All-original one-of-a-kind custom RIAA/phono monitor rack FROM CAPITOL RECORDS NEW YORK STUDIO. Purchased in April 1977 directly from the Capitol Records Chief Engineer. This is the very system used to monitor the vinyl lacquer masters of the BEATLES U.S. releases and hundreds of other famous artists, from Cannonball Adderly and the Beach Boys to Woody Allen and Frank Zappa. (Provenance available with purchase.) System consists of the following rack-mounted components, from BOTTOM TO TOP in the photo:
(1) Extremely rare stereo Shure SE-1, the "Holy Grail" of phono preamps / RIAA equalizers, with PDF of specs and schematic.
(2) Alec 128A 30w power amp with original Operating Instructions and schematic.
(3) Panel with pair of VU meters, range controls, and calibration.
(4) Langevin monitor amp rack-mount assembly, consisting of: (a) Matched pair of Langevin 138M 8-watt Amplifiers (s/n 0928, 0939) with power supply plus JPEGs of specs and schematic (b) "Monitor Gains" control panel still hand-marked for "45" and "33" speeds.
(5) All contained in classic Bud cabinet 37"Hx22"Wx15"D with wiring harnesses and mating connectors.
CONDITION: All items original, all transformers good; some recapping recommended but left as original for collector value; inquire for details and more photos. Weight 100lb is estimate; shipping weight TBD.
PRICE: $4,800 or make offer
PHOTOS (more on request):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mjl-kml/sets/72157628352945677/
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Aussie0zborn
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Nice for historical value but I really feel "iffy" when I hear things like "used to monitor the Beatles". So what? Any Beatles record cut in the US was not the first edition and nor was it cut from the original master tape. I once owned a VMS70 that cut everything from Abba to Zappa (including the Beatles) and it didn't increase its value by one cent.
This would be a nice system for a retro cutting studio but please don't try to sell us on the Beatles. Good luck with your sale.
This would be a nice system for a retro cutting studio but please don't try to sell us on the Beatles. Good luck with your sale.
Beatles masters
Sorry, but I beg to differ. This was used in the facility where they received master tapes of the U.K. releases, remastered them for U.S. release, and created the master lacquers that were sent to the Capitol plants to produce the records. That seems reasonably special to me. Am I missing something here? (Among other items I purchased was the file cabinet that contained the original A-Z files of correspondence on the Beatles and the other renowned artists that were recorded and/or mastered in Capitol's New York Studio. I have added a couple samples to my Flickr set. Did you get a few hundred of those with your VMS70?) That reasoning aside, I priced this primarily for what I found the individual components have sold for on their own merits -- just the SE-1 alone, if you could find one, has sold for $2500 without a power supply; that is over half my asking price for everything, and my SE-1 comes with PS. I have added a token for the complete assembly, which includes the wiring harnesses, groovy cabinet, and, yes, the provenance. But I will consider lower offers if the latter doesn't float your boat.
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concretecowboy71
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It would seem since there really are not that many disc cutting systems out there, that many of them have done work that is historically important. My system came from Sterling Sound, does that make it cool, yes. Does it add more value, probably not.
Having the documents associated with the gear is super cool because I have often looked at my gear and wondered what was cut on it.
Having the documents associated with the gear is super cool because I have often looked at my gear and wondered what was cut on it.
Cutting Masters in Bristol,Virginia, USA
Well Made Music / Gotta Groove Records
Well Made Music / Gotta Groove Records
I hear you, and I certainly didn't mean to make light of anyone else's own fine gear. As I said, I priced for inherent performance, but since I happened to have the unusual benefit of actual documentation I thought the specific history was particularly worth mentioning. As it happens, I am a history nut as well as an electrical engineer, so both specs and provenance have value for me. I'll be sorry to see this go, but it would be a plus if it goes to someone who appreciates what it has accomplished already.
Last edited by Guy4Gear on Sat Dec 10, 2011 2:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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dietrich10
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leo gonzalez
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Thanks for raising the question so I can clarify this: A lot of people like to know that what they're getting has not been tampered with and prefer to have their own vintage specialist do whatever might need to be done (if anything). Aside from professional work that has already been done to restore the Altec to original spec (with the few original caps and resistors that needed replacement saved), all of the other components are entirely original because they worked fine when last used in the studio. (I knew the Altec needed minor work when I got the system.) Obviously it is common for some caps, tubes, or solid state rectifiers to deteriorate over the years, but their replacement is routine in knowledgeable hands. For anything further I will certainly work with any buyer on a case by case basis.