|
|
|
Linear
Recording - AWA P66500 Recording Console
This
console was manufactured by AWA (Amalgamated Wireless Australasia) in
about 1973. It is an all discrete, transformer-coupled Class A console
running on 30V. This console was previously installed at 2MBS in Sydney.
It
is of a 24 channel/8 buss configuration with 2 foldback sends and 4 echo
sends. It has 4 monitor sends which can be used to send a second mix to
the tracking room. The channel amplifiers have 75db of gain in two stages,
and have inductor-based EQ very similar to that of a Neve 1073.
I
was led to believe that it was commissioned for the Sydney Opera House
however I was politely informed by a few ex-SOH employees that this was
in fact never there (although the SOH did have AWA consoles, but much
simpler and with no EQ).
A
few things to note about this console:
- -
Only 11 or so were ever manufactured. They were built at the AWA special
products division in Chatswood;
- -
The console has no buss bars - instead every channel is wired back to
a central grounding point;
- -
The audio runs of +30V, with the lights and logic running off +24V;
- -
I spoke briefly with one of the production engineers, and he said that
Mr Rupert Neve was commissioned to assist with the design (not confirmed
but seems possible);
- -
The channel amplifiers have large input transformers, but no output
transformer. In fact the signal path only sees two transformers through
the whole console, one on input and one on output;
- -
There is no stereo buss, rather 8 busses of which any can be used as
a stereo buss;
- -
This console was completely recapped late 2006.
There
are 12 identical dual-channel input modules (1R66495)
with the following specs:
| Inputs: |
One
low level, one line level, selected by front panel INPUT SELECTOR
switch.
Balanced
Input.
Sensitivity
is switched in 4dB steps, having a range as follows:
| Low
level: |
Range
1 |
-80
dB to -24 dB |
| |
Range
2 |
-56
dB to 0 dB |
| Line
level: |
|
-36
dB to +20 dB |
|
| Input
Impedence: |
Low
level approximately 1k-ohm (for use with condenser or dynamic microphones).
High
level greater than 10 k-ohm over the frequency range 30 Hz to 15
kHz.
|
| Maximum
Input Level: |
Low
Level +11dB
High
Level +27dB
|
| Output: |
Unbalanced,
the output impedence being typically 30 ohms in series with a 50
uF.
Maximum
gain from the low level input is 75dB.
Maximum
gain from the high level input is 35dB.
Maximum
output level is +8dB into a minimum load impedence of 1.5 k-ohms.
|
| Frequency
Response (with equalizer switched OUT): |
±0.5dB
relative to 400Hz over the frequency range 30 Hz to 15 kHz, from either
low level or line level inputs to the output. |
| EQ:
Low Frequency Response: |
+15dB
to -15dB continuously variable at 31.5 Hz, 63 Hz, 125 Hz and 250 Hz,
switched frequencies. |
| EQ:
Mid Frequency Response: |
+10dB
to -10dB continuously variable at 1kHz, 1.4kHz, 2kHz, 2.8 kHz, 4 kHz
or 5.6 kHz switched frequencies; ±16dB available by removing
internal links. |
| EQ:
High Frequency Response: |
+15dB
to -15dB continuously variable at 10 kHz. |
| EQ:
High Pass Filter: |
Ultimate
rate of cut-off 18dB per octave. Cut off frequency switched 0Hz, 45Hz,
70 Hz, 160 Hz, 360 Hz. |
| Harmonic
Distortion: |
Less
than 0.2% at +8dB output at any frequency with the range 30 Hz to
15 kHz. |
| External
Fader: |
Impedence
5 k-ohm |
| Power
Requirements: |
External
30V supply, negative earth, Current consumption approximately 45 mA
for each channel. |
The
schematic for the channel amp 1R66495. Click on the picture above for
a large image, or alternatively click here
for a PDF.
More
->
|
