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The MCI JH 416, the other 416


al mcguire

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MCI Electronics founder Grover C. “Jeep” Harned was a pro audio innovator, from the first 24-track recorder—a modified Ampex 300 in 1968—to the tape autolocator (1972) and commercializing the inline console. MCI unveiled a prototype of a 3-inch, 32-track analog deck in 1978, which never went into production, but showed harned's willingness to try new ideas.

After earning a bachelor's degree from Mississippi State University, Harned joined the U.S. Army, serving as electronics instructor. In 1955, he opened Music Center Inc., a store catering to the growing hi-fi market. Harned soon hooked up with Mack Emerman, who had just opened Criteria Studios and had trouble with the facility's custom-built 16×3 console and ½-inch 3-track recorders. This “quick-fix” job lasted some 18 months, as Harned redesigned nearly all of Criteria's gear.

During the early ‘60s, Harned built consoles, preamps and record electronics. In 1965 his business name became MCI Inc., and he focused on making replacement solid-state electronics for Ampex 350 recorders. Word about MCI spread: Harned got a call from Tom Hidley (then manager of TTG Recording Studios in Hollywood), asking if MCI could create 24-track electronics for an Ampex 300 that Hidley modified to handle 2-inch tape. That first 24-track went into service at TTG in 1968, creating a stir among competing studios and leading to a recording revolution. MCI showed its own recorders at AES 1971, and a year later, intro'd the concept of the autolocator.

With its inline design, MCI JH-400 put lots of mix inputs into a small space.

At the time, most studio consoles were custom designs, either created by the studio owners/engineers themselves or unique one-of-a-kind models made by small console companies. Based on the classic Henry Ford mass manufacturing method, Harned wanted use that “production” concept to build what were essentially off-the-shelf studio mixers. And rather than use the traditional “split" monitoring approach to mixers, MCI boards used an inline design. The credit for the first inline-style console designs actually goes to Dan Flickinger, who designed a number of custom mixers that put tape monitoring within the channel modules, but had track assignments in a separate section. However, the popularity of the modern inline console stems from Nashville audio dealer Dave Harrison (later founder of Harrison Consoles), who approached Harned with this new approach to console design.

Harned and MCI engineer Lutz Meyer helped Harrison refine the JH-400 (the "JH" stood for Jeep Harned). The standardized JH-400s were revolutionary: They were standardized "production" models, yet with offered choice of user options and incorporated Harris 911 IC op-amps, thus lowering costs and simplifying manufacturing. The first JH-416 models offered 24 inputs/outputs with quad panning/monitoring, 3-band EQ and P&G faders. Options included a 32-input version, VCA grouping, automation and switchable peak/VU meters. (Click here to download a vintage MCI JH-416 brochure.)

The JH-400 offered an affordable pro console to the burgeoning studio industry and five years later, a 1977 Billboard poll gave MCI the leading share (14.3 percent) among studios. That same year, MCI unveiled the updated JH-500 series, which offered a four-band EQ, more sends/returns and plasma VU displays.

Harned sold MCI to Sony in 1982 and retired. He will long be remembered as a pioneer who made significant advancements to the state of pro audio. Note: A Website dedicated to MCI history recently appeared.

 

 

https://www.mixonline.com/technology/1972-mci-jh-400-series-inline-console-377971

 

 

I logged many hours on a JH 416 recording console as a staff engineer. While it was innovative, it was not a great sounding mixer.

Munchy, Crunchy and Intermittent. 

 

There is a pdf of the sales brochure below.

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JH-416 Brochure.pdf

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I bought one of the first JH110s in New England. 4-track half inch, with accessory head stacks and guide rollers for 2-track and full track 1/4" (I modded the speed switch to give me 15/30 ips for the 1/8" high tracks, and 15 ips for the ful track). 

 

For the first three years after buying it from Audiotechniques, I got handmade Christmas cards from Jeep.

 

From an operator's point of view -- particularly an operator whose previous big decks had been Ampex and Scully, and one who really rolled the tape around building up 4-track masters for broadcast -- the deck and electronics were brilliant! I installed it one afternoon, lined it up for house stock, and was doing a PBS animation track on it that night. My fingers naturally landed on the right buttons, punch-in and out were so seamless I could roll in music edits, and the thing moved almost as fast as I could think of what I wanted it to do.

 

It was also easier to maintain than my "big iron" decks. 

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This post brings back lots of good memories for me.  In the late seventies I was an assistant at Sound 80 in Minneapolis.  At that point in time they were a major user of MCI gear plus dealers for it.  A good way to get a discount on equipment they were using anyway.  I worked on sessions, but whenever we got a new board in I was often asked to help put it in.  I wasn't very technical, it was more an extra body to help move it into the control room.  Later on I was trained to do set up on the 24 track tape decks prior to sessions as part of my assistant duties.  The 500 was a huge board and I remember when we got it for the main studio.

I was fortunate to get a job there after making friends with Bill Berg a prominent studio drummer.  I replaced Jeep Harned's son after he decided he didn't like the cold climate in Minnesota and moved back to Florida.  

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Haven’t spent much time on these consoles or tape machines. I’ve been told they’re ok. Sage Electronics up in Toronto makes two flavours of op amps that area faster and more articulate and apparently it makes a big difference. The Mara machines I’ve heard are nice too. Again, never worked on one, this is just word of mouth from other engineers. I wonder how they compare to the ATR Aria electronics that the late Mike Spitz came up with for the old Ampex ATR-1xx series. I can’t imagine paying 8-15k for one of these nowadays. Per the tape counter, I’ve never encountered an accurate counter on any tape machines. For multi track sessions I always stripe/d the reel with TC on track 24 to have an accurate time readout. 

Lots of MCI desks out and about. People do love them! Thanks for sharing!

 

 

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I’ve got a JH24 with the auto locator sitting in my garage awaiting some long needed repairs. It’s mostly in working condition but has a few channels that need help and I think it needs one of the motors worked on. It is a great sounding machine for the money though. I picked it up in 2008 for around $2500.

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