Pushing forward with modifying the console, I tinkered with some input channels next. The Dynamix 3000 by design has a warm, ‘vintage’ sound, imparted mainly through the input transformers and less-than-modern opamps. This is something that we cherish at Kilo – it has so much more character and depth than modern comparable products. However, I was curious to see how an input channel reacted sans the transformer.

The process was painfully easy. I just desoldered the transformer, took it off (with a little coaxing from a flathead screwdriver – there was some old glue), made little jumper wires, soldered those into place, and I was done. I wish there was more of a process to write about, but it really was stupidly simple. So simple, that I decided to do an opamp swap to kill some time. A Burr Brown OPA134 took the place of the classic 5534 opamp. This was done in a flash. I was pouring excitement, ready to hear a world of difference. The comparison test was a very technical one…

…which consisted of an SM57 on a snare, through the same channel, before and after the removal of the transformer and opamp switch. I recorded some snare hits and patterns into ProTools with both configurations. I was literally blown away. Not at how different they were, but by how similar they were. Sure, there were absolutely some differences, but on a single track of snare drum through an SM57, it sounded just like an SM57. Then it hit me. It sounded just like an SM57. I know, I know, you can’t REALLY say something sounds like a specific microphone because of all the variables, but stick with me.

I tried out several other microphones. The results were similar: more characteristics of the microphone were shining through. That meant that the channel was far more transparent. Excited, I modded three more channels in about as many minutes (I told you, it was an easy mod). Now the Dynamix has 4 channels of transparent preamps as well as 12 channels of warm goodness.

Hurray!

-Mitchell