SE-DOT

discrete opamps

$64.00 + tax

CA

SE Dot

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$64.00 + tax

What's in the Box

Description

RED and BLUE Discrete Opamps
direct replacements for MCI 400 series consoles’ 2001 and 2003 opamps

(RED <pure class A> and BLUE <class AB> SE-DOT™ discrete opamps)

It’s true ~ sage ELECTRONICS® has developed a discrete component, plug-in replacement for the MCI 2001 IC opamp as used throughout MCI 400 series consoles.

We would like to preface the following basic info about these opamps by telling you how much we love MCI 400 series consoles.

What we’ve always cherished about our beloved JH-416 is its sound of big iron and its elegant simplicity.

These qualities remain unchanged with the installation of our SE DOT5™ discrete opamps.

What HAS changed … is everything else.

Although there is little doubt that the slow grittiness of MCI 2001 and 2003 opamps have a certain charm for rock and roll I have long felt that these ICs limit the sonic possibilities of these consoles and so I designed two different discrete opamps to bring out the full potential of these great boards. One (the RED opamp) running pure class A – and the other (the BLUE opamp) running class AB.

Upgrading with these RED and / or BLUE SE-DOT5s moves the sound of these consoles directly into the company of desks such as api, Spectra Sonics, Sphere and Quad-Eight.

Although not necessary – every MCI 2001 or 2003 opamp in any stock 400 series console can be replaced with the RED (running pure class A) or the BLUE (running class B) SE-DOT5 opamp specifically as below.

A good initial replacement strategy might include a total of 20 SEDOT5s (10 RED and 10 BLUE) to allow replacement of all 2001s in

  • two channel strips (total of 8 RED 6 BLUE)
  • the master section (front left and right only ~ for stereo mixers) (total of 2 RED 2 BLUE) – and
  • the left and right front output amps in the control room monitor strip (2 BLUE)

note: if you always monitor directly off the quad buses (ie: you don’t use the control room monitor volume knob) then you can forego upgrading the control monitor output amps – however if you do use this section it’s essential that you replace the 2001s here in order to appreciate the sonic upgrades earlier in the signal path)

This strategy will provide you with two excellent mic pres, two very useful eqs and an upgraded master section which will improve the sonics of all channels in your board ~ whether upgraded or not.

 

Specifications

Miscellaneous

SE-DOT5 RED and BLUE opamps are painless to install. They run on the same /- 24 Volts as the 2001s (and 2003s) and feature gold pins to match the premium gold contact octal sockets on the console circuit boards.

You don't have to add messy, instability-prone long legged DIP sockets, nor do you have to lower your PSU supply voltage as some other upgrade approaches demand.

I know many MCI 400 series owners will be intrigued by the sonic possibilities of these new discrete opamps - while some may worry about losing the mojo of the stock MCI 2001 signal path.

Luckily we can all have our cake and eat it too ... because now after 35 years these quad buss consoles once again offer intriguing new possibilities. On our 416B, we have upgraded 16 channel strips plus front left and right master busses. We've left 8 channels with stock MCI 2001s in place as well as the rear left and right rear busses. Those handy little Front / Back knobs (assuming they're not rusted in place due to disuse) now give us choice to mix and match old and new circuit topologies to our heart's content.

Audio Samples

This 8 channel multitrack drum session features our MCI JH416 B console’s mic pres ~ modded with our RED SE-DOT opamps.

It’s approximately 2 minutes in length.

Download the zip file and drag the equal length .wav files into your ditital workstation to hear how fat MCI JH416 mic pres can sound when their original stock 2001 IC opamps are replaced with our RED (discrete class A) SE-DOT direct replacement opamps.

No EQ, no compression, un-normalized, un-edited.

Recorded direct to digital (RME Fireface 800) February 2010

1960s Gretsch Drums.

