Vintage 1970's Opamp Labs 1204-RS Recording Console Sidecar Quad Eight Electrodyne Inductor EQ

Up for sale is a Opamp Labs 1204-RS recording console sidecar that has been serviced, recapped, fully tested, and is in excellent functional condition. Everything works - this console has just been through a full service including recapping, increasing the coupling capacitors in the mix buss for improved low frequency response, converting the headphone/speaker/talkback outputs to use 425 opamps so that all the outputs operate at line level, cleaning all the faders/switches and installing a new linear/regulated Power One +/- 24VDC power supply for the audio PSU rails.  I've worked on several of these Opamp Labs desks over the years and this one with the Triad wound input transformers and UTC output transformers is the best sounding Opamp Labs desk I've used. This console sounds every bit as good as my 1970's Electrodyne ACC1204 and 1970's Quad Eight console with discrete MM405 modules at just a fraction of the price.

This is the rare recording studio version of the Opamp Labs 1204 console with a full headphone/monitor/talkback/mixdown section. Most of the Opamp Labs 1204 consoles were the TV version which were not set up for recording studios. The console is in excellent cosmetic condition with the exception of some defects in the vinyl armrest and wood veneer. The console is pictured with the 10X4 console I have for sale separately in the last few photos - but this listing is only for the 12X4 console. If you are interested in combining both consoles for a fully featured 1970's 22 channel Opamp Labs console I would be happy to sell both together.

Opamp Labs 1204-RS Recording Console
-(8) 360BM Transformer Balanced Microphone Preamps (up to 12 360BM preamps available if needed)
-(12) 325EQ Equalizers (Inductor based, two band, stepped frequency selection)
-(12) Line inputs fully balanced with Triad made Opamp Labs 10K:10k bridging line input transformers.
-4 echo sends per channel, pre/post selectable
-4 busses with UTC A-22 output transformers
-2 "record" busses with UTC wound Opamp Labs T-30 output transformers
-4 echo returns
-2 speaker/monitor outputs (line level)
-8x1 Headphone mix out (line level)
-Talkback/Slate out (line level)
-8x2 "record" submixer which allows you to submix channels 1-8 down to a stereo "record" buss.
-Meter switch which switches the VU's to either show the output level for buss 1-4 or the stereo "record" buss. 

+/-24V new power one linear regulated power supply for the audio and an original +/-24V Opamp Labs power supply for the lamps/relays.

Dimensions: 31"x30"x13"

This Opamp Labs desk sounds excellent and is on par with any vintage console on the market including any discrete API, NEVE, Quad Eight, Electrodyne, Sphere or Spectra Sonics console from the same era. The console runs at +/-24VDC and has more headroom than an API console. All the EQ's use inductors giving the EQ a Pultec/Quad Eight smoothness not found in later IC chip designs. The swinging-input inductor EQ found on these Opamp Labs desks is the same EQ topology found in Quad Eight MM61/MM71/MM310/MM405 modules, early 1970's Spectra Sonics/Sphere/API consoles. All of the swinging-input inductor based EQ's share the same tonal quality and only vary slightly depending on the components used. The Opamp Labs desks used large high-quality Siemens ferrite core inductors which are very similar in sound to the ferrite core inductors used the early 1970's Quad Eight modules listed above. Comparing the Quad Eight MM61/MM71 modules side by side to the Opamp Labs EQ's it's a toss up as to which sounds better. 

The 360BM microphone preamps sound punchy and full like a 1970's Quad Eight but use Beyer input transformers that tend to overload a bit quicker than the original Quad Eight mic input transformers. This can be great for guitars or drums where you are looking specifically for transformer saturation/distortion.

According to Bob Olhsson of Motown fame: "Some of arguably the best sounding mixes of the 1970s (if not of all time) were made using the Opamp Labs-based console in Armin Steiner's Sound Labs mix room." This console is one of the rare Opamp Labs consoles built at the Opamp Labs factory by Bel Losmandy in Los Angeles, CA and has very clean wiring throughout. I've included a track recorded/mixed exclusively on an identical Opamp Labs console a few years ago to 2" tape. 

Please allow 2-3 days for packaging/crating. VU meter #1 has a needle that is slightly shorter than the other three but I'm looking for a replacement and will hopefully replace this meter prior to shipping. Although this console is restored it's almost 40 years old so if you purchase the console I'd suggest being somewhat technically inclined or having the resource of someone who is at your disposal upon delivery to help you use and set up the console appropriately. That said, maintenance on this console is easy - if there's ever a problem with a channel you just swap out the opamps with a spare and you're back to recording. All the opamp modules used in the console are still for sale via Opamp Labs in LA so I doubt you'll ever have anything that can't be handled quickly and cheaply. I've restored many consoles over the years and the Opamp Labs desks are by far the easiest of the late 1960's/early 1970's consoles to maintain and repair. The lack of individual module connectors makes the signal path more reliable and there are never intermittent connection or wiring/grounding issues that you have with some of the larger format consoles from this time period.

All consoles for sale in our shop are extensively tested with an Audio Precision audio analyzer prior to shipping for SN ratio, phase, THD, and frequency response. Feel free to contact me with any questions. Thank you!