REDDI Tube DI Mega Thread . Potential megathread that is.

[JimmyM]

Ok guys, I couldn't take it anymore. I have one of these red boxes coming my way soon, courtesy of MF. My wallet might be a little lighter, but my ears will be happier. I think a few other boxes I have (Sadowsky DI and either my original VT Bass or VTD) may be popping up in the classifieds sooner rather than later.

Nice! Ditto what Peter said. Have fun with it, bro.

 

[diglo]

Ok guys, I couldn't take it anymore. I have one of these red boxes coming my way soon, courtesy of MF. My wallet might be a little lighter, but my ears will be happier. I think a few other boxes I have (Sadowsky DI and either my original VT Bass or VTD) may be popping up in the classifieds sooner rather than later.

Jedbass...you're going to enjoy it bruh! Glad I purchased mine. I forgot I had the sadowsky di. Lol

 

[svtb15]

+1... I admit it....
But I never mentioned Black Helicopters .... cant prove that stuff...

svtb15 and I have a thing about how and what is going on in today's world and who shot Kennedy, the medical bills, Social Security, and all the things that keep you awake at night.

It's interesting but scarey too.

Sorry svtb15!!!
The cats outta da bag!

 

[svtb15]

Nice!!... Looking forward to hearing about your new reddi

Ok guys, I couldn't take it anymore. I have one of these red boxes coming my way soon, courtesy of MF. My wallet might be a little lighter, but my ears will be happier. I think a few other boxes I have (Sadowsky DI and either my original VT Bass or VTD) may be popping up in the classifieds sooner rather than later.

 

[Jim C]

Hi Jim C,

Yes, things get VERY interesting around here at times BUT ya gotta LUV it!

We have a few things come out this year already but I don't know if I can say anything here........the rules may not allow me to do that.

Thank you,
Peter

I just realized that your company makes a version of the of the Pultec EQ's that I cut my teeth on (both tube and SS versions) as well as a channel strip that sounds as though it might be inspired by Neve / Api discrete transistor gear from back in the day.
Very impressive; am suprised that many of the high end users here don't use that gear in place of a DI for live / recording enviornments. Lastly, I really like (and agree) with this quote from your site:
"While many people still clamor to own an original Pultec equalizer, the simple truth of audio equipment is that unlike violins and brandy, electronics don’t improve with age."

 

[svtb15]

JIM.. I have an A-Design 500 series GOLD pre.. I have used it as a DI or at times a Preamp in a live rig.. Sounded pretty amazing... The 500 series will fit into any 500 series lunchbox but i prefer the A-Design 500HR rack unit/PS to keep in a 1u space ...

I think you are talking about the PM-PEQ unit? Like this image below?

The NEW Ventura rack unit will do both DI and pre.. with EQ..

 

[Peter Montessi]

I just realized that your company makes a version of the of the Pultec EQ's that I cut my teeth on (both tube and SS versions) as well as a channel strip that sounds as though it might be inspired by Neve / Api discrete transistor gear from back in the day.
Very impressive; am suprised that many of the high end users here don't use that gear in place of a DI for live / recording enviornments. Lastly, I really like (and agree) with this quote from your site:
"While many people still clamor to own an original Pultec equalizer, the simple truth of audio equipment is that unlike violins and brandy, electronics don’t improve with age."

Hi Jimmy,

Yes, we do a Pultec style EQ SS in what they call the 500 Series (Lunch Box Format) and we do a SS version of that same EQ in a 19" Rack.

They are based on the old Pultec EQs in Function but ours have their own sound (more HiFi IMO)

I have been trying to get Bass Players to understand this concept about the 500 Series so you can mix and match for any playing/live/recording situations.

I do have a few catching on and they LOVE it.

But please remember ( I am a Bass Player myself) and I know that it took awhile (DECADES) to introduce a 5 string Bass.

So to have people embrace a new pre-amp that you can adapt to any playing situation is a new concept.
BUT the education continues

I know that SVTB15 is catching on

Best,
Peter

 

[Peter Montessi]

JIM.. I have an A-Design 500 series GOLD pre.. I have used it as a DI or at times a Preamp in a live rig.. Sounded pretty amazing... The 500 series will fit into any 500 series lunchbox but i prefer the A-Design 500HR rack unit/PS to keep in a 1u space ...

I think you are talking about the PM-PEQ unit? Like this image below?

The NEW Ventura rack unit will do both DI and pre.. with EQ..

