*Incredible* 1957 Gates Dualux Tube Console / Mixer (rca, altec)

*Incredible* 1957 Gates Dualux Tube Console/Mixer* Pristine* (RCA, Altec, Western Electric, Collins)

If you are a vintage audiophile & tube lover this one is sure to get the juices flowing!

You are looking at a fully restored (to exact factory specs) 1957 Gates Dualux Tube Console. Brother of the Western Electric 25b, Altec 250 & Collins 212a consoles. These are hands down some of the best tube consoles ever built. Their valve sound is classic and absolutely unparalleled. The preamps sound massive and super smooth! If you like color and warm sounding audio this is a home run. 

No.. the pictures do not lie, this console looks like it came off the assembly line in Quincy, Illinois yesterday. It is absolutely breathtaking! I have never seen another like it and I can't imagine seeing another in my lifetime. 

The Dualux Console was the crown jewel of the Gates console line. They built many consoles & mixers but the dualux sound and capabilities far surpassed all other consoles. Large format radio stations and recording studios across the country had them installed.

This particular board was a passion project restored by one of our greatest engineers the audio world has seen! "Mike Dorrough". Mike worked for RCA in the 1960's & started Dorrough Electronics in 1970. His development of an LED meter displaying both peak and average ballistics with dual reference points is used for audio program level indications throughout the world. Yes, the "Dorrough Meter", we have likely all seen or used one. The reason I bring up Mike is because I have never seen anyone do better work than him. I truly wish there were more like him, he is a special man!. This board is a work of art, no details were overlooked and no expenses were spared in its restoration. Without Mikes incredible passion as well as 60 years of electronics knowledge, a project like this would be utterly impossible. Now someone is going to have a chance to own and use this beauty.

The sound & design of this console is unprecedented! It was consoles like this that shaped the sound of artists like Elvis, Aretha, Sinatra, Ella, Chuck Berry, Ray Charles, The Everly Brothers, The Platters and so many of the early Motown artists. Fine recording in New York City also employed a Gates Dualux console. There has never been more a need in modern music for songs to sound more natural and real. There is so much content coming from digital sources, everything sounds flat like wallpaper. There is no time, space or depth in the music. Real analog gear and real musicians equal real sounding records. You can't fake 30 tubes and massive power transformers.    

Leon Bridges 2015 grammy winning album "Coming Home" was cut on a 1950's collins tube console similar to the gates. It's commercial success was a clear cry from the people desperately searching for something to grab onto that resembles that classic sound.  

I spoke with Steve Firlotte of Inward Connections & Tree Audio (one of the biggest tube gear and console designers in the industry) Based on our conversation and the photo's I emailed him, he told me the console was worth between 20k-30k. (I am listing on the lower end because 2 more preamps can still be added)

I also checked in with another major tube console source "Bob Mayben", he said "if Mike Dorrough restored it, its good enough for a museum and I know it will work flawlessly. "These are rare, the two channel board give a recording outfit a lot of flexibility."

I have attached a youtube interview of Mike Dorrough using the Gates Dualux console, you can clearly hear how much better Mike sounds than everyone else! Also some very cool information in there.  (go to 3:20 in video )

Features of the Dulaux include

- Selective monitoring of all major circuits

- 8 utility keys for expansion. Six are to the left and two to the right.

- 5 preamplifiers wired for seven microphones, up to 22 microphones if all utility keys are used, space for 2 more preamplifiers provided for future expansion.

- 30 high quality vacuum tubes ( EF86, 12AX7, 6AK6, 12AU7)

- 3 position high pass filter

- Telephone type keys on all mixing channels for increased flexibility

- Complete inbuilt cue-intercom with front panel listen and talk back

- Cue attenuators on 4 mixing channels used for net, instruments, tapes.

- Dual program amplifiers

- Fully regulated power supply
- XLR cables added for easy in & out. 

Console Manual Included, 
Full Size Blown Up Console Schematic also included. 
DIMENSIONS  L X W X H

Length - 46 1/2 inches  Width- 15 1/2 inches  Height - 8 Inches 

I would say it weighs about 70 lbs including the power supply. 

I have a lot experience shipping high end vintage audio equipment, check my feedback. I have used the same trusted shipper and packer for the last 10 years and he does amazing work! We could build a custom crate for this or box and pack it extremely well. 

Thanks for looking and best of luck friends! Open to reasonable offers, this is a one of a kind recording console. 

-p.s dont worry I only put the console near the fish tank for the photo shoot and better lighting :)