Interesting Observation

[tourtelot]

I went looking through the XLR bin in my shop and pulled out one that was labeled with my NYC address from a time far-far away.  That particular Switchcraft A3M is probably close to 40 years old.  I unsoldered the cut-off (the wire was from my "Purple Era") and soldered it onto a new piece of Belden 1505 for some little project and reflected on what else I had that was that old.

 

Mics, of course; Schoeps CMC5s (and even some converted CMC4s), Sennheiser MKH, EV dynamics from my earliest days in sound.  A Shure FP11 and FP12 box from my days in sports TV.  More than a few Fibrecase Adapt-a-cases, also from my earliest days.  An Atlas round-based straight stand hat has lived in my shop foreva. No electronics to speak of, the Shure boxes being the exception.  A few sound books and AES docs from way back (remember Jim Tannenbaum's Time Code in the Reel World?) and a CAS Radio Mic program when HMEs and Microns were da bomb.)  Lots of Canare mic cable that I bought from Posthorn (Jerry Bruck) in NYC when I put my first kit together.  They have Cannon XLRs on them; Jerry thought they was the best XLR going and spec'd all the Posthorn cable with them.

 

So it's obvious that I don't hold on to obsolete technology; not a Nagra or a DAT or a Mini-disc machine left.  No Shure mixers, no Vega wireless (although I'd love to have a few back to smash with a sledge in just repayment of all the grief they caused me.)  I have a fine Fostex DV824 on consignment at Trew for about ten years if they haven't put it in the dumpster. 

 

I have a 788T that will probably make it to 40 years, my mics which just never lose their value and a whole new Dante 24-track rig that will need to get updated every couple of years in major ways if the current history continues.  And to all you who go through the Red Cam, Black Magic, Pro Tools, MacBook churn, I feel your pain.  Perhaps it's time to make a little time capsule, bury it in the back yard.  Dig it up in 40 years to see what still works.

 

D.

[The Immoral Mr Teas]

Doug, well 40 years is a good time back for me, but apart from the Nagras and some (even valve) Bruel and Kjaer magic, here goes:

 

My (bad/immature) attitude

 

Jim Tannenbaum's "Timecode in the Reel World" (thanks to Lee Strosnider)

John B Fisher's "Wildlife Sound Recording"

HW Hellyer's "Tape Recorders" and "Stereo Sound"

The EMI handbook " Modern Instrumentation Tape Recording"

and the best of all, Michael Wysotsky's "Widescreen Cinema and Stereophonic Sound" which made me a scholar of sorts (heh heh)

 

Jez

[Ty Ford]

I'm a relative latecomer to this specific arena. My early acquisitions were Astatic, Lafayette and Radio Shack and a Shure M67 mixer manufactured before the conventions of male XLR output, female XLR input. I still have the beyerdynamic M101 omnis and the M160 ribbon. About six years ago, I scored a free full track Nagra (and external power supply) for my equipment museum. It was headed for the dumpster at an unnamed network in Washington, D. C.. Not two months later, I had a friend call with a quarter inch master of two songs that were the A and B sides of a local 45 rpm record. The box was marked Full Track Mono. The transfer to Pro Tools was glorious. The mix, done at Rodel (probably by Nelson Funk) was great. My friend was happy to get an emailed mp3.

 

The SV255 Panasonic portable DAT never got as much use as I planned, but I still have two highly functional Panasonic SV-3900 and a hardwired remote control. Occasionally someone calls with DATS and off we go. I also have a functional 8-Track player; probably my most arcane bit of kit, but I am surprised that I still hear from people from time to time.  et cetera......