AMS Neve 1073 & Vocal Tracking Compressors

Since you are already going the spare no expense route, I’d say go for the hand wired modules.

I'd also give the Heritage Audio modules a shot! (Test them somehow?) The 500 series 1073 and their 500 series '73 EQ both shine.

And don’t not try a BAE 1073 module. I sold my original after getting one of those. The Heritage and AMS I bought and sold weren’t that different, but to me the BAE was the closest. Just my limited experience.

  Which BAE and AMS Model versions were you comparing
  (BAE 1073 With EQ and filter- AMS same Hardwired) ?

   Thanks

I agree with dok ,
Do you want a great vox tracking compressor? Or the greatest vox tracking compressor ever built?😂
JMO, a 651 is an almost invisible vox tracking comp, a modded one is absolutely invisible, you could buy 5 for the price of one of the fancy ones that give you more color and almost no control. I have 4 over the moon modded 651's that are 100% of the time used for vox tracking, they have styrene caps and AD4898's ic's through the entire audio path.
Pic is my drum tracking rack. I actually have double more 651's and 160xt's, the modded ones get used for any purity tracks and the stocker transformer based 160xt's get used for individual r&r drums for old school dirt, i very much subscribe to the "if everything is dirty nothing is dirty, if everything is clean nothing is clean" school of thought, it looks like you have the color covered, lots of parameter control gives you the opportunity to control the musicality and groove of what you are working on.
Of course jme, hope this helps you and saves you some $

That's a great question.  I have been using 500 series gear for the past decade, and over that time I acquired a number of really great modules from Avedis, Crane Song, and Electrodyne.  After acquiring a Neumann U67 Reissue back in the spring, I was disatisfied with how it was sounding through all my preamps.  I subsequently ended up picking up the Pultec 500 series EQ to open up the top of the U67.  It did so beautifully, but I still felt like things could be further improved.  This search led me to looking into tube style preamps because I had read that they pair very well with a U67.  My rep at Vintage King recommended that I try out the Tree Audio Branch channel strip.  I liked the story behind the company and several threads on this forum touted its virtues.

As soon as I tracked my first vocal through the Branch I noticed a big difference. Everything sounded bigger and more 3D.  All of my 500 series gear sounded smaller in comparison and didn't have the same weight in the mix.  I suddenly came to the realization that all the things I'd read about bigger transformer sizes and power supplies in full size rack gear were probably true.  I ran several more tests through the 500 series preamps and always came to the same conclusion.  In terms of sonics, there are none that I would choose over the Branch tube channel strip.  This inspired me to build a vocal signal chain using rack gear exclusively.  Since then I picked up an LA-2A and a vintage 1176.  The only thing I'm missing now is a Neve 1073 style preamp.

Hope this helps!

Thanks for your recommendation.  The only reason I didn't mention BAE is because I had heard that there were issues with build quality, and customer service. I had also heard that they are very dark sounding.  With that said, I haven't actually heard one myself and would certainly be willing to consider it as an option.  2 BAE rack units with EQ and power supply are still cheaper than 2 hand wired AMS modules in a 3U rack!

Yes, very much - a more thorough answer than I was expecting, thank you. 

I looked up Tree Branch and now I want The Trunk. Some days, I think gear should be listed as a controlled substance because of its addictive properties....then I am glad it is not and happily lose my money to the disease.

Never heard about any issues with build quality, vice versa, they are extremely finicky about parts and build from what i know. The customer service I have no clue as I always deal thru retailer who takes care of all issues if they appear. They are not dark really. They have a full low end, mid push maybe, that might give that impression compared to ams or heritage which lack that. I have never had the need to carve that out nor do I push highs. But of course it’s a matter of taste. I’m not a fan of overly bright mixes, I do like big mids and a rounded sound. So it sits perfect in that. What I also like is that it never leaves me with harsh upper mids.

 There is a post from someone on this form from 2013 that said that it sounds a bit digital.  Does that line up with your experience?
Well…, they are vca analog compressors and I have around 20 of them and I’m an analog freak, so I’d say not even at all. 661 is almost the same circuit and has what I consider to be a useless tube section that isn’t well implemented and defies the transparent character(lack there of) I acquired and modified the 651’s for in the first place, ymmv but i did not find it smoother in any way after testing the holy heck out of it, thats why i dont have racks full of them

Great question. I think it’s because I feel like I need a solid state option for recording vocals to complement the tube sound of the Tree Audio. The Neve 1073 is a classic and has been used on many records in the past. The closest thing I have to this sound is the Avedis MA5, but it’s in 500 series format and doesn’t have an EQ section.

Believe me, I actually considered simply getting another compressor, but I thought it would be wiser to start with the Neve 1073 preamp first. Theoretically, I have 3 rack compressors already because I have the LA-2A, 1176 and the optical compressor on the Branch Channel strip. With that said, owning the aforementioned compressors has not quelled my desire for a Retro 176 or Chandler RS 124.

easy rider switch adds program dependency, negating need for serial compression, lowering distortion. Tube stage can be disabled.