What makes a great Neve clone? 

I'm glad that there are people like you who deep dive like this and explain in such a clear manor. It makes me believe you more than some marketing jargon.

Best semi-deepdive on the tube. Please keep them coming. I'm still waiting for someone to make a diy'ish 500 series modular console.... I would be 1st in line.

I just finished building this. It’s the most cleverly designed kit I’ve ever put together and I’ve build many DIYRE and CAPI designs. Every part of this kit was top shelf. I had a lot of fun building it and the PCBs and build instructions were exquisite. Thank you for a fun weekend!

Oh my god this is amazing. You made so much sense out of things that my mentors described to me and also my experience with 1073 clones throughout the years. Thank you!

3 stages of saturation is exciting! It will make everything sound rich.

Thank you for sharing. It’s good to see the results you described on your blog. The analogy of the layers of sonic varnish was so spot on. I happened to come across it after purchasing a pair of colours and have been waiting to see the finished project. This looks very promising. You explained the design and function so well in this video. Please feel free to do more videos like this.

As soon as I saw the polystyrenes, I knew you were serious about sonics.

Thank you for presenting this so coherently and in such a down-to-earth manner! Pleasure to follow you. Can't wait to hear the unit

Thanks for sharing, it's very educational. I think we really have to look at the design with the original design intent in mind. Transistor circuits are traditionally conceived in a way that most part tolerances can be compensated. There is nothing magic about it. The "character" of a circuit comes from all the shortcomings. The genius is in making the circuit behave musical when it hits the limits.

As a guy with 16 discrete and different microphone preamps in my 500 arsenal, including one I built and designed myself, my favorite thing is showing all my clients that the $200 one sounds as good as some $900 one.

Wow. Your dedication and passion are palpable. Love that you're selecting parts by ear rather than by spec, too. I've been thinking about putting together a little lunchbox vocal channel strip, the 73P is now at the top of my list. Would love a similar deep dive on the color series!

Fascinating! Good luck on your product launch!

I am so excited for this kit, been meaning to get some 73 style pres, but I am so happy I waited! Definitely going to preorder. Amazing deep dive, please keep them coming. And just saying.. you’ve already got me sold on a 76 style comp when you get around to that too 😉

Thanks for making another video like this and love to hear about the design decisions behind your products. Back to working on my G Bus kit now!

Well, this vintage gear snobbery is really stupid, people buy those old pieces or knock-offs while their music is crap, but if I ever decide to buy a Neve preamp it will be because of this video. Magnificent. 🖖

If you are willing to do more deep dive please don't even hesitate !

Thanks for the really clear high-level explanation, this kind of video is so valuable!

beautiful explanation - the power supply sagging is especially interesting!

I’ll have to save up to get one to go with my AML clone. I can see some differences based on your explanation even with my limited circuit knowledge. I’d love to hear more break downs of circuitry if you’re up for it!

This is awesome. :)

hoping so bad that this is the first step leading to a 1073 Clone with the full EQ? Would be epic!!

Fantastic video. Fun and informative. Thank you!

Can't wait to built one! I have your G-Bus and a few other 500 modules, all solid!

BEAUTIFUL!! ANY PLANS TO DO A RACKMOUNT OR DESKTOP VERSION?

You should make an official announcement post for this on Gearspace.

So psyched you did this.

Such cool video thanks. Big fan of the company and what you do :). Keep it up please. Cheers.

its from the seventies, not from the sixities. most modules are about 50 years old not sixty. then in a typical 80series neve the input module doesn't just go to a passive bus (except bcm). THE typical 80series sound is input module, routing module, output gain module (all active 6pairs of xfmr) for a mixdown or recording over active group modules.

Thats amazing guys!! I cant wait to try a pair of those. And...Im looking forward for a vintage API pre clone next!!

Letsgooooooo can't wait to get in on the pre-order for this one!

I can't wait to get a few of these.

I feel comforted knowing that other audio builders also bite their nails.

Looks great! Do you think you'll do an EQ that can insert in before the preamp's output? I use Sound Skulptor's version just about daily and I love it. Really cool to see your take on it!

Would love to do an in depth build of one of these!

Stoked for these!

Woohoo! I wish I wasn't poor! I need 2 of these to start, and then 2 more!

Nice. If this was available a few years back I probably would have gotten it instead of a rackmount 1073 clone.

Beautiful work!

Beautiful. I'll have to get a kit.

can't wait to hear this!

Cool. But I think i'll wait until version 1.01 of the circuit board, so as to avoid having to tear it apart and cut solder traces like I did on a recent build using 1.0 of a circuit.

