Ah, vintage recording equipment. Where did this world come from? In the late-ā60s and into the ā70s, cheaper electronics and manufacturing filled the market of pro audio. As the ā70s rolled along, people like Dan Alexander and Allen