Archive of the former Yahoo!Groups mailing list: Mellotronists

 

chris.dale@... wrote:

Ahyes, a nitpickers chance comes again!!!! Let's have some fun!!It's a good question since Mike Pinderdiscusses the improvements of the MK V which were already present in M400s.He states in Frank's book:  ....."(Streetly)cottoned onto the transistor amplifier cards that I'd procured. They werenew at the time. These cards were only 2" by 1", and 19 volt DC power supply,very clean, and were really good transistors. The EQ card followed theNAB curve very, very well. They sound just as good as the tubes do,withoutthe microphonic effect." Aren'tthose our typical pre-amp cards under the M400 control panel?! Ian McDonald says this: "...But I justdon't think they (the 400's) sounded the same. The transistorization thinnedout the sound and I just never cared for them particularly". Maybe the difference is using two keyboards.Obviously there is much more sound colour available when playing 2 keyboardsas opposed to just one. Regardless,we really can't judge one model (the 400)  as inferior unless you'veplayed each and every one of them to discern an inferior quality, and that'snever going to happen at this point. Soundquality now depends more on the condition of the tapes/tape heads in eachindividual machine, especially after so many years. Playability/ease ofuse is also an influence. Historically another factor in sound (on albums)is the way the machine was recorded in studio (effects, amplification etc.).Opinions are also formed by what modelone's first mellotron or chamberlin encounter was and how positive/negativethe experience. It's condition/sound influences how other machines compare.Tony Banks/Rick Wakemanhated MK II's and preferred the 400's but Mike Pinder/Ian McDonald preferredthe inverse. And Justin Hayward preferred the Chamberlin to the Mellotronduring the recording of Seventh Sojourn. Wecan easily generalize about sound and quality of one model but when youthink of all the variables today - overall physical condition, customization,age of original electronics, replacement electronics and parts, mechanicalvs electronic switches, different tape masters, wear of tapes, tape headalignment, tubes, transistors, digital vs analog recording of tapes, temperature,reliability etc. it now all comes down to a matter of the individual instrumentin question.  ChrisDale

I think Chris makes some very valid points, but there is one thing thatseparates the MkIIs (and I's) from their younger siblings: the feel ofthe keyboard. Not having the pressure pads mounted on each key makes aHUGE difference in the touch of the instrument. I don't know how to describeit except by using the word "elegant". Chamberlins may sound wonderful,but (to my mind) their biggest drawback is the keyboard. Its feel remindsme of those little toy pianos. Sad that Harry didn't take the time to getthat right.

Rick