SE Dot
Joel Hamilton
Studio G

Great people, great gear, great attitudes

Post subject: MCI owners take note!!! This is awesome…. http://www.sageelectronics.com/product/se-dot5-discrete-opamps/ One of my favorite companies on the planet just put up a ...
SE Dot
Adam Granofsky
War on Drugs Los Angeles, CA

Come highly recommended

You come so highly recommended from MCI owners across the country! 🙂
blue-red-dot-300
Richard Robinson
Richmix Pro Audio

Still Going Strong!

‘Thanks Phil! Still going strong here on MCIs. have worked on 4 in this area. Keep me posted on your gear. I have ...
blue-red-dot-300
Panagiotis Kolokotronis
133 Studio

Amazing!

Amazing guys!!!I got my MCI’s 2001 upgraded with their opamps (2 channels, cues, echos and master section)and it was just a huge ...
blue-red-dot-300
D. James Goodwin
The Isokon

Bova opamps helped immensely

‘I’ve loved this console for a long time, and have done work when needed.Added some Bova opamps to the master and monitor ...
blue-red-dot-300
Peetr Nickle

No more blurry RCA opamps

‘And the Red Dots work great in the stripped down UREI LA4 … It sounds a lot like a faster LA3 with ...
SE Dot
Joel Hamilton
Studio G

Great people, great gear, great attitudes

Post subject: MCI owners take note!!! This is awesome…. http://www.sageelectronics.com/product/se-dot5-discrete-opamps/ One of my favorite companies on the planet just put up a ...
SE Dot
Adam Granofsky
War on Drugs Los Angeles, CA

Come highly recommended

You come so highly recommended from MCI owners across the country! 🙂
blue-red-dot-300
Richard Robinson
Richmix Pro Audio

Still Going Strong!

‘Thanks Phil! Still going strong here on MCIs. have worked on 4 in this area. Keep me posted on your gear. I have ...
blue-red-dot-300
Panagiotis Kolokotronis
133 Studio

Amazing!

Amazing guys!!!I got my MCI’s 2001 upgraded with their opamps (2 channels, cues, echos and master section)and it was just a huge ...
blue-red-dot-300
D. James Goodwin
The Isokon

Bova opamps helped immensely

‘I’ve loved this console for a long time, and have done work when needed.Added some Bova opamps to the master and monitor ...
blue-red-dot-300
Peetr Nickle

