AMS Neve Console Buyer's Guide

AMS Neve upholds the legacies of two recording industry icons; the late Rupert Neve, who founded Neve Electronics in 1961, and Mark Crabtree, who established Advanced Music Systems in 1976. These two monolithic companies joined forces in 1990 to form AMS Neve, combining AMS’s digital expertise with Neve’s time-tested analog designs to create industry-leading consoles with unmatched performance.

However, with so many great models to choose from, it can be tough to tell which desk is right for your studio. In this buyer’s guide, we’ll break down the differences between each AMS Neve console to help you find the right one, including the 8424, BCM10/2 Mk2, Genesys, Genesys Black and 88RS consoles.

8424

The 8424 console is tailor-made for hybrid studios, featuring seamless synergy with popular DAWs and plenty of connectivity for your favorite outboard gear. Under the hood, the 8424 is equipped with Neve’s famous Marinair transformers, originally designed for Neve’s early 80-series consoles. Combined with the 8424’s unique mix bus, which uses voltage mixing topology, the 8424 console delivers the classic Neve sound with a broad frequency response, transparent dynamics and immersive stereo imaging.

The center section features two 1073 preamps and two Class-A DI’s for direct recording, as well as two VPR alliance-specification 500 series slots, built-in master bus EQ and a unique stereo width feature which provides huge benefits when mixing or mastering.   The console has a total of 76 line inputs, 52 of which can be mixed simultaneously, meaning you’ll never run out of I/O for larger mix sessions. Plus, the 8424 offers an array of creative tools to help you get the job done, including 24 dual-input channel strips for simultaneously connecting DAW returns and recording inputs, with 24 direct outputs for tracking channels back into the DAW, 24 inserts for outboard signal processing and four dedicated sends for aux effects and cue mixes. Expand your recording capabilities even further with the 1073OPX, an optional expansion that adds up to 24 1073-style preamps to your console.

Best of all, the 8424 combines your favorite large format features with versatile digital control technology, giving you full tactile control over your session. Expansive monitoring options—including three loudspeaker outputs, dual headphone outputs and extensive metering—make it easy to integrate into any setup. The onboard recall system with external app control, smart routing and motorized faders offer seamless multi-DAW control, streamlining your workflow and saving you time.

BCM10/2 Mk2

Available in a variety of configurations to suit any studio setup, the BCM10/2 MkII is the ultimate solution for those seeking the classic Neve sound in a compact, customizable package. Available with 10,16, 24, 32 or 48 channels, configurable with either the modern 1073N,  hand-built 1073 Classic, or 1084 modules the BCM10/2 MkII has enough analog processing power to capture a full live band. Combined with Neve’s legendary Class-A topology and Marinair Transformers, the BCM10/2 MkII console adds the perfect amount of analog grit and color to any recording.

As an evolution of the classic BCM10 console designed in 1961, the modern BCM10/2 MkII introduces a number of versatile new features for modern producers. The new 1952 channel routing module handles channel bussing and routing, plus updated switching options allow you to tailor your console to your workflow. Each channel features a switchable balanced insert for connecting your favorite outboard processors, as well as direct outputs for tracking and stem mixing.

When it comes to the mix bus, the BCM10/2 MkII console features two stereo mix bus inserts with wet/dry controls for parallel processing, as well as two 500 series slots for creating custom mix bus signal chains. Dual DI inputs with cue send, AFL and solo isolation make it easy to incorporate signals from external sources into your mix. Plus, with advanced monitor controls, support for 5.1 monitoring and three loudspeaker outputs, the BCM10/2 MkII can tackle any project, large or small.

Genesys 

The Genesys console combines Neve’s legendary analog sound with next-generation digital control. Available in 16, 24, 32, 40, 48, 56 or 64 channel configurations, each dual-input, in-line analog channel strip features digitally-controlled 1073 preamps with Neve’s exclusive Marinair transformers. Channel processing is completely user-customizable via Neve’s powerful digitally controlled analog technology, including 88R-Style 4-band EQ, 1084 inductor-based 3-band EQ, a VCA dynamics card evolved from the 88RS console channel dynamics and MADI AD/DA converter cards.

