I've been put in charge of revamping the audio at my non-profit theater. Over the years I have acquired more sound desks than I know what to do with. My inventory consists of:
a Mackie 1402 VLZ (it is my workhorse, won't part with it)
a Mackie SR24+4 (nice console, but it could go)
an A&H GL2200 (really sweet board)
a Soundcraft s200 16/4
I have successfully acquired amps, EQs, snakes, wireless body mics, etc so that we can do live theater in the space and actually mic actors. The problem is, with 20 people on stage it requires lightning fast muting for whoever runs the board. Time for a digital console.
My goal is to liquidate all of the above (except the 1402) and use that money to buy something like an X32.
Only problem.... I can't find an appropriate value for the Soundcraft. I called around to some audio folks and they mostly said it's worthless. I tried getting a local high school or community theater to trade me something for it, and one of the local schools mentioned that they just threw their Soundcraft s200 in the dumpster. Then I get on ebay and see some of them going for anywhere from $50 up to $2000.
P.S.... I promise I'm not trying to sell it here. Shipping would suck anyway. Just looking for advice.
a Mackie 1402 VLZ (it is my workhorse, won't part with it)
a Mackie SR24+4 (nice console, but it could go)
an A&H GL2200 (really sweet board)
a Soundcraft s200 16/4
I have successfully acquired amps, EQs, snakes, wireless body mics, etc so that we can do live theater in the space and actually mic actors. The problem is, with 20 people on stage it requires lightning fast muting for whoever runs the board. Time for a digital console.
My goal is to liquidate all of the above (except the 1402) and use that money to buy something like an X32.
Only problem.... I can't find an appropriate value for the Soundcraft. I called around to some audio folks and they mostly said it's worthless. I tried getting a local high school or community theater to trade me something for it, and one of the local schools mentioned that they just threw their Soundcraft s200 in the dumpster. Then I get on ebay and see some of them going for anywhere from $50 up to $2000.
P.S.... I promise I'm not trying to sell it here. Shipping would suck anyway. Just looking for advice.
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Doubtful, they may be listed for that much but nobody is going to pay $2k for one of these now
None of those analog boards will bring anything close to what was their perceived value before Digital took over, so take whatever you can get for them which is to say if you get somebody actually showing up and offereing cash of any amount for one of these take it and move on. That GL is the most desirable of those you have but it's not likely you will get more than a few hundred bucks for it, so where does that leave the Soundcraft?
Haaa…. good catch. I'll have to check. This console was in use up until about a year ago when I got the GL and it wasn't missing then. I basically opened the case the other day, snapped a pic, and didn't notice.
It worked 100% when I took it out of service last year and crated it. For a long time it was my only desk. I would likely tear it apart and clean it before selling, but there were no scratchy pots or faders.
Actually, last year when I checked, there were a few completed ebay auctions in the $1500 range. I guess someone wanted that "warm Abbey Road" sound. Whatever. I'd love to find a sucker like that.
Amek and Neve are recording consoles and the A&H Mod3 was targeted to multitrack recording for live sound the GL 2200 is more at home with it ability to become a monitor mixer if needed.
it's good that old consoles aren't valued much keeps the price down.
just use the word "vintage" in any ad listing
it's good that old consoles aren't valued much keeps the price down.
just use the word "vintage" in any ad listing
The soundcraft is worth roughly around $100 maybe less depending on how good the controls track and its general operation. The pictures show it wasn't probably ever covered up to keep dust and dirt out of the controls. In their day they were so so. In todays world they simply aren't worth much. They sound bad and are noisy compared to whats out there today.
same as old DAT tape decks, cassette multitrack WS's etc, R2R tape is about the only thing that has gone up in price in recent years. Also hate the "RARE! Vintage!! on some ad's; vintage is the new antique.
Problem with a lot of old mixing desks is all the pots in them, most of which will be worn out or on the way out and would cost more than the desk is worth to replace.
Andy.
You can only go so far with it. It suffers from very cheap Opamps. So if you take the time to replace the Opamps then you might as well change the cheap caps in the signal path. See where I am going with this? Something simple just got more complex and the end result is going to be money spent on a piece that's simply not worth the time. It might be a good piece for someone's garage band but that's about it. Any money put in it would do about as much good as flushing it down the stool.
your thinking of newer consoles like the Spirit and Folio series (those are post Harman acquiring Soundcraft) and yeah the components used where crap. sorry if i'm fond of this older model but i never suggested a full refurb, that would indeed be senseless, the value i suggested was based on the operational condition (and curtis73 confirms it was in good condition)
would i take a console with a four band fixed EQ over a three 3 band fixed EQ(like the 1402)...you bet
i took some time looking over the 2404 Vlz because a long term client asked me to assess it for him because he was contemplating it's purchase. it at least has a mid sweep but it's still three band.
examination of internal construction revealed JRC surface mount op amps through out (are those good opamps?)
so crap all over the poor little S200 if you want i don't buy in to the whole "it's better cause it's newer philosophy."
oh and one thing comes to mind, it takes a hot air rework station and more sophisticated tools to repair some of the newer Mackie and Behringer stuff but i could easily service the Soundcraft in the back of truck with a standard soldering iron and a trip to local electronics supplier no matter what town i'm in mid tour!
i guess that was a little harsh...sorry.
would i take a console with a four band fixed EQ over a three 3 band fixed EQ(like the 1402)...you bet
i took some time looking over the 2404 Vlz because a long term client asked me to assess it for him because he was contemplating it's purchase. it at least has a mid sweep but it's still three band.
examination of internal construction revealed JRC surface mount op amps through out (are those good opamps?)
so crap all over the poor little S200 if you want i don't buy in to the whole "it's better cause it's newer philosophy."
oh and one thing comes to mind, it takes a hot air rework station and more sophisticated tools to repair some of the newer Mackie and Behringer stuff but i could easily service the Soundcraft in the back of truck with a standard soldering iron and a trip to local electronics supplier no matter what town i'm in mid tour!
i guess that was a little harsh...sorry.
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