Audio Developments Mixing panels

[Kevin Sorensen]

Is anybody familiar AD 146 , 147  or 149 models, It seems they are only sold in New York.

Wondering if they are good products or to expensive ?

[Philip Perkins]

AD mixers a very solid, sound great and are very well supported by Audio Developments.  They've never had the acceptance of other mixers in the US, but are definitely worth a listen.  They now make a low-priced line of mixers without transformers--details are on their website. I used an AD mixer (AD145) all over the world in all sorts of conditions for nearly 18 years with great success, and would definitely consider another one if I had the need.  At least with my old AD panel, I never had a service need that couldn't be met by a local tech armed with AD's excellent documentation.  The mixer also was very modifiable--plenty of room inside and modular construction.

Philip Perkins

[Simon Paine]

I've been looking at the new AD255. It comes with direct channel outputs so you can now feed your NL multi track prefader channels.

[Guest tourtelot]

I too had an AD145 for many years, and like Philip says, it was easily modified.  I totally changed the gain structure (that was my big complaint with the panel) and added direct outs, a whole boom private line section, remote rolls and some other things.  When it broke, which was rarely, I fixed it myslf.  Was it a Sonosax or a Cooper?  No, but it came at great price for what you got.

Now, that being said, I'd be very surprised if there is nearly as much real-estate in the newest AD (non-ENG) panels.  For AD, like everyone else building electronics, I am sure that the lure of high-quality components in a surface-mount technology has made the new boards just a sevice unfriendly as the Sonosax was, or the 01V96 is.  But I would certainly give the newer ADs a listen and see if they fit your method of working.  If they do, they are still very affordable.

D.

[Dragos Stanomir]

 

  I take a secondhand AD 145, 3 years ago and works great.

Only once the gaffer put 380V instead of 220 on my cart - at Fostex PD4 I have to change all AC/DC convertor- 500 $ , at AD 145 I change just fusee-0,1 $. And I put all cart on bateries.

Very good and quiet preapms, no problems whith rain or direct sun.My only complain is gain buton wich isn`t soft , has 4 steps, but on new mixers they solve this.

  I have SD 422 and 744 but I use only on comercials. On movies I go whith AD 145.

Maybe if Sonosax will make this year their mixer with HardDisk, under 10,000$ as they said,  I`ll take one of that, but till then ...

[BVS]

I have had my AD146 for many years and it works very well.Still sounds clean and handles just about anything I throw at it.

BVS

[Guest Eric Lamontagne]

My AD147, modified with direct outs, is a work of art. I doubt I will ever replace it or find a mixer that I love more. I owe much of the quality of my product to this mixer. It has been WELL maintained by Audio Services in Toronto.

Even when I am fed UNGROUNDED 220vAC also with a hot neutral which heats my entire chassi of my sound cart up to 160 VAC (measured from the cart to earth ground) it still performed. I was forced to disconnect from AC mains and run on 12vDC yet was still being fed AC from the HD cameras which I was plugged into (even with ground lift transformers!!!!). TIP, have dry feet and possibly some gloves and no water scenes for the boom! True story.

Eric Lamontagne (still hearing my teeth chattering)