There's actually a part 2 to this video.

This nerd watched every frame, too.

He recorded EVERY(!) facet of the operation. If there were 100 knobs, he filmed the removal of EVERY one. No consolidation, whatsoever. The same with the push-buttons and ring-nuts.

Exhaustive detail?
Comprehensive thoroughness?
Anal-retentive?

The jury is still out.
I had to recuse myself, in all fairness. I DID, after all, watch both videos, end to end...

It's no worse than a Mackie. It's awful, but all of those consoles are like that. Those ribbon cables are easy to deal with... it's taking all those damn knobs off to get the boards out.

But this is why they're a lot less expensive than a modular console.
--scott

Yep. If a person wants to spend 20k minimum on a totally modular inline console than that would be great. But that's not what this subject is about (not saying you're unaware of that). All modern consoles that aren't modular share similar time intensive repair procedures.

Or a Soundcraft 200/400 series... but yeah, there are no lower-end modular consoles anymore.

Was kind of hoping the Right to Repair movement would push that, but I don't know if that'll happen.

Thanks for your reply Gravy....but:

I just got removed from a thread by Psycho Monkey for successfully defending myself against someone attacking me (and stating that a snare hit velocity didn't sound good to me (he was previously interrogating me as to why I said something (that rubbed him the wrong way) about midi editing) SO, I need to be careful not to make 'any thread about myself' in the future, as he's clearly on a vengeance rampage. I suspect I'll be banned sometime soon.

I'm afraid if I answer your question, he'll remove me from this thread for 'making it about myself'. #selectivecensorship #dishonestvengencetacticsbyamod

I could not quite afford the 8 bus in my early days. it was £3,500.00 in most shops. (DV247 was my go to shop on a Saturday morning) I settled for the Studiomaster P7 £2,300.00 if I recall correctly. in all honesty back then it was not the desk but the person making the music. All enthusiasm but rather lacking in knowledge. We all start somewhere.

I had the 24/8/2



I even found 2 Lexicon reverbs, an Alex and a Reflex in the loft the other day.

I was constantly envious of the single fully parametric EQ band the Mackie 8 bus desk had. That was a constant source of fascination and must have been the reason why Mackie mixes sounded better.

I almost purchased the Soundtracs Topaz which had a better high shelf than the P7, smoother but overall I liked the solidity of the P7 and its mids, MIDI mutes, though it was so quiet it did not need it. Just to kill the hiss from analogue synths. For Studiomaster it was one of their best project studio desks, it was quiet, much more quiet than their previous offerings. Built well, very solid and it never let me down. It had exceptionally smooth fader runners as well, a really nice feel to them. I sold it for £100.00 around 2008 to someone running a studio for community purposes he was really happy with it, at that time it was just the 1 channel down.

I still like how the 8 bus look.

A responsible, accountable post. No whining or desperate attempts to philosophize arguments. The result really is in the hands of the driver. The Studiomaster looks cool!

I've been fooling around with my 8 bus EQ for almost two years off and on and I didn't have any real issues with it.....as long as the source isn't harsh to begin with.

Bad power rail ribbons and less than good EQ: I gave mine to a local school when I moved over to Allen and Heath in 2003.
Hugh

I had the 24:8 and remember the day I bought it, which was awesome.

At the time, there wasn't much available in that price range. I used it with an Otari 5050 8 track, an ADAT, and a DA-38.

I remember wanting a Tascam 3500 but the 24:8 was about $3000 and the Tascam was something like $10,000+.

I also had a Digitech Quad and one of those hated Alesis compressors, but I made many outstanding records on the Mackie.

A friend of mine had the Ultramix automation system, which I was envious of. I still have the VHS demo of it.

I got rid of the Mackie when I went ITB for a time. I don't miss it, and I wouldn't buy another one.

When I bought a console for my studio a couple of years ago, I went with The Box, which I like way better but the Mackie was def king of its time.

My mention of the fully parametric EQ was a little tongue in cheek, it probably would not make or break a mix, but it was absolutely enviable to have that as it was the only project 8 bus console that did. Unique and powerful bonus tool ona desk of that price point.

FWIW I used to work in broadcast and some former BBC live sound recordists would either be working in a long wheelbase For Transit van or a full HGV Truck, for former had a Mackie 32/8/2 the latter an SSL 4000G+.

In live recording sound environment mostly Jazz music, I used to play guess the console with the programme producer when I was to mix the programme for broadcast (BBC) before he told me what OB vehicle was used.

I could barely tell the difference and got it wrong as much as right, so an engineer can usually compensate given the skills and knowledge of what they are doing.

Just to add Noah, I found a Digitech Studio Quad as well with the project studio grade Lexicons. They were a little hissy as I recall those Studio Quads.

While a fully parametric eq can certainly be a useful tool in some situations I'd usually take a good sounding semi parametric over a lesser sounding full parametric.

I'm just not a fan of the sound of the Mackie 8 bus eq from my memories of it. Not saying it's unusable or anything ridiculous like that but if one is being picky it's just not that great.

Is the glass half empty or half full?

I think most people that hate on Mackie/Alesis are comparing them to the "high end" gear of the time. Pretty inferior compared to Neve or API.

If you compare them to the "low end" gear of the time, they were pretty damn revolutionary!