Ventura.................KILLER for bass (IMO)

Thanks for pointing that out svtb15

Peter

 

[RocketMusic]

I have been trying to get Bass Players to understand this concept about the 500 Series so you can mix and match for any playing/live/recording situations.

Peter - would you mind expanding on this thought a little bit? I'm not sure I get what you mean by this, but color me interested!

 

[Jim C]

JIM.. I have an A-Design 500 series GOLD pre.. I have used it as a DI or at times a Preamp in a live rig.. Sounded pretty amazing... The 500 series will fit into any 500 series lunchbox but i prefer the A-Design 500HR rack unit/PS to keep in a 1u space ...

I think you are talking about the PM-PEQ unit? Like this image below?

The NEW Ventura rack unit will do both DI and pre.. with EQ..

Yes sir; that's the one.
The original Pultec circuit designs sounded beautiful.
I'd use them from everything from reverb returns to a hi-hat track, with acoustic guitar, piano, and sometimes vocals in between.
The Power Station used to have outboard racks of Pultec's that would roll from studio to studio for both tracking and mix sessions.
The idea of using modern electronics based on a similar EQ design and frequency centers (as well as Q) makes loads of sense. I'm assuming the 500 series is chips and the Ventura is discrete electronics.
This concept has been reused by many; obviously some companies did better with the redesign than others.
Didn't realize that A-designs offered this type of gear.
Will have to see who rents these for a test run.

 

[Peter Montessi]

Peter - would you mind expanding on this thought a little bit? I'm not sure I get what you mean by this, but color me interested!

Hi Greg,

More than happy to

If you go here:

http://adesignsaudio.com/products/500-series-modules-and-racks/

You will see there are different Pre-amps to consider.
All of them do have DIs and their own sound.
Now you take the pre-amp you happen to like and place it here:

http://adesignsaudio.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/500hr_front.jpg

You can then add an EQ of your choice or a Compressor of your choice BUT I suggest this:

http://www.petesplaceaudio.com/bac-500.html

Now having said all that you have a 1RU that holds 2 units in the 500 Series.
You can now mix any 500 series units and get a sound that YOU like. Then feed it to your power amp.
This takes care of being tide down to an amplifier and having to deal the best you can in a giving situation (which just might not work out well).
Ex:
If you are playing in a GYM cool and you have a low Freq boom. If your amp does not have an EQ to control that then you may not like the results.
With this setup you have that option to do whatever you want when you need it for BOTH live and recording.
BUT in recording you also have a Mic pre to use as well plus the sound you want from your bass for that recording.
The cool thing about the 500 Series is they are small modules so if your rack has 2 units in it and if those 2 units are not what is called for at a gig then you just pull it out and replace it with whatever is needed.

NOW, with all that said...........most of the guys STILL use a REDDI and plug into the pre then go to an EQ or Comp to FOH and or their power amp and speakers.

WOW! long winded.......sorry.

I hope this helped?

 

[Peter Montessi]

Yes sir; that's the one.
The original Pultec circuit designs sounded beautiful.
I'd use them from everything from reverb returns to a hi-hat track, with acoustic guitar, piano, and sometimes vocals in between.
The Power Station used to have outboard racks of Pultec's that would roll from studio to studio for both tracking and mix sessions.
The idea of using modern electronics based on a similar EQ design and frequency centers (as well as Q) makes loads of sense. I'm assuming the 500 series is chips and the Ventura is discrete electronics.
This concept has been reused by many; obviously some companies did better with the redesign than others.
Didn't realize that A-designs offered this type of gear.
Will have to see who rents these for a test run.

Hi Jim C,

This has been great for Bass Players cause as you may know the Pultecs just made it on Bass and Kick for most people during the day.
BUT they are well received even in todays recordings.

I recall when I first moved to LA (late 70s) and seeing Pultecs in trash bins cause engineers didn't like them!
If I only knew then what I know now!
I would have snagged them all and held on to them to sell today at 5 to 12k each.
But the thing with the old Pultecs was you could never get 2 that sounded alike.
Yes I have seen 2 together with consecutive serial numbers and they sounded close but not equal.
The Ventura is based on the old Quad 8 and the EQ is that of Q8 but with some upgrades we did.
That EQ has ICs and no Inductors
The EM-PEQ has Inductors and custom output transformers along with our AD10 Op-amp.

Thanks for asking,
Peter

 

[RocketMusic]

Thanks for the explanation, Peter! That's very cool, indeed.

