UREI getting old? what you guys think about

[RETRODISKO]

I was thinking the other day, many of us own or mix with UREI mixers, we all love his sound, but what if his components (30/20 years old) start to get old? capacitors, circuitery,

Just asking your opinion and thoughts regarding the posibility of thinking that no matter how good a unit can be purchased through ebay or other sources , his sound will not be the same as 20 years ago,

If so, which mixer you will consider you like to have, ?

Or another question for the tech heads, there are parts that can be crucial to be replaced in order to sound proper as it new?

I own an Allen and Heath Xone 92 Still using it with the Thorens, as many maybe remember my UREI was stolen from home, so , sometimes i have my doubts of buying a new one, or leave it like this,

And obvious i love mixing with UREI , unique feeling,,

Waiting to hear from all of you guys,

[Laurin]

For me, the ARS4100 is the Urei of our time.
It is like taking the philosophy of the Urei but using modern parts.
The pure sound quality is just:

[ves]

except from the Alpha there is the e&s and also the new bozak (audio for the soul) and of course rane

[Pern]

"Or another question for the tech heads, there are parts that can be crucial to be replaced in order to sound proper as it new? "


For all old audio electronics the Electrolytic capacitors are the most important to change, potentiometers after that if needed.

[Fred Bissnette]

recap and repot

should work ok

ive recapped an mci tape machine in about ten hours should take less than 2 for unit the size of a urei

[Richi]

As Pern said Caps and Pots will certainly need changing. As to the effect on sound, there would be some drift as the capacitors value would likely change, how much this would effect the sound is difficult to answer.

If you compare this to how much an original bozak with Carbon Comp resistors would change sound just by variations in temperature then the UREI probably wouldn't change that much.

Still, i would replace all the Electros with new just to be safe.

[rs_]

I bet that a recapped UREI sounds about like a vintage one did, when it was brand new.

I'd probably use Sprague Atom caps or maybe those Nichicon Muse caps. Anybody had a chance to compare these two?

While I was in there I'd probably also beef up the rails a bit.

rs

[RETRODISKO]

taking note on all the replies,

I see Alpha is doing great on the oriental Island, its expensive yes,

The panorama is not that sad, Caps and pots are certanly not a big issue,

next week Ill do a full A/b Testing on 3 mixers

UREI
The Allen and Heath
and a V6,

Of course the last words will be the ears and the sinergy of all the equipment i have,

Thanks all for the replies,,,

[pbellsound]

As a sound company owner that often provides rentals and show production, I need to stock the most often requested mixers.

DJM800
DJM900
TTM57
A&H92
TTM56

My personal favorite mixer was the Rane MP44. It was a flat out great sounding board even when over driven or abused.

[daswadan]

Originally Posted by Laurin

For me, the ARS4100 is the Urei of our time.

interesting point. it leads to a question i wanted to ask already: does anybody know, what the original urei and bozak did cost when they came out?

[RETRODISKO]

I remember UREI being sold in Mex fro 6,000 MX Pesos, Dollar as at $3 so were around 1700, dlls to maybe 2000 dlls,

[daswadan]

so you can say, both mixers were very expensive at their time?

[RETRODISKO]

Probably yes,

Today mixers are cheaper and of course not as good as the old ones, thats my perspective


Im starting sound like my grampa, LOL

[Richi]

Components would be much cheaper today than during the 70s or 80s. Would they sound different, who knows.

[Estacy]

plus mass producing is easier and cheaper, with advanced robots and of course cheap labour in china.

But there are still very good mixers being made (Rodec, Dateq etc), even cheap ones, like the Ecler Nuos.

[RETRODISKO]

thats right,
So far seems to be easily to mantain quality on UREI i got the right guy for that job here in Mexico City

+ Mario G services



Ill be updating this thread with A/B testings Audio Samples and Pics

Thanks for the tech replies

[Mistick Krewe]

Originally Posted by RETRODISKO

thats right,
So far seems to be easily to mantain quality on UREI i got the right guy for that job here in Mexico City

+ Mario G services



Ill be updating this thread with A/B testings Audio Samples and Pics

Thanks for the tech replies

to me, that's one of the biggest benefits of deploying the older stuff...
the ability the maintain them over time by replacing wear parts....

granted, some of the newer design offerings are also field serviceable..


ive also found it helps if designers used parts that are easily obtainable off the shelf,
ESP helpful are schematics, etc availability....