Nice work!

any chance we'll see a matching EQ at some point?

Super video. Thank you very much

Awesome! How does it compare to the GAP 73 clone?

Thank you for this. 👏👍

Great walkthrough, I learnt a lot from this. It would be great to see how modern summing mixers work, are they worth it?

This looks great! Would I be able to replace current transformers with my vintage Marinair i/o transformers?

What consequences have merging on the same heatsink the output transistor with the regulator one? I dont know much but I try to separate PSU from audio as much as possible. Does it have any benefit to correlate heat variance from both paths or is it just a compromise of 500 series limited size? Keep up the work! Love your company and really dig all the documentation you give us 🫶

You should do videos on how stuff is made like tires and engines

Thanks for releasing this. when will this be available to buy?

Oh decisions... Do I want this for the 73 vibe or a CP5 with Royal Blue for an 81 vibe? I know the correct answer is both but... Great video btw.

Are we going to get a demo of the unit anytime soon?

DiyRe Neve "clones" have either class A/B, or class B circuit if power supply sags under dynamic conditions. Another strange thing is calling 1290 preamp 1073 preamp/eq.

Thx for sharing. I'm sure of a nice design. However, does it sound exactly neve 1073?. I've heard warm audio 73 with charnhill transformers, vs. Neve 73LB 500 series. Neve sounded better. It would be nice to hear the difference . Thx.

Can you say what your main application of the Tantalums caps were? I'm using NOS film and some Soviet paper-in-oil caps for a preamp design project and am considering Tantalums in feedback part of the op-amp circuitry and in some power decoupling.

Really amazing project ! how would it differ form an AML or BAE version of the 1073 for example? The accuracy of teh PSU and transistors?

Where can I hear audio samples of this pre in a practical recording studio environment?

You nailed it! All the key factors, and you brought out the 1272 comparison as well. Two gain stages is absolutely not a 1073/1084 preamp; it’s at best a 1272, unless they try to get 70dB gain from 2x stages, at which point it’s completely bastardized. I’m very interested in which transistors of the same part number distort/saturate “the best.” That was news to me but makes sense. The zener based voltage regulator is one I’ve never heard before. Makes sense, and I think it depends on what one would call sounding“better.” Basically almost none of the racked vintage 1073/1084 modules out there have this type of voltage supply. Many of the vintage consoles have had their PSU’s rebuilt to deliver a steady +24V supply regardless of current demand. I want to know what percentage of vintage modules and consoles out there still use this zener regulator topology. But still, it’s an interesting idea.

Looks very nice!!!!

learned a lot. please do a shelford clone!

Once I overcome the onslaught of $400 emergencies, I will own one or more of these and I will be happy.

Will there be an EQ kit?

The loss thats occuring between the stages, why is that happening?

Why go with the carnhill output transformer as opposed to something that is closer to the actual marinair transformers like sowter does?

Cool vidéo! Thanks!

What about de Golden Age Audio Premier PRE-73?

good job。

THANKS A LOT

But was it really wise to make it so that the power supply sags in every module? What I mean is that if you were tracking on a Neve, not all channels are going to be drawing tons of current all the time. In other words they're not all on kick drums and such, so the power supply wouldn't sag ALL the time.

Dude I was just about to get a pair of AML's but shipping from the UK is nuts... I guess I will be patient for this instead

Will there be a European distributor? I would buy it instantly, but the extra cost is huge 😢

what about the motorola 2N3055?

i need it

Nice!

Is the Marconi knob metal or plastic? I replaced the plastic ones with metal on the Sound Skulptor clones I built.

Is the soundskulptor 73 a 2 stage version?

cheers

its really a 1290 and not a 1073 which included eq

The Carnhill input transformer sounds good, but the Carnhill output transformer sounds bad. The output transformer must be a marinair transformer.

WOW! Pleaaaaase set up an european sales channel :)

Do you ship to the UK? lol

3 preamps are not necessary for different gains. I would prefer only one preamp with a gain control. I don't understand very well this part. May be if I see the schematic I'll figure it out.

...and then there is a 2N3055 in the line amp branded 'NEWMARKET' hahaha...funny somehow.

Nice work! but 172 EUR Duties and Taxes + ?Shipping and other crazy fees for one module to EU :( The iron is manufactured in England, so it is more efficient to buy it directly here and avoid paying for shipping and customs duties to the U.S. and back to the EU. Will it be possible to order a kit including PCB, panel, chassis, and Greyhill or full kit without transformers?

Saludos. Has tutoriales en español por fa...

I'm really enjoying your videos. Lots of fascinating stuff. Thanks.