I've been trying to sell my Crest CA9, but now I might just hang onto it!

 

[Peter Montessi]

Thanks for the explanation, Peter! That's very cool, indeed.

I've been trying to sell my Crest CA9, but now I might just hang onto it!

I would

 

[bongomania]

Re the 500 series racks, one piece of very good news for gigging rigs is that Radial has recently released a rack that holds THREE modules in 1RU!

One piece of potentially bad news (for some people) is that nearly all 500 series preamps have only one output, meaning you can't send it to both your amp and the PA without adding an external DI box or splitter box.

Of course, for REDDI fans that is no issue, you were going to bring that DI anyway.

 

[Peter Montessi]

Hence my reason for saying MOST of the guys that go that way use the REDDI in combo with the pre.

 

[Ricki_bass_DK]

i'm sorry, but i'm going to have to bust this thread for having way more goodness than allowed by law. you are all required to remove 1/2 of the goodness in your rigs to comply with federal regulations.

Hear hear

 

[MrBEAR]

Besides the awesome amount of love for the A-Design REDDI, the engineer this week peed a little when he heard how inadequate his GT Brick sounded in comparison (Even the U-5 sounded better than the GT Brick for the last session) to the REDDI.

Back in the day, when not gigging, I did dressing room security for Star Date Productions when they put on concerts in Stevens Point WI.

I remember those "Faux" White Box and Chrome Edged stacks employed by The J. Geils Band. Danny was a hoot, really enjoyed the local Point Beer brew, and even let me play his rig during sound check. All I heard onstage was side fills and monitors, okay but..., so when I asked about the signal chain he took me behind the the Great and Powerful Oz's screen where the mic'd up Ampeg B-15 sat. I was floored and learned so much that day. Quite different from the stacks of Orange employed by Wishbone Ash the month before.

I'm sure Danny would have loved the REDDI but they did have great roadies for the B-15.

When i was a kid we opened for J Geils band... They had Faux panels where Danny Klein's amp was hidden behind. It was an arena gig in mid 1970s.. What did he have behind the screen as an amp.. He had a B15,,,, While other bands of the day were using custom rigs or multi cab SVTs (me) hahha ..
All he had was a B15.... and his tone was great... in an arena.. of course the monitors were great.. even for 1970s.. it was MSI Maryland Sound.. Pink Floyd's company of choice at that time...

Ill bet ya Danny would Love a REDDI

 

[Virgil]

Hence my reason for saying MOST of the guys that go that way use the REDDI in combo with the pre.

Peter, here is a short story that I am sure you hear often. My band was preparing to shoot a video this past week. I got to the shoot early. I hooked my REDDI and started running scales to warm up. What I did not know was that the engineers were in another room setting the levels. After a few minutes my band mates showed up and we were getting ready to do a sound check. The owner of my agency called me to the side. He said that he was with the sound engineers in another room and they were raving about my tone. They had recorded 7 bands before mine, but none of the other basses sounded like mine. They wanted to know what I had done. I told them that I wasn't using the house DI, I was using my own. I said see that red box sitting on the floor, that's my DI, it's made by REDDI. They said by Who? . They said we have to get one of those. By the way, the engineers work for NFL Films. They all shook my hand at the end of the night, and told me how much a pleasure it was listening to me. The REDDI is really something special.

 

[Jim C]

Hi Jim C,

This has been great for Bass Players cause as you may know the Pultecs just made it on Bass and Kick for most people during the day.
BUT they are well received even in todays recordings...

I recall when I first moved to LA (late 70s) and seeing Pultecs in trash bins cause engineers didn't like them!
If I only knew then what I know now!..

But the thing with the old Pultecs was you could never get 2 that sounded alike.
Yes I have seen 2 together with consecutive serial numbers and they sounded close but not equal.
Thanks for asking,
Peter

Didn't realize that the Pultec'sm were such a East Coast thing; I worked in 3 different 24 track studios in the DC area (obviously not a major market) that ALL had Pultec's!

My assumtion is that they might have been close when new but all the tube units I had access to were older. If you've ever popped the top on those guys, it would not be a big surprise that those old componenets drifted a fair amount with age. Even used in stereo, EQ'ing by ear got plenty close for anything other than mastering a 2-track mix.

I don't recall the transistor units being as far off (as one might expect).

Did you guys go for increased frequency response or improvements in noise levels or transient response when designing your units, or, was the design goal to keep it close to the original specs with modern components?