Embarrassingly stupid question but here we go:
What the hell is the size hex-or-torx-or-something bit I need to open up this rack gear? It's bigger than 3/16 and smaller than 7/32. I don't currently have a bit that fits it.

Bubber wrote: Tue Nov 30, 2021 12:42 pm Embarrassingly stupid question but here we go:
What the hell is the size hex-or-torx-or-something bit I need to open up this rack gear? It's bigger than 3/16 and smaller than 7/32. I don't currently have a bit that fits it.

6 or 7mm?

brephophagist wrote: Tue Nov 30, 2021 1:23 pm

Bubber wrote: Tue Nov 30, 2021 12:42 pm Embarrassingly stupid question but here we go:
What the hell is the size hex-or-torx-or-something bit I need to open up this rack gear? It's bigger than 3/16 and smaller than 7/32. I don't currently have a bit that fits it.

6 or 7mm?

Torx is a pain. MIght need to go to harbor freight and get one of those inexpensive driver kits that has all of them.

Measuring a pickup output: my baritone has one pickup which was salvaged from an old Guyatone. I would like to add a second pickup. I do not know what the output of the Guyatone is so I’m not sure what to look for. Is there any way to figure this out without disassembling this thing to use a multimeter?

Does it just have one pickup? If so, plug a cable into the guitar, put the leads of your meter on the sleeve and tip of the plug at other end of the cable, that will tell you (close enough) what the resistance of the pickup is. Make sure your volume and tone controls are all the way up when taking the reading. If you have multiple pickups but you've got a selector switch, select the one you want to measure and follow the same procedure. I've been told you get a more accurate reading with the pickup disconnected and out of the circuit, but this has always gotten me close enough.

Anyone familiar with Iron Age Audioworks? I came across their Quad Microphone Preamp and four channels for $1250 seems pretty unreal (in my not-so-knowledgable opinion), considering it's a small company. They don't include any VU meters, which I'm sure saves some on the cost.

https://www.ironageaudioworks.com/qpp

+1 on this.
I bought a set and it never leaves my bench.
I don't let fools use it, and so far I haven't lost a single one!

Garth wrote: Tue Nov 30, 2021 3:21 pm

brephophagist wrote: Tue Nov 30, 2021 1:23 pm

Bubber wrote: Tue Nov 30, 2021 12:42 pm Embarrassingly stupid question but here we go:
What the hell is the size hex-or-torx-or-something bit I need to open up this rack gear? It's bigger than 3/16 and smaller than 7/32. I don't currently have a bit that fits it.

6 or 7mm?

Torx is a pain. MIght need to go to harbor freight and get one of those inexpensive driver kits that has all of them.

No idea how it sounds, but the design is very simple and straightforward…transformer input, variable opamp gain stage feeding a passive attenuator (trim) into a fixed opamp gain stage, transformer-balanced output. Jensen and Cinemag transformers, so no corners cut there. Not much info provided that I saw about the power supply.

Adam P wrote: Wed Dec 01, 2021 9:11 am No idea how it sounds, but the design is very simple and straightforward…transformer input, variable opamp gain stage feeding a passive attenuator (trim) into a fixed opamp gain stage, transformer-balanced output. Jensen and Cinemag transformers, so no corners cut there. Not much info provided that I saw about the power supply.

Yeah. I was just surprised at the price considering some of the other 4 channel options (API or John Hardy) are around $3k. Though they're not a 1:1 comparison since it doesn't have all the same options, but yeah. The only other 4 channel pre I know of that's around that price is from Warm Audio.

It's neat that the op-amps are socketed so you can swap them out if desired.

chrisyoumans wrote: Wed Dec 01, 2021 9:22 am

Adam P wrote: Wed Dec 01, 2021 9:11 am No idea how it sounds, but the design is very simple and straightforward…transformer input, variable opamp gain stage feeding a passive attenuator (trim) into a fixed opamp gain stage, transformer-balanced output. Jensen and Cinemag transformers, so no corners cut there. Not much info provided that I saw about the power supply.

Yeah. I was just surprised at the price considering some of the other 4 channel options (API or John Hardy) are around $3k. Though they're not a 1:1 comparison since it doesn't have all the same options, but yeah. The only other 4 channel pre I know of that's around that price is from Warm Audio.

It's neat that the op-amps are socketed so you can swap them out if desired.

I think around here most folks (myself included) would suggest the Sytek 4-channel mic pre. They're no longer in production and unfortunately seem to have gone up in price as a result but even still $300 less (if you don't mind used) and also a small company that did not cut corners.

For $50 less new, Black Lion makes the B12A Quad 4-channel preamp based on the API 312A. Made w/ Cinemag x-formers and also designed + assembled in the USA. They're maybe not as small a company as your example anymore but this is one I've considered for a minute if I ever end up w/ a new interface. Or their even more affordable Auteur quad which is only $800 new.