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Author Topic: Recreating Mike Millard Analog Recording Set-Up: AKG 451E CK-1 > Nakamichi 550  (Read 28412 times)

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Offline rocksuitcase

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I'll confirm the information in the thread; I used a 550 to record in Europe in 1974-75 before switching to a Sony, and AKG C 451s were my first real condensers back in about 1971. The wide-range, peak-reading meters on the Nakamichi were wonderful, and the mike preamps, though their inputs weren't balanced, were excellent. The original C 451 cardioid was on the bright side sound-wise; not harsh, but definitely not neutral/natural sounding. The omni for that series, on the other hand, was rather sweet for semi-distant recording.

--There are variants of the original C 451 amplifier that you shouldn't reject out of hand if you find them. The C 452 was modified by the addition of one resistor so that the current draw at 48 Volts would be lower (without it, the mikes needed 6 mA each), but the compromise is that the C 452 can ONLY be powered by 48 Volts or thereabouts, not 9 to 54. The "EB" version (made for both the C 451 and C 452) is the same circuit as the "E" with the addition of a switchable low-cut filter.

BTW, the "E" stands for "export" and simply means that the amplifier has an XLR connector on it. At the time, the XLR hadn't achieved world domination yet, and microphones often had different output connectors depending on which country you were in. Tuchel connectors were still the main connector used in Germany and Austria, so the "continental" version of the amplifier is the C 451 C or simply C 451. (The Austrian state broadcasting network, the ORF, used special versions of everything with large Lemo connectors, so for them AKG made the "C 451 L" ... inside their sound trucks, even their Studer decks used Lemo connectors, just so that they only had to carry one type of cable on remote jobs, but no one would steal them for their own use ...)

--best regards

Thank you so much for the additional information. This has moved from the theoretical to the doable thanks to the contributions on this thread.
I used to own 2 of the B18 dual 9V supply's for our original c460b's bought in 1991. they were perfect for ENG type of work, small and used standard type 9V battery. I might still have them, but do not know where they are located. There must be some of them still available on e-bay or gear slutz.
music IS love

When you get confused, listen to the music play!

Mics:         AKG460|CK61|CK1|CK3|CK8|Beyer M 201E|DPA 4060 SK
Recorders:Marantz PMD661 OADE Concert mod; Tascam DR680 MKI x2; Sony PCM-M10

Offline jefflester

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In the early 90s to the end I used to patch off a friend at GD shows who ran AKG 460s and CK8 guns and used the BP18 to power the mics since he then went straight into a TCD-D3.
DPA4061 HEB -> R-09 / AT943 -> CA-UGLY -> R-09
AKG CK63 -> nBob actives -> Baby NBox -> R-09/DR2d
AKG CK63 -> AKG C460B -> Zoom F8/DR-680MKII
Line Audio CM4/Superlux S502/Samson C02/iSK Little Gem/Sennheiser E609/Shure SM57 -> Zoom F8/DR-680MKII (multitracked band recordings)

Offline heathen

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Have you seen this (I have no affiliation)? https://www.ebay.com/i/222385154174?ul_noapp=true
Mics: AT4050ST | AT4031 | AT853 (C/SC) | Line Audio CM3 | Sennheiser e614 | Sennheiser MKE2 | DPA 4061 Pre: CA9200 Decks: Zoom F8 | Roland R-05

Offline kindms

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i knew i recognized JEMS from somewhere

Artist: Led Zeppelin
Date: 1977-06-21
Location: Inglewood, CA
Venue: The Forum
Source: Audience
Lineage: 1st gen cassettes(TDK SA 90)x3>Nakamichi 670 pitch & azimuth-adjusted playback deck>Nakamichi Outboard Dolby B Unit>Wavelab 96/24>flac
Taping Gear: AKG mics, Nakamichi 550 cassette deck
Taped By: Mike Millard
Transferred By: JEMS


thanks for the sweet transfer.
AKG c426, AKG414 XLS/ST, AKG ck61, ck22, >nBob colettes >PFA > V3, SD MixPre >  TCM-Mod Tascam HDP2, Sony M10
Little Bear tube Pre >Outlaw Audio 2200 Monoblocks > VR-2's

Offline JEMS

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Have you seen this (I have no affiliation)? https://www.ebay.com/i/222385154174?ul_noapp=true

I have, but thanks for bringing to my attention. Very likely what he used.

Offline Chrisedge

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Following this with great interest!
Audio: Sound Professionals SP-CMC-10 (AT933s) or Church Audio CA-14 (Omni & Cards) Mics >
Sound Professionals Battery Box SP-SPSB-1, SP-SPSB-10 or Church Audio Preamp CA9200 >
Sony PCM-A10, Sony PCM-M10, Tascam DR-2d Recorders
Video: Panasonic DCM-ZS100 & GoPro 7 Black

Offline ts

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Was Mike Millard in a wheelchair or did he fake it?

Offline yug du nord

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^There is no faking anything when you pull the heat! 
.....got a blank space where my mind should be.....

Offline rocksuitcase

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^There is no faking anything when you pull the heat!
+T     
music IS love

When you get confused, listen to the music play!

Mics:         AKG460|CK61|CK1|CK3|CK8|Beyer M 201E|DPA 4060 SK
Recorders:Marantz PMD661 OADE Concert mod; Tascam DR680 MKI x2; Sony PCM-M10

Offline daspyknows

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^There is no faking anything when you pull the heat!
+T   

That is a statement others can only make after hearing recordings that stand the test of time.  If one goes around always saying they pulled the heat then they are just fluffers.  But, yes totally agree there is no faking anything when you pull the heat. Mike's recordings stand the test of time and we are thankful he was so dedicated to preserving history. 

Offline JEMS

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Was Mike Millard in a wheelchair or did he fake it?

Some excellent responses to this, but to answer the question directly, no, Millard was not wheelchair bound.

In 1988, JEMS used the same method to bring video recording gear into a show at Shoreline which we then filmed from the handicap section. Surely in Millard's day there was no designated handicap section.


Offline JEMS

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Hello again. Looks like the Millard project is going to happen in late September as I have received permission from a band to use the Millard recording set up at two of their shows.

I have also lined up a place to rent the AKG 451E mics, but if by chance anyone was willing to loan me a pair or has the original battery powered phantom power adapters, I would love to hear from you. I'd be more than happy to pay for Fed Ex shipping both ways if someone had the gear to loan.

Or if you are in the Bay Area, we could do a handoff in person as that's where I will be recording the shows.

If you want to or can help, please let me know.

Best,

BK


Offline analogguru

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I don't understand the "excitement" or importance of a phantom power supply.  In 1979 I made my own battery power supplies for the AKG C451 microphones running on 18V (2x 9V batteries) and even the possibility to connect it to unbalanced inputs (as can be found on the Nakamichi 550 too).  They were made like the circuit below.  I ran them on 18V, so I used 2x 1kOhm 1% resistors.

Since I am convinced that in the B46E was not more inside I can't see a reason to send B46E's around the world, especially when there are tons of cheap (dual) DI-boxes (or phantom power supplies) available which can be gutted and the 10 components necessary be built in the empty case - no drilling necessary.  But I can send you the 10 parts - if you should need them.
.
.
« Last Edit: July 11, 2018, 06:45:48 AM by analogguru »

Offline rigpimp

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Hello again. Looks like the Millard project is going to happen in late September as I have received permission from a band to use the Millard recording set up at two of their shows.

I have also lined up a place to rent the AKG 451E mics, but if by chance anyone was willing to loan me a pair or has the original battery powered phantom power adapters, I would love to hear from you. I'd be more than happy to pay for Fed Ex shipping both ways if someone had the gear to loan.

Or if you are in the Bay Area, we could do a handoff in person as that's where I will be recording the shows.

If you want to or can help, please let me know.

Best,

BK

I'll probably be in Sunnyvale this weekend or at least once more before your September need.  I have the Neumann BS48i-2 that Roger linked above that you can borrow.  It runs on a 9V battery and has the 5-pin to dual XLR breakout cables.
Mics: Schoeps MK 5 MP, Schoeps MK 8 MP, Schoeps MK 41 MP, KCY 250/5 > PFA
Pre/A>D/P48: Sonosax SX/M2, Sonosax SX/M2-LS, E.A.A. PSP-2, Baby Nbox, Neumann BS48i-2 (for sale)
Recorders: Sound Devices Mixpre-6ii, Sony PCM-A10
Playback: Jolida 1501 Hybrid > McIntosh MX 130 > Von Schweikert VR-4 JR, or Little Dot MK III > Sennheiser HD700
http://archive.org/bookmarks/kskreider
https://www.concertarchives.org/kskreider
https://archive.org/details/thespps

Offline JEMS

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I don't understand the "excitement" or importance of a phantom power supply.  In 1979 I made my own battery power supplies for the AKG C451 microphones running on 18V (2x 9V batteries) and even the possibility to connect it to unbalanced inputs (as can be found on the Nakamichi 550 too).  They were made like the circuit below.  I ran them on 18V, so I used 2x 1kOhm 1% resistors.

Since I am convinced that in the B46E was not more inside I can't see a reason to send B46E's around the world, especially when there are tons of cheap (dual) DI-boxes (or phantom power supplies) available which can be gutted and the 10 components necessary be built in the empty case - no drilling necessary.  But I can send you the 10 parts - if you should need them.
.
.

I'm sure you're right but I'm afraid I am not skilled enough to make something like this. Looks like I have some other offers of phantom power sources.

Thanks for chiming in though.


 

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