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White Instruments 4400

slamjet

slamjet

Nov 1, 2006
61
44
California
#1
The powers that be at my church let me scavenge for audio stuff after they upgraded their PA systems so I was able to snag a pair of White Instrument 4400 with the 4390 input transformers installed. Right now, I don't have the funds to purchase a good pair of EQ's so I'd like to use the 4400's. I think I figures out how to wire them up so I can insert them into my board but I'd like to know if anyone is using this equipment. Will they work in a live environment? Are they quiet? Or should I just let them go?

In case anyone was wondering what they looked like:

pho-4400-front-trans.gif


Yes, rotary knobs, but hey, a pair of 1/3 octave EQ's for $0 and the time it took to get them out of the racks.
 
#2
DUDE!

You just scored what it possibly one of the best sounding, most accurate EQs that was ever made. If they were available and I had the need for analog EQs, I'd use them nearly before anything.

Of course, being as old as they are, it's hard to tell what shape they are in without hands on. Hook them up and see how they act. They were known for being very reliable and trouble-free. For no more than you have invested in them, it's certainly worth the trouble to hook them up for a test drive.

What console are you using? Balanced or unbalanced inserts? Knowing that will dictate how you wire them up to your inserts (I may be treading on territory you already know, sorry if so).

In the analog days, our processing rack had the usual Klark-Teknik DN3600 EQs, but I kept a pair of these for my own use in the rack. It always amazed me that otherwise really good engineers wouldn't use the Whites because of the rotary controls. Frankly, I couldn't tell you the last time I saw any rig with any analog graphic EQs, or external EQs of any kind, so the fact that they are hardly being used shouldn't deter you from wiring these things up and see how they act. I'd be surprised if they didn't work perfectly, but it's been 15 years since I had my hands on a set of them. I think that pair and another pair of them were sold to someone with an analog fetish for a few hundred dollars each, but I've no idea what they are worth now. There are analog freaks out there (and I use that term endearingly...:D) that will buy them, should they not work out for you.

Give them a shot and report back with how they work.

(Edited to correct bad info on White's current operational status)
 
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#4
I'm one of those "analog freaks" because my income will not allow me to go digital. I mostly do audio work for my church so it's hard to justify spending a lot of money. Now, 20 years ago when I was working live events allover, that was a different story. I wish I would have kept more of my equipment, but alas, marriage and kids will do it every time.

I'm using an old Studiomaster Diamond 16-2 mixer that's not very good at inserting so I'll have to use balanced lines and serial routing but I mainly use a little Allen & Heath ZED-10fx that I can easily insert the EQ's right before the outputs using unbalanced lines. The EQ's barely have any dust on them and they were in locked wall racks so once they were set, they were left alone so they're really clean. I took a look on eBay and I was shocked at how much clean, working models are going for. So I'll wire them up and see how it goes. I'll have a chance to use them sooner than latter so I'll report back.

I also came away with a couple of Industrial Research Products 4-channel Voice-Matic auto mixers (maybe I'll use those, I doubt it) and a really, really heavy 100w Altec Lansing and heavier 100w Toa amp (both mono). Those I'm not really going to be using since I can get the same for a buck-fifty and thirty+ pounds lighter.
 
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#6
WayneP said:
Hmm. Well, someone’s using their name...

Pedulla Club #45

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt


Administrator, Tobias Club #133
Administrator, Fretless Club #943
Big Cabs Club #23
My Basses
Pedulla Club #45
Tobias Club #133
Click to expand...
Whoa! I had bad intel. Looks like they are alive and kicking. I had to have a 4700 (the one with the white panel) repaired a few years ago and was told that White was no more and sent it to another repair facility.

Editing my response accordingly...
 
#7
I am about as giddy as a schoolgirl. I couldn't find my insert cables so I plugged them in series with the board and the pair works great! No noise, each pot works and it sounds great! BTW, they has balanced in and out only, not that it's any kind of stumbling block.

I have a gig coming up this Friday, I think I'll give it a shot.

ba78e733-f3ef-4d08-a116-5a924795967e_zpssoilzo3j.jpg


Now to save some dough for a 4u rack.
 

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