No more blurry RCA opamps

‘And the Red Dots work great in the stripped down UREI LA4 … It sounds a lot like a faster LA3 with ...
SE Dot
Depth, clarity, punch, quieter – just better
Timothy Holder
Nashville, TN
I installed the SE-DOT5s straight away and I couldn’t be happier !! An amazing improvement … depth, clarity, punch, quieter – just...
SE Dot
The Bova’s have more clarity, faster, snappier, very good dimension
Steven Antoniazzi
Riot Recording, Frankfort IL
Just wanted to thank you and Janet for getting my order out fast. I already notice a good difference on my cues/echos...
SE Dot
I’m surprised it got so clean
Håkan ‘Hawk’ Wirenstrand
Studio Krypin
I’ve installed all the dots and done a little mix on the “new” mixer, and must say I’m impressed on how the...
SE Dot
The SE-DOT5 upgrade is amazing
Timothy Holder
Nashville, TN
The sound of the discrete module was amazing. Full punchy bottom, soft mids with an amazing silky smooth yet open top end....
SE Dot
It sounds faster and clearer
Steven Antoniazzi
Riot Recording, Frankfort IL
I did my master section and control room monitoring with the Discrete Sage opamps and the difference is noticeable. It sounds faster...
SE Dot
Faster transient response
Håkan ‘Hawk’ Wirenstrand
Studio Krypin, Sweden
With the “dots” in the sound seems more natural. Faster transient response.As always thankful for your support!See you!
SE Dot
Dare I say like a blanket was taken off?
Jason Soda
Palomino Sound, Los Angeles, CA
I was lucky enough to acquire a handful of Bova opamps.  My console was modded thoroughly with 5534’s and recapped.  This was done...
SE Dot
Tracking, mixing and monitoring now makes far more sense than before
Panagiotis Kolokotron
133 Studio, Athens Greece
After extensive use of your opamps on my JH428 (master section, 2 channels, control room/studio monitor and cue/echo path), my feeling is...
SE Dot
BEST OF BEST !!
Damir K Rogina
mci 500 series specialist, Synthetic Arts, Zagreb Croatia
I tested sage RED DOT, API 2520 original, Shadow Hills, avedis, Millennia MM 990 and JD 990 to tell truth AVEDIS and...
SE Dot
I have made some pretty influential records the last few years through these opamps
Jonathan Wilson
Fivestar Studios, Los Angeles, CA
Hello, it’s Jonathan Wilson., producer / musician from Fivestar Studios in LAI have a set of the SE dots in the master...
SE Dot
The air/ top end is much more defined
Jack Grochmal
Stackatrack, Nashville, TN and Ormond Beach, FL
In my initial tests, I ran the CD into 2 input faders, panned center and levels being equal with respect to the...
SE Dot
Bova amps won every time
Michael Russo
The Building Studios, Baton Rouge, LA
Just wanted to drop a line, as tonight we did the first critical listening tests of the bova amps vs. the 5534s....
SE Dot
You can actually hear a 2db change at 10k
Jack Grochmal
Stackatrack, Nashville, TN and Ormond Beach, FL
I use the EQ and you can actually hear a 2db change at 10k. I use the EQ and you can actually...
SE Dot
These MCI pres are killer
Charles Austin
Austin Music Studios, Troy NY
In regards to the MCI 400 416 428 etc with the bova discrete opamps. I wanted to wait until it was available...
SE Dot
Thick and silky
Charles Austin
Austin Music Studios, Troy NY
 – July 21, 2009 WOW, they sound exactly as described thick, silky, and just plain better. Buy them, sell whatever you have to....
SE Dot
Buy them!
Charles Austin
Austin Music Studios, Troy NY
 – July 20, 2009 Wow, buy them. Don’t waste your time figuring out what else you could use. Use that time working to...
SE Dot
Makes me want to sell my other pres
charlesaustin
Austin Music Studios
 – September 8, 2005 Hi, I wanted to let you know the samples are done. I am more impressed with your product than...
SE Dot
Quite dramatic
Jack Grochmal
Stackatrack
 – September 8, 2005 Although changing out all the capacitors in this console had improved the performance, the differences in an A/B test...
blue-red-dot-300
HOLY #$#$%#$^#!  It sounds incredible!
Steve Durkee
Music Editor
Thanks Phil,That’s exactly what it was, there was a jumper out that connected Pin 1 to ground through the mic transformer pin.I...
blue-red-dot-300
These are really special
Steve Durkee
Music Editor
‘I’m so glad to hear you will be continuing to make these!  They are really special.
blue-red-dot-300
The SE-DOT5 upgrade is amazing
Timothy Holder
Tim Holder Audio
‘The sound of the discrete module was amazing. Full punchy bottom, soft mids with an amazing silky smooth yet open top end....
blue-red-dot-300
Everything just seems bigger
Steve Durkee
Music Editor
