Awesome sounds like this:
These clips, except where noted, are presented raw, as recorded, faders up, full dynamic range with no compression or limiting allowing for you to crank these up to maximum volume to see what the Awesome Channel Amplifier can really do.
Check us out on Lunch with Dan Boul
We brought a Channel Amp over to The Office Studios for the broadcast feed of today’s 65 Amps episode of Live with Dan Boul. Dan was showing off his new Producer 6L and the signal path on the guitar sound you are hearing was simply a Royer R-122V on the speaker cab plugged into a Channel Amp. Perfect example of how easy it is to record a positively amazing guitar sound with a Channel Amp. The root of any good guitar sound is always a *really good* guitar amp, if you are serious about tone, ya gotta check out 65 amps, really crazy sounding amps coming off the line over there!
Soundelux U195 w BeesNeez K8 Capsule
Ive had a Soundeulx U195 that I have never much been happy with, spent a long time over the years poking around with the circuit and concluded the capsule was the weak link, so was very excited to try a BeesNeez K8 in there as the circuit is built around a K87 style capsule. This mic is primarily used for a kick drum mic, so it was tuned accordingly to get maximized results in that application. Finally got the low end throttle I was looking for once the BeesNeez K8 went in there.
This particular U195 has a serial number in the 800’s, was from the original first run circa 2000 ish.
This mic is just set up in the control room with a length of mogami feeding it to a Channel Amp, EQ out, feeding a RME UFX. No gain adjustments were made when switching capsules and the only difference between the two takes is the stock capsule in one and it replaced by the BeesNeez K8 in the other. This mic is cardioid only and both clips feature a segment with the Fat switch on the mic in and out of the circuit.
Clear to hear how well the K8 performs in this mic over the stock capsule.
U195 with Stock Capsule:
[audio:https://awtac.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/195stockcapsule.mp3|titles=U195 Stock Capsule]U195 with BeesNeez K8 Capsule:
[audio:https://awtac.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/195beesneez.mp3|titles=U195 BeesNeez K8 Capsule]
Neumann K87 VS BeesNeez K8 capules
I got a U87 a while back that was in really bad shape and wanted to see what I could make out of it, wound up overhauling the entire circuit and probably put about 20 hours into the thing chasing a ghost. Ah, old mics. The mic was built around 1981 and is one of the earlier battery box U87’s. The K87 in there is absolutely filthy and while it doesn’t sound bad, I wanted to put a new capsule in the mic just to see where the circuit was *really* at. Think I got this one sounding pretty good.
I had been curious about BeesNeez Microphones for a while, there aren’t many people out there machining their own capsules and anyone who can hover over a lathe and measure to a thou will always have my respect. Figured this presented a good excuse to check out their capsules and Im quite impressed with the K8 that made its way up here from Down Under.
Pretty informal listen, just set up the mic in the control room, plugged it into a channel amp and fed that to a RME UFX, recorded in Pro Tools 10, MP3 bounced to disk. No compression or processing, didnt even do any gain matching, wanted to see *exactly* how close the capsules compared. Made the first recording with the Neumann, popped the capsule out, put the BeesNeez back in it’s place, plugged it back in and hit record. It’s the same mic in the same head assembly for both capsules.
I quite like the sound of the K8 and IMO it sounds great next to the old K87.
Both sound excellent through the mic pre in the Channel Amp.
Each clip has an example of the Cardiod, Omni and Figure 8 patterns. Have a listen:
U87i w original Neumann K87 Capsule:
[audio:https://awtac.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/u87neumanncapsule.mp3|titles=U87 Neumann K87 Capsule]U87i w new Beesneez K8 Capsule:
[audio:https://awtac.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/u87beezneezcapsule.mp3|titles=U87 BeesNeez K8 Capsule]Mug Shot, with the K8 installed:
Confederate Grand Piano
Chris Garges sent us up some demo tracks he recorded using a pair of Channel Amps on a Yamaha G7 Grand Piano. Signal path for these recordings is Microphones –> Awesome Channel Amps –> IZ Radar 24bit @96k, Nyquist Converters –> MP3 bounced to disk. No compression of any kind is used on these recordings.
