Quad Eight Coronado 80 Channel Console (Vintage)

GENERAL INFO

Brand: Quad Eight
Model: Coronado
Year of Manufacture: 1979
Pedigree/History: This console was built in 1979 and originally sold to Counterpoint Studios from Quad Eight. One of only 15 made, the non-auto mute version. Purchased by the current (second) owner in 1985. It’s been used in a personal home studios since that time. A major overhaul of the console was done in the summer of 1990. All modules were completely stripped, dipped, repaired, upgraded and modified at that time. The power supplies were also upgraded then. There have not been any failures since.

In the summer of 1982, Carl Johnson co-founded Ground Control Studios in Santa Monica, CA. The studio site was originally started by Allen Sides and Henry Sanicola and built in a US Post Office at 16th and Montana. It was sub-leased from them as Allen had acquired what is now known as Ocean Way Studios on Sunset Blvd in Hollywood. In 1985, Carl purchased this Quad Eight Coronado Console for use in his home studio in Ventura. Almost immediately, rebuilding and upgrading of the console began. Deane Jensen was contacted and his advice in the renovation and upgrading of the console was invaluable.

Along with starting his own original composition bands, Carl worked on projects with Fred Myrow, Reggie Bannister, Don Coscarelli, Ralph Affoumado, Richard Greene and soul singer Alex Patton. In 1995 he started the company CRS-IND, and in 2010, Carl designed the Ventura, a Discrete Mic Preamp, 3 Band Parametric EQ and Discrete Instrument Input Amplifier for A-Designs. A lot of empirical information was gained from working on this Quad Eight Coronado Console and went into the design of the Ventura and other CRS-IND products.

CONSOLE TECHNICAL DETAILS

Dimensions: 105" x 42"x 38"
Cosmetic Condition Rating: 8
List of Cosmetic Flaws: Paint chips and scratches
Working Order Rating: 10
List of Major Working Faults: None
Does Console Have Direct Outs: Yes
Direct Outs Transformer Balanced: Yes
How Many Lines In at Mix: 80
When Was It Last Serviced: May 2012
List of Any Spare Parts: Master IO module, power supplies, extender card, misc parts, etc.......


CONSOLE FEATURES

• 40 Discrete Custom Microphone Pre-amplifiers
• 40 Three Band Parametric Equalizers with High/Low Pass Filters
• 6 Sub-Group VCA Controlled Mixing Faders
• 40 P&G Faders with Custom DBX 202 VCAs
• 2 Separate Stereo Mix Busses
• 2 Cue Sends (2 Mono or 1 Stereo Headphone Mix) also used as Effect sends in Mix Mode.
• 4 Effects Sends
• 4 Effects Send/Return Master Modules (8 Total, 4 Delay and 4 Reverb Returns with Feedback Feature)
• 24 Master I/O Modules with 24 Sub-Mix Matrix Sends and Monitor Returns
• 12 main I/O Modules with Monitor Returns
• 36 Direct transformer balanced module outputs.
• 1 Custom Quad Master Mix Module with 2 Main Stereo Mix Buss Faders and 1 Quad Master Fader and Speaker Select Switch
• 1 Control Room Module with Monitor Program and Speaker Select Switch.
• 1 Studio Module with monitor Program and Speaker Select Switch.
• 1 Communication Module with Talkback, Oscillator, Slate and more.
• Phantom power

Modifications and Some Special Features;

• All Dialight Module on/off switches have replaced with EAO switches.
• All AM-10 opamps have been replaced with specially designed C12X discrete opamps on gold Cambian sockets. A two sided solder masked board built with metal film 1% resistors and a matched differential input transistors. Not one has failed in twenty two years of service.
• All ICs; TL071, TL072 and 4558 have been replaced with NE5534 and NE5532 opamps.
• All ceramic capacitors have been replaced with COG or Polystyrene capacitors.
• All electrolytics have been replaced and increased in value and some BP in critical audio paths.
• All DBX 202 VCAs have been tweaked with temperature stable Polystyrene caps and gold Cambian pins/sockets added.
• All VCA Distortion trim pots are now panel mounted with Bourns 22 turn trim pot. This allows for the console to reach operating temperature before trimming them in the console, resulting in the best distortion specs possible.
• Compumix Automation has been completely removed. The card cage, bypass board and ribbon cables are gone and jumpered on each module resulting in quiet, smooth and stable VCA operation.
• All relays have been replaced with Potter and Brumfield N2 sealed relays and are socketed with gold 8 pin dip for easy replacement. None have failed in twenty two years.
• All equalizers have had a Q switch modification added on each band with a three position mini toggle switch featuring a Sharp, Wide and Narrow Q.
• All equalizers have had the polycarbonate capacitors replaced with Polypropylene or Polystyrene.
• The Solder Blocks have been replaced with ELCO 96 pin gold connectors on headers in rear of the console.
• All Output transformers have been replaced with Jensen 123DL Nickel transformers.
• There is a mixture of stock Quad Eight input transformers and Jensen input transformers where noted.
• The stock Power Supplies have been replaced with Power One Linear supplies. Three +28VDC 10A, two
• +/-15VDC 6A and a +48VDC 5A phantom. All housed in a custom roll rack.
• Custom Designed Buss Assign Cards. In mix mode the monitor section can be assigned (dumped) to either the front buss (A) via that channel or the rear stereo buss (B).
• Custom Quad Module with two separate Stereo busses each with its own separate P&G fader and mute switch.
• Either buss may then be assigned to the Master Quad fader via the dump switch. Made with all-discrete Jensen 990 opamps, 1% metal film resistors and large value BP electrolytic capacitors.
• Custom Pleather Arm Rest.

ACCESSORIES

Brand & Type of Patchbay: Switchcraft, Quad Eight (TT)
Qty of Patchbay(s): 15 rows of 36 points
Location of Patchbay: Right
Brand & Length of Cabling: Belden and Mogami


CONSOLE DOCUMENTATION

Original Manual: Yes
Is Manual Complete: Yes
Includes Tech Report: Yes
Modifications Documented: Yes

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