‘I’ve worked in a lot of consoles, and api was actually my favorite.We had a demideo api in studio b at Paisley...
SE Dot
Depth, clarity, punch, quieter – just better
Timothy Holder
Nashville, TN
I installed the SE-DOT5s straight away and I couldn’t be happier !! An amazing improvement … depth, clarity, punch, quieter – just...
SE Dot
The Bova’s have more clarity, faster, snappier, very good dimension
Steven Antoniazzi
Riot Recording, Frankfort IL
Just wanted to thank you and Janet for getting my order out fast. I already notice a good difference on my cues/echos...
SE Dot
I’m surprised it got so clean
Håkan ‘Hawk’ Wirenstrand
Studio Krypin
I’ve installed all the dots and done a little mix on the “new” mixer, and must say I’m impressed on how the...
SE Dot
The SE-DOT5 upgrade is amazing
Timothy Holder
Nashville, TN
The sound of the discrete module was amazing. Full punchy bottom, soft mids with an amazing silky smooth yet open top end....
SE Dot
It sounds faster and clearer
Steven Antoniazzi
Riot Recording, Frankfort IL
I did my master section and control room monitoring with the Discrete Sage opamps and the difference is noticeable. It sounds faster...
SE Dot
Faster transient response
Håkan ‘Hawk’ Wirenstrand
Studio Krypin, Sweden
With the “dots” in the sound seems more natural. Faster transient response.As always thankful for your support!See you!
SE Dot
Dare I say like a blanket was taken off?
Jason Soda
Palomino Sound, Los Angeles, CA
I was lucky enough to acquire a handful of Bova opamps.  My console was modded thoroughly with 5534’s and recapped.  This was done...
SE Dot
Tracking, mixing and monitoring now makes far more sense than before
Panagiotis Kolokotron
133 Studio, Athens Greece
After extensive use of your opamps on my JH428 (master section, 2 channels, control room/studio monitor and cue/echo path), my feeling is...
SE Dot
BEST OF BEST !!
Damir K Rogina
mci 500 series specialist, Synthetic Arts, Zagreb Croatia
I tested sage RED DOT, API 2520 original, Shadow Hills, avedis, Millennia MM 990 and JD 990 to tell truth AVEDIS and...
SE Dot
I have made some pretty influential records the last few years through these opamps
Jonathan Wilson
Fivestar Studios, Los Angeles, CA
Hello, it’s Jonathan Wilson., producer / musician from Fivestar Studios in LAI have a set of the SE dots in the master...
SE Dot
The air/ top end is much more defined
Jack Grochmal
Stackatrack, Nashville, TN and Ormond Beach, FL
In my initial tests, I ran the CD into 2 input faders, panned center and levels being equal with respect to the...
SE Dot
Bova amps won every time
Michael Russo
The Building Studios, Baton Rouge, LA
Just wanted to drop a line, as tonight we did the first critical listening tests of the bova amps vs. the 5534s....
SE Dot
You can actually hear a 2db change at 10k
Jack Grochmal
Stackatrack, Nashville, TN and Ormond Beach, FL
I use the EQ and you can actually hear a 2db change at 10k. I use the EQ and you can actually...
SE Dot
These MCI pres are killer
Charles Austin
Austin Music Studios, Troy NY
In regards to the MCI 400 416 428 etc with the bova discrete opamps. I wanted to wait until it was available...
SE Dot
Thick and silky
Charles Austin
Austin Music Studios, Troy NY
 – July 21, 2009 WOW, they sound exactly as described thick, silky, and just plain better. Buy them, sell whatever you have to....
SE Dot
Buy them!
Charles Austin
Austin Music Studios, Troy NY
 – July 20, 2009 Wow, buy them. Don’t waste your time figuring out what else you could use. Use that time working to...
SE Dot
Makes me want to sell my other pres
charlesaustin
Austin Music Studios
 – September 8, 2005 Hi, I wanted to let you know the samples are done. I am more impressed with your product than...
SE Dot
Quite dramatic
Jack Grochmal
Stackatrack
 – September 8, 2005 Although changing out all the capacitors in this console had improved the performance, the differences in an A/B test...
blue-red-dot-300
HOLY #$#$%#$^#!  It sounds incredible!
Steve Durkee
Music Editor
Thanks Phil,That’s exactly what it was, there was a jumper out that connected Pin 1 to ground through the mic transformer pin.I...
blue-red-dot-300
These are really special
Steve Durkee
Music Editor
‘I’m so glad to hear you will be continuing to make these!  They are really special.
blue-red-dot-300
The SE-DOT5 upgrade is amazing
Timothy Holder
Tim Holder Audio
‘The sound of the discrete module was amazing. Full punchy bottom, soft mids with an amazing silky smooth yet open top end....
blue-red-dot-300
Everything just seems bigger
Steve Durkee
Music Editor
‘I’ve worked in a lot of consoles, and api was actually my favorite.We had a demideo api in studio b at Paisley...