Spaced pair of Coles 4038 ribbon mics. These ribbon mics are low output and on this acoustic source provide an excellent example of the noise floor you can expect from a pair of Awesome Channel Amps:
[audio:https://awtac.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/2-Audio-Track.mp3|titles=NO EQ 4038]
Spaced pair of Neumann KM184 condenser mics:
[audio:https://awtac.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/4-Audio-Track.mp3|titles=NO EQ Neumann KM184]
Ambient Blumlein AKG 414-XLS:
[audio:https://awtac.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/7-Audio-Track.mp3|titles=NO EQ AKG414xls]
The Talented Ones:
Chris Garges: Recording
Chad Lawson: Performance
Spankbrane Humbucker Demo
Skatterbrane sent over a set of Spankbrane‘s to try out, these humbuckers are pretty fantastic and while they have a DCR of around 2K, they provide all of the output that you’d expect from a 9K humbucker. Super punchy, these make for a really aggressive set. These were installed in a 1990 prehistoric les paul that has been completely reworked by Fucktone. Signal path consists of the les paul plugged into a Fucktone 45 Fucks amp, orange 4×12 cabinet with a groove tubes MD1 and a Royer 121 on it, each patched to an Awesome Channel Amp and bussed to a third for summing. RCA 74 Jr. in the room. RME UFX -> Protools 10 96K -> bounce to MP3. No compression of any sort is on this recording.
[audio:https://awtac.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/spankbranejtm3.mp3|titles=spankbrane45fucks]This next track is all the same except the amp in this clip is a Fucktone 30 Fucks:
[audio:https://awtac.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/spankbraneac30.mp3|titles=spankbrane30fucks]
“To Your Head”
[audio:https://awtac.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/toyourheadbkg.mpg.mp3|titles=toyourheadbkg.mpg]
Check out some rhythm tracks for reworking of an older (and my favorite) Nothing Project song, “To Your Head”.
What you are hearing here is Microphones –> Awesome Channel Amps –> RME UFX –> Protools 10 @48Khz –> MP3 bounced to disk.
No Compression of any kind, anywhere, on anything.
No processing, no nothing but Awesome. Eight mics in a room, Three guys playing, Whole lotta Awesome getting digitized.
Kick: Shure SM7 and Neumann TLM 102 summed to a third Awesome Channel Amp
Snare: Sennheiser 421
Left Kit: Microtech Gefell UM92s (cardioid)
Right Kit: Lawson L47MP (figure 8)
Left Guitar: Fucktone 45 Fucks head, v4 cabinet, Groove Tubes MD1 and Sennheiser 421 summed to a third Awesome Channel Amp
Right Guitar: Fucktone 18 Fucks Head, Orange 4×12 cabinet, Royer 121
Wide Vocal Group: Lawson L47MP
Narrow Vocal Group: Lawson L251MP
Guitar Bend Group: Fucktone 18 Fucks Head, Orange 4×12 cabinet, Lawson L47MP
The Talented Ones:
John Hummel- Drums
Marcus Connor- Right Guitar
Dave Raphael- Left Guitar, Vocals, Engineering
Left Guitar is a Fucktone Modified Les Paul with Skatterbrane Earthbrane PAFs, Right Guitar is a Fucktone Modified Les Paul with Skatterbrane Ben-Wabrane PAFs.
One thing to stress about this track is that there is NO (none) compression on this recording at all and as such is a perfect example of how the amplifiers in the Awesome Channel Amp naturally compress, exactly the way one would expect an early 1970’s circuit to do. The drum sound on this track has a whole lot to say on this subject.
Solo’d Drum Kit
3 Mic Drum Kit
[audio:https://awtac.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/3mickit.mp3|titles=3mickit]
Check out the huge, clear bottom that some Awesome Channel Amplifiers can provide for you, best exemplified by these drum tracks solo’d.
Performed by John Hummel, who is as Awesome as these Ampifiers are.
Here’s a take on Glynn Johns, I have two mics on the kick for Maximum Awesome.
There is no compression, limiting or processing of any kind on these tracks, just the following Microphones –> Awesome Channel Amps –> RME UFX –> Protools 10 @48Khz –> MP3 bounced to disk.
Kick: Shure SM7 and Neumann TLM 102 summed to a third Awesome Channel Amp
Snare: Sennheiser 421
Left Kit: Microtech Gefell UM92s (cardioid)
4 Mic Drum Kit
[audio:https://awtac.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/4mickit.mp3|titles=4mickit]
Here’s the addition of a second mic on the kit. This track can also be used to dispel the critical importance of using matched mics for stereo. True stereo on an orchestra, duh, yes, of course. But on a drum kit destined for a rock record, eh, not so important, the goal is making a good recording. This one can speak for itself.
There is no compression, limiting or processing of any kind on these tracks, just the following Microphones –> Awesome Channel Amps –> RME UFX –> Protools 10 @48Khz –> MP3 bounced to disk.
I cut some of the ring on the snare 421 for a bit of a gated thing only because Phil Collins might have wanted me to, this was done with a cursor, not a software gate.
