cake. And the sure don't builld 350s like that no more. But I was just out of college and my mother convinced me that I worked hard in school and a young well paid engineer "derserved'" to be riding around in a new car. Dumb, Dumb, Dumb. :duh :duh :duh
They are right when they say that youth is really wasted on young people. :lol:
On my 73's the quarters weren't the issue -- but the doors sure were. Ended up taking them of, making a copper template of the lower door cross section, going to work and bending / shearing the template to long steel length, riveting them in, bondo and painting in my mom's garage! Sold the car 2 months later. You had me beat though -- all I had was a 305 cu.in. Put a new intake and a Holley but no replacement for displacement. And talk about being dumb, I bought a diesel Cutlass Supreme in 1981 due togas prices going up and work was 30 miles away. After 2 years, spun bearings and 2 roosemaster pumpos, dropped in a gas 350, cc'd heads and new tranny. Talk about a sleeper. Car was still registered as a diesel so never had to go to emissions! :lol: