A few things – two – were different on this one. But I think both are rather important, so I’ll mention it to you.
The SOLO/610 delivers the classic Putnam 610 tube console sound in a rugged, highly versatile mic preamp design. This unit provides the silky, vintage warmth of the original console’s mic amp design, and will flatter any microphone or instrument with its signature sound. Thanks to its convenient form factor, the SOLO/610 can be conveniently used in the control room or the recording room, on stage, or on a desktop. Functionally lean but sonically mean, the SOLO/610 maintains the character of the 610 console (from Universal Audio)
The first one is one of the two mikes. Well it still is an SM57, but it is now one of the older, original ones, and yes, it is (unfortunately/fortunately) different. This is called an SM57 “Unidyne III”, and we had briefly mentioned it on the comments previously. It is a 1970s one, likely similar or identical to the ones used on “Highway To Hell”. It differs from the current production – made in Mexico – and it was made in The US of A. Sound-wise, it sounds way less “harsh” than contemporary ones. They are all different from mike to mike, that has to be mentioned too, but this one is definitely smooth. Part maybe is its age, partly the slightly different production. Who knows? Fact is, that the Unidynes are known to be better SM57s and it is also what was available back then. I have to tell you that as soon as I plugged it in, I heard the difference immediately. The SM57 “Unidyne III” went into the Universal Audio 710 (it’s one of my two relatively new microphone pre-amps); the Sennheiser MD421 went into the second other element that I consider a novelty in my signal path, that being, another Universal Audio preamplifier, this time the Solo 610. Even in this case, I heard a major difference.
An Original Early 1970s Shure SM57 “Unidyne III”.
Indeed I may now have slightly refined ears compared to what they were in the past to spot audio differences (or what remains of my audio hearing capabilities), however I would describe the presence of a pre-amp in the signal path as adding clarity, “presence” indeed, bringing out the full capabilities and character of a given microphone. Which is a good thing naturally, as it becomes finally easier for me to dial sounds in, as I think slightly occurred to the sounds of this video compared to the previous three ones. I am basically saying that it would seem to me that there is a slight level of increased accuracy in matching my sound to the album sounds. Both rhythm and solos, naturally.
I used the Rock N’ Roll Relics “Angus Model” for the rhythm, with David Allen’s T-Top prototype I (a hot t-top basically, ranging in the 8.6 kohm area, definitely hot for a t-top!). Guitar volume was at 10 and tone was at 5, as the previous attempts. Just like I mentioned previously in fact, I think Angus and Mal were using the guitars for rhythm at 10 likely – with the exception of some instances – as at 10 the guitar is fully open and no tone is sacrificed. This allows for lower levels of the amp(s) volumes and loudness, which contributes to the capability of capturing great sounds in the studio and so on and forth. In the past, I had never done this. I was giving for granted that in the studio, they’d do as they did live – 10 for solos, 7-8 for rhythm. I don’t think at all this anymore, and the slightly increased accuracy of my sounds of recent could be the validation of this thinking. But we’ll see and research further. Always many of these are all only assumptions of mine (some luckier than others).
Things That Matter.
Please Check back later, post in development!