For live recording or audio-for-video stuff I am often really needing a parametric for multiple notch filters on one channel, especially when I am stuck trying to make an instrument pickup sound like something realistic. But... that's why I have an Orban 622 in the rack next to the mixer.
--scott

Out of all that "low end" stuff from back then, skip the 8 Bus and get a SoundCraft Spirit Studio. It has the same features but dual parametric mid bands and is fully modular. One channel goes out, you don't have to pull a board of 8 out to fix it. It sounds a lot better than the 8 Bus, too.

They're dirt cheap (so are 200/400/600s if you look for them) because for some reason the Ghost is the overhyped expensive one. That means you can afford to have a decent PSU built with the leftover money (throw the CPS-150 in the trash immediately before it melts down on you, if it hasnt 20x already)

Wild opinions all over the place.

Mixer Opinion: Mackie 32-8 to Soundcraft Spirit Studio?

https://homerecording.com/bbs/thread...ndcraft.26584/

Same with the Mackies, Tascams, Soundcrafts, Soundtracs, Ramsas, etc..

All 'crap' compared to the big guns at the time, but a lot of 'classics' were made with those just the same.. I've had mine for about 5 years now, no complaints at all.

At that time, the eight bus and the digital Yamaha (02r?) were very popular.

If I were looking to re-create a mid/late 1990s setup, I would probably go for a Ramsa DA-7, which I bought after my Mackie. The Ghost was also really popular.

The Ghost was rad, but they're a little overpriced for what they are now (I see them average $1K now and sometimes not even fully working). They have A LOT of hype behind them, I'm sure they sound great, but at that price, I'd rather get an older 200/400/600 or something that actually has the old Soundcraft vibe. I'm actually keeping my eye out for old 16 channel Spirit Studios folks are getting rid of for cheap so I can have one handy as a stash of spare channel strips available. My Aux 2 is kinda wonky and one side is intermittent so would be nice to have a board to drop in while I fix the other one.

The original LX7 series is pretty cool. Gets nice and gritty when needed, BUT like the later LX7-II models, it only has direct outputs on the channels to the left of the master section. So your 16 channel is only 8 direct outs, the 24 is 16, etc. I have a 16 channel one that I've been holding onto, I let the kids have the 24 channel LX7-II when I got the Spirit Studio heh.

Wow, I wouldn't pay that for a Ghost these days!

Ghosts are selling for more than that, and given what they are and what they originally sold for I think they're totally worth it.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/26716484616...Bk9SR_T_4eW_ZQ

https://www.ebay.com/itm/18641904880...Bk9SR_T_4eW_ZQ

There's a 56-channel Ghost (32ch + 24ch sidecar) with meter bridges and power supplies going for £1,300 currently on Reverb UK.

https://reverb.com/uk/item/88652294-...d-cables-1990s

If you have:

• Experience with/knowledge of the sonics and fidelity of a Soundcraft Ghost fulfilling your production criteria
• A requirement for an in-line analog console with 56 channels (112 at mixdown!), 8 busses & 8 auxes
• Ample physical space
• Access to a good tech for regular maintenance
• Additional funds for two new Blue Dog power supplies
• Adequate transport, manpower and time to collect it from the north of England

...that looks like a pretty sweet deal!

PS I have no connection with the seller - just happened upon it when trawling Reverb last night.

HAHAHAHA $3K? That guy is smoking some seriously good shit. Sorry, but the Ghost is not $2500 better than the Spirit Studio series it replaced.

Maybe if it had some of the CAL mods, but a stock Ghost that still has the CPS-275? Hell no. Go buy yourself a couple of boutique preamps for half the cost instead, no Ghost is worth that.

Cal Labs:

"The original Ghost design is very good to begin with"

"Now a little more about the this board’s “goodies.” The mic preamp on the Ghost was masterminded by an engineer whom Harman “scalped” from Neve to bring their studio game up a notch. It’s a very sharp design that some might even compare to an API in terms of sonic quality, although being transformerless. The EQ circuit was pretty much a carbon-copy of the Soundcraft 3200 and Europa consoles, flag-ship models for their day. The master section featured slew of computer-based machine control and mute automation controls derived from Soundcraft’s own flying-fader classic, the DC2020. So you essentially had all the best parts of a bunch $60k-$100K consoles copy-and-pasted into a board sold for a mere fraction of the cost - tons of bang for your buck. Soundcraft was able to successfully “mill” about 22,000 or so of these puppies between 93’ and 03’, which means there’s ample supply of them out there."

The Spirit Studio has none of that.

Seems like a lot of money for the 8 buss.

As an original owner, I boxed mine up (original box) in 2007. It was lightly used and clean as new. Not a single problem.

I'd sell it for not MORE $500.

For another $100 I'd chip in what was my spare, original ADAT with as close to zero hours as you will ever find. Original box. Might even be zero hours. Can't remember.

Another $100 would get the BRC; also original box.

For another $500 I'd include snakes to/from 8 buss to recorder to 1/4" patch bays and back. All in perfect, clean condition.

$1200 US All or nothing; freights on you.

It's not a lot of money at all for what you get. They were 5-6k new with meter bridge. Current 8 bus's are selling for $900US fully working...that's $1500cad. Current 16 channel new analog live mixers are like $1400....so a 32 channel inline recording desk must be worth 'at least' that. I wouldn't sell a 32 channel recording desk for any less than $1500CAD. That's a good price and mine's in perfect shape with meterbridge.