Kick: Shure SM7 and Neumann TLM 102 summed to a third Awesome Channel Amp
Snare: Sennheiser 421
Left Kit: Microtech Gefell UM92s (cardioid)
Right Kit: Lawson L47MP (figure 8)
Room Mic Magic
[audio:https://awtac.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/roommicjam.mp3|titles=thissoundsawesome]
A bit of noodling on this setup, which is just the addition of a 121 in the corner of the room. The Fucktone Les Paul has a set of Skatterbrane Earthbrane PAFs wound out of phase (because Peter Green was a genius) and the tone change is just toggling between the neck and middle position, no added effects on the guitar, signal path is guitar output –> cable –> Fucktone 45 Fucks head.
There is no compression, limiting or processing of any kind on these tracks, just the following Microphones –> Awesome Channel Amps –> RME UFX –> Protools 10 @48Khz –> MP3 bounced to disk.
Kick: Shure SM7 and Neumann TLM 102 summed to a third Awesome Channel Amp
Snare: Sennheiser 421
Left Kit: Microtech Gefell UM92s (cardioid)
Right Kit: Lawson L47MP (figure 8)
Guitar: Fucktone 45 Fucks head, v4 cabinet, Groove Tubes MD1 and Sennheiser 421 summed to a third Awesome Channel Amp
Room: Royer 121
The Talented Ones:
John Hummel- Drums
Dave Raphael- Guitar, Engineering
A small pile of Microphones and an hour of free time in August
[audio:https://awtac.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/mictest.mp3|titles=mictest]
Here’s a quick sample of a variety of microphones recorded to Pro Tools 10 with an RME UFX via a single Awesome Channel Amplifier. The EQ on the amp was engaged, in “back” mode but flat. With the exception of some of the dynamics (the 121 in particular) all the mics were recorded at the same input gain setting, at 6 O’Clock.
No compression, EQ or additional processing of any kind is present on these recordings. Just the mic plugged into the Awesome and a faders up bounce to disc.
The microphones demonstrated in this recording, in order:
Tube Condenser
Lawson L47MP
Lawson L251
Microtech Gefell Um92s
FET / Transistor Condenser
Lawson L47 FET
Lawson L251 FET
Soundelux U195
Neumann TLM103
Neumann TLM 102
BLUE Mouse
BLUE Dragonfly Deluxe
Ribbon
Royer 121
One More FET Condenser for good measure
Neumann KM150
Dynamic
Sennheiser 441
Sennheiser 421-U
Sennheiser 421-II
Nothing Project “Low Down”
All the sources on this recording were tracked with Awesome Channel Amplifiers to an Ampex MM1200 2″ 16 track @ 15 IPS.
Track breakdown is as follows:
Kick: Shure SM7
Mono Overhead: Neumann TLM 103
Guitar: 2x Sennheiser 421 summed to a third Awesome Channel Amp, Newcomb head, V4 Cab, Fucktone Les Paul
Bass: Rickenbacker DI
Vocals: Neumann Gefell CMV563 M7 Capsule
Percussion: Neumann Gefell CMV563 M7 Capsule
Room: Neumann Gefell CMV563 M7 Capsule
The Talented Ones:
Marcus Connor- Everything
Tracks were mixed from 2″ to a Sphere Eclipse console and the stereo mix was printed (wait for it) direct to a Tascam CD-RW700 @44.1Khz
44.1Khz digital files mastered by Dave Collins.
John Hummel is the baddest drummer in NYC
Here’s a down and dirty warm up jam from August 2012 when I got John Hummel over to put the Awesome Channel Amps through the paces. What you are hearing here is Microphones –> Awesome Channel Amps –> RME UFX –> Protools 10 @48Khz –> MP3 bounced to disk.
No Compression, no processing, no nothing but Awesome.
My personal favorite part of the Awesome Channel Amplifier is the degree of wool it can put on the low end of everything while still maintaining a high level of clarity. If you like to add a lot of bottom (so that the dancers just wont hide) this will get you there with a lot of space before things get overbearingly hazy and muddy.
Kick: Shure SM7 and Neumann TLM 102 summed to a third Awesome Channel Amp
Snare: Sennheiser 421
Mono Over Shoulder: Microtech Gefell UM92s
Guitar: Fucktone 45 Fucks head, v4 cabinet, Groove Tubes MD1 and Sennheiser 421 summed to a third Awesome Channel Amp
The Talented Ones:
John Hummel- Drums
Dave Raphael- Guitar, Engineering
Guitar is a Fucktone modified Les Paul with Skatterbrane Ben-Wabrane hand wound PAFs.