Re: [ARSCLIST] The future of analog (fwd)

[Roderic G Stephens <savecal@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

My apology.  I know that many "golden eared" audio
persons can still hear the difference.  But, in my
overall sorrow in the general trend to think that
digital is always better, I got carried away.  The
Stephens' analogue multitracks (my brother's) are
still alive, well and being put good use along with
Studers, etc! Analogue LIVES!

Rod Stephens

--- Aaron Levinson <aaron.levinson@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> "Nobody" is a bit strong. I just finished recording
> an entire album  
> to 24 track tape last week, on an all analogue Neve
> console and using  
> vintage ribbon and condenser mics from the 50's not
> a digital device  
> anywhere in the signal path! Long live analogue. For
> those who know  
> it is still the "way to go",
> 
> Aaron Levinson
> On Jun 1, 2006, at 4:35 PM, Roderic G Stephens
> wrote:
> 
> > Yes, it's all true.  Nobody values the analogue
> > machines or techniques of yesteryear!!  See below.
> >
> > --- "Scott D. Smith" <lists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> wrote:
> >
> >> What Tom says is sad but true.
> >>
> >> I witnessed dub stage B at the same
> Warner-Hollywood
> >> lot (as shown in
> >> the photo) get gutted in the late 70's. Out the
> door
> >> went dozens of
> >> beautiful Western Electric 1251B reproducers, a
> >> custom tube console,
> >> selsyn interlock system, monitors, and everything
> >> else. The only thing
> >> they kept were the projection VI's, which are
> >> probably still in use to
> >> this day.
> >>
> > <snip>
> >
> >  This goes
> >> back to the days when
> >> pictures were mixed one 1000' reel at a time, all
> >> the way through. You
> >> blow a cue at 900', and it's back to the
> >> beginning!).
> >
> > That's where I came in.  As an apprentice film
> editor
> > in the '50s, I used to carry and pickup the
> "units"
> > (the 1000' reels) to and from the dubb (that's how
> > some people spelled it, then) stages at Desilu. 
> The
> > mixers  had to be really good, but they would do
> > rehearsal runs, so that they knew what was in
> their
> > cue sheets and could adjust levels before the
> "final"
> > take.  Of course, they could do pickups (redo
> later
> > sections), and the sound editors would edit those
> > together "on the bench".
> >>
> >> To clarify what you see in the photo, the lease
> that
> >> Warner Sound
> >> operations had at the Goldwyn lot at 1041 N.
> Formosa
> >> was up recently,
> >> and they had to consolidate all of their audio
> post
> >> to the Burbank lot
> >> (with the exception, I believe, of some of their
> >> archival operations).
> >> It must have been a sad day, as the Sam Goldwyn
> >> sound operations had
> >> been there for many years, and had some beautiful
> >> dub stages. At least 5
> >> pictures I worked on over the years were mixed
> >> there, by some truly
> >> talented re-recording mixers.
> >>
> >> RIP.
> >
> > To that, I say AMEN!
> >
> > The other tragedy is that the Goldwyn sound stage
> > where much of Hollywood orchestral film sound
> track
> > recording was done was considered the best in
> > Hollywood, and no one was allowed to even clean or
> > dust for fear of changing the acoustics.  Many of
> > Capitol Records orchestral and choral (i.e., L.A.
> > Philharmonic, Roger Wagner Chorale) recordings
> were
> > done there as well as other "outside" artists and
> > labels.
> >
> > Needless to say, that stage has long since been
> > "renovated".
> >
> > Rod Stephens
>