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Post by rowmat on Oct 22, 2017 20:39:46 GMT -6
I have the opportunity to purchase an EMT 140 plate reverb (Stereo solid state) with remote in very good condition for $2400 USD. ($3000 AUD)
I know plate reverb plugins are getting very good and the logistical issues of moving, locating (in a quiet and vibration free spot) and maintaining an EMT 140 may make less sense these days than it once did, but I was always going to build a DIY plate unless the opportunity arose to buy an EMT for a reasonable price and it appears it has.
Ok talk me out of it!
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Post by Tbone81 on Oct 22, 2017 20:57:41 GMT -6
Buy a plugin and spend the rest of the money on a fancy mic/compressor/vintage guitar etc. You could do a lot with that money.
Or, buy an old space echo, or other cool hardware reverb. I know it's not the same thing, but your money will go farther.
That's my 2 cents.
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Post by jeremygillespie on Oct 22, 2017 21:11:31 GMT -6
Speaking from experience of using one quite a bit - I’d say the plugins get you 70% there. The real deal unit really is magical. Stay away from the tube units if you don’t want headaches.
If it’s not a burden for you financially, then go for it.
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Post by Bob Olhsson on Oct 22, 2017 21:19:40 GMT -6
Don't know about the price but that's the one!!
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Post by Bob Olhsson on Oct 22, 2017 21:21:28 GMT -6
The tube ones never sounded as good.
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Post by rowmat on Oct 22, 2017 21:36:37 GMT -6
Buy a plugin and spend the rest of the money on a fancy mic/compressor/vintage guitar etc. You could do a lot with that money. Or, buy an old space echo, or other cool hardware reverb. I know it's not the same thing, but your money will go farther. That's my 2 cents. We have plugins, a real 480L, an original Echoplex plus other vintage gear, good mics, pres etc. We mostly run a hybrid setup with an analog console (soon to be a Neotek Elite) and record mostly indie bands/singer songwriters, roots, Americana etc. I do all our tech/DIY etc. The sort of clientele we record tend to be into vintage hardware style gear. As I said I was always going to build a DIY plate regardless but it would cost me at least $1000 - $1500 in parts to do it properly plus lots of time and no chance of recouping anything near the original outlay if I was to sell it. The same seller also has a Retro compressor for sale but I'm waiting to find out whether it's a Sta Level or a 176 so I very well may end up with a nice compressor whether I buy the EMT or not. Also it's only a little over two hours drive to pick it up and I have a trailer it will fit on. PS: A functioning remote is also a bonus.
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Post by john on Oct 22, 2017 21:47:14 GMT -6
Yah I’d go for it. Sure the money could be spent elsewhere but those opportunities could be any old day. It’s not often that this opportunity comes.
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Post by ragan on Oct 22, 2017 21:58:35 GMT -6
Yeah I say do it. It fits your clientele, workflow. Doesn't sound like it'll break the bank. Not everyday you'll find an EMT140 in good shape. Gonna get rarer and rarer too. I would think even more so in Oz?
Grab it and post samples immediately.
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Post by wiz on Oct 22, 2017 22:03:13 GMT -6
Buy a plugin and spend the rest of the money on a fancy mic/compressor/vintage guitar etc. You could do a lot with that money. Or, buy an old space echo, or other cool hardware reverb. I know it's not the same thing, but your money will go farther. That's my 2 cents. We have plugins, a real 480L, an original Echoplex plus other vintage gear, good mics, pres etc. We mostly run a hybrid setup with an analog console (soon to be a Neotek Elite) and record mostly indie bands/singer songwriters, roots, Americana etc. I do all our tech/DIY etc. The sort of clientele we record tend to be into vintage hardware style gear. As I said I was always going to build a DIY plate regardless but it would cost me at least $1000 - $1500 in parts to do it properly plus lots of time and no chance of recouping anything near the original outlay if I was to sell it. The same seller also has a Retro compressor for sale but I'm waiting to find out whether it's a Sta Level or a 176 so I very well may end up with a nice compressor whether I buy the EMT or not. Also it's only a little over two hours drive to pick it up and I have a trailer it will fit on. PS: A functioning remote is also a bonus. Get it! cheers Wiz
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Post by veggieryan on Oct 23, 2017 0:26:12 GMT -6
Do it. Thats a great price. You can always put passive pickups on it and use it with any mic preamp and driver amp... thats what I do and many say that sounds better than the old tube driver and pickup electronics. Better high and low end response. It sounds 100 or 1,000 times better than any plugin to my ear. Even a Bricasti can't do a plate that even comes close to the real thing. A thousand years from now even if a single computer was as powerful as all the computers in the world today the emulation would never come close to a real EMT 140. That's how good they are. There is magic happening in that plate. Get it right now and never let go of it. Its the best piece of gear I have ever bought. I paid that much for mine and it was a rebuild project that I had to ship across country and needed a bunch of work to get back in working order. So worth it.