The Genesys console’s unique hybrid workflow seamlessly interfaces with your most popular DAWs. The optional onboard AD/DA cards handle all conversion internally and connect via multi-mode MADI optical, allowing you to connect to a laptop or PC using a single USB cable. The Genesys comes with Neve’s proprietary Encore Plus automation system, enabling smooth, flying fader style automation for final mix touch-ups, and with digitally-controlled analog hardware and multi-layer control, you can quickly recall even the most complex mix sessions. Perhaps best of all, you can dial in your mix using the tactile response of physical faders, buttons and knobs, tweak your analog signal processors and completely automate the console's analog channel strips right from your desktop using AMS Neve’s intuitive Genesys Control plug-in.

Equipped with AMS Neve’s advanced monitoring system, derived from the 88R console, Genesys offers impressive bandwidth and unmatched headroom. Add in hyper-accurate PPM/VU scale 48-segment LED meters, as well as support for stereo, surround and stem mixing, and it’s no wonder why the Genesys console is used by top engineers and sound designers all over the world.

Genesys Black

Genesys Black reimagines the original Genesys design for modern studios. While the original Genesys offers a classic console layout, Genesys Black offers integrated DAW control, making it a complete audio workstation and DAW controller. In addition to many of the great features the original Genesys console has to offer, Genesys Black introduces several new updates. 

The central multitouch screen becomes a host for your DAW session providing accurate, hands-on control with customizable touch response. A bank of 16 dedicated DAW faders—complete with mutes, cuts, solos and automation controls—gives you complete control over your sessions and for larger sessions, the analog console faders can be flipped into DAW mode for more advanced hybrid workflows.

Designed for modern producers and engineers, Genesys Black offers expanded transport controls with marker keys and a scrub wheel for quickly navigating through your session. The custom keyboard armrest features integrated USB ports, making it easy to connect your favorite MIDI keyboard, external hard drive or other creative tools.

Available in 8, 16, 24, 32, 40, and 48 channel configurations with optional upgrades for 1084 Classic EQ modules, Neve VCA Dynamics modules, AD/DA conversion and more, Genesys Black is the ultimate hybrid workstation.

88RS 

The 88RS is AMS Neve’s flagship analog console, combining the legendary Neve sound with versatile routing and monitoring options, the Neve 88RS represents the ultimate evolution of a long lineage of large format Neve consoles 

It all starts at the top of the signal chain with AMS Neve’s next-generation input modules, one of which features a dual-line input (with remote preamp capability) and the second features a Marinair transformer-balanced preamp with plenty of classic Neve punch. Each channel strip comes equipped with variable input filters, as well as legendary 88RS 4-band parametric EQs with overlapping frequency ranges and automatic proportional Q. The two mid-bands have variable controls for Q, gain and frequency, while the high and low-frequency bands feature variable gain and frequency controls with switchable Q and switchable peak or shelf curve.

Each channel also features a powerful VCA compressor/limiter with rotary controls for release, threshold, ratio and up to 30dB of make-up gain. Fine-tune your dynamics with advanced controls for sidechain EQ, stereo linking and a musical-sounding auto-release setting. The dynamics section also includes a versatile gate/expander with rotary controls for range, threshold, release time and a switchable attack time. The unique “hysteresis” control allows you to set separate thresholds for rising or falling signal levels to prevent unwanted artifacts or clamping effects.

The 88RS offers flexible routing options to suit even the most demanding sessions, with eight aux sends, 48 multitrack busses and two fully-automatable motorized P&G faders per channel strip. Perfect for high-end recording studios and professional post-production houses, the 88RS offers stereo and surround sound mixing with built-in support for 5.1 surround and optional support for 7.1 formats. Plus, unlike similar large format analog consoles, the 88RS offers true LCR panning in addition to traditional stereo.

Interested in learning more about the new Neve 8424 recording and mixing console? Please contact a Vintage King Audio Consultant via email or by phone at 866.644.0160.