Overall View,Abbey Road Studio3, January 1975AFTER THE TG CONSOLE
The early Seventies was a time of rapid
evolution in the recording business, and tracks rapidly
increased from 8 to 16 and then to 24 in a very short time. The
TG12345 console grew to 16 track
but around this time EMI decided they no longer wished to be in
the recording console business and
further development of the TG console was halted.
As a result the decision was made, for the first time, to purchase
a console from
an outside manufacturer for use at Abbey Road.
After lengthy consultation the decision
was made to purchase a Neve console, with a number of
EMI modifications incorporated. These mods included an EMI designed
Phase meter and low-level
meters, and the incorporation of input meters on every channel,
as a "signal present" indication.
The console format was 36 input 24 track,
with the monitor section in a separate wing on the left
making the overall configuration L-Shaped. The desk also featured
the original "Necam" moving-
fader automation system. The tape machines were Abbey Road's trusty
Studer A80's, often in a
24 tk + 16 tk arrangement, syncronisation being Studer's own TLS2000
system. The monitor section
could handle an additional 24 inputs on mixdown (although these
were non-automated).
Main View of desk
Close-up of Mic Channels
Monitor Section
Centre Section