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Post by drbill on Oct 23, 2017 0:50:24 GMT -6
Go for it!!! You won't regret it.
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Post by rowmat on Oct 23, 2017 3:22:53 GMT -6
Do it. Thats a great price. You can always put passive pickups on it and use it with any mic preamp and driver amp... thats what I do and many say that sounds better than the old tube driver and pickup electronics. Better high and low end response. It sounds 100 or 1,000 times better than any plugin to my ear. Even a Bricasti can't do a plate that even comes close to the real thing. A thousand years from now even if a single computer was as powerful as all the computers in the world today the emulation would never come close to a real EMT 140. That's how good they are. There is magic happening in that plate. Get it right now and never let go of it. Its the best piece of gear I have ever bought. I paid that much for mine and it was a rebuild project that I had to ship across country and needed a bunch of work to get back in working order. So worth it. I have some plans for a DIY plate and had already been playing around with some piezos and a Radial Stagebug high impedance DI and preamps. If I get the EMT I am definitely intending to experiment with both the driver side of things and the pickups and preamp electronics where the biggest improvements can be made especially with regards to the SNR.
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Post by jeremygillespie on Oct 23, 2017 4:33:35 GMT -6
Be very careful while transporting the plate with it under tension. Those screws can be easy to snap. Also helps to have a tech that knows them to get it tensioned correctly. It won’t sound right if that part isn’t handled first.
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Post by rowmat on Oct 23, 2017 4:37:37 GMT -6
Be very careful while transporting the plate with it under tension. Those screws can be easy to snap. Also helps to have a tech that knows them to get it tensioned correctly. It won’t sound right if that part isn’t handled first. I'll be removing the driver magnet assembly and am also being sent instructions on how to prepare the rest of the plate for transportation.
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Post by Bob Olhsson on Oct 23, 2017 8:30:08 GMT -6
I've never heard a DIY or commercial knock off that could touch a real one. They stopped manufacturing them because they ran out of the steel and couldn't match the sound.
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Post by EmRR on Oct 23, 2017 8:33:12 GMT -6
I just have a pair of lowly Ecoplates, which w/o comparison to an EMT, also usually win similarly styled reverb shootouts.
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Post by adamjbrass on Oct 23, 2017 9:54:45 GMT -6
Yes
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Post by rowmat on Oct 23, 2017 11:40:40 GMT -6
I've never heard a DIY or commercial knock off that could touch a real one. They stopped manufacturing them because they ran out of the steel and couldn't match the sound. That's what I understood and is a definite consideration in buying a genuine EMT. A rust free plate is also a plus along with a functioning remote... "Emt 140 stereo plate reverb w/remote. V/good condition, no rust. $3,000" (AUD)
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Post by notneeson on Oct 23, 2017 13:06:12 GMT -6
Awesome.
My longtime studio partner looks after one of these for an aging rock star. My understanding is that tensioning the plate is the tricky part. Good if you can talk to someone who has done it.
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ericn
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Post by ericn on Oct 23, 2017 15:29:11 GMT -6
Grab it find a good tech.
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Post by johneppstein on Oct 23, 2017 20:17:43 GMT -6
GO FOR IT, else you'll be kicking yourself.
Anybody who says otherwise simply doesn't know.
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Post by Martin John Butler on Oct 23, 2017 20:22:56 GMT -6
When I've heard the real thing, my jaw dropped. Go for it, good luck!
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Post by Tbone81 on Oct 23, 2017 21:28:59 GMT -6
Buy a plugin and spend the rest of the money on a fancy mic/compressor/vintage guitar etc. You could do a lot with that money. Or, buy an old space echo, or other cool hardware reverb. I know it's not the same thing, but your money will go farther. That's my 2 cents. We have plugins, a real 480L, an original Echoplex plus other vintage gear, good mics, pres etc. We mostly run a hybrid setup with an analog console (soon to be a Neotek Elite) and record mostly indie bands/singer songwriters, roots, Americana etc. I do all our tech/DIY etc. The sort of clientele we record tend to be into vintage hardware style gear. As I said I was always going to build a DIY plate regardless but it would cost me at least $1000 - $1500 in parts to do it properly plus lots of time and no chance of recouping anything near the original outlay if I was to sell it. The same seller also has a Retro compressor for sale but I'm waiting to find out whether it's a Sta Level or a 176 so I very well may end up with a nice compressor whether I buy the EMT or not. Also it's only a little over two hours drive to pick it up and I have a trailer it will fit on. PS: A functioning remote is also a bonus. Sounds like you're pretty well setup. If that's the case then sure, go for it. Especially if its something that your client base will appreciate.
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Post by Bob Olhsson on Oct 23, 2017 22:03:22 GMT -6
You can clean them.
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Post by rowmat on Oct 23, 2017 23:16:45 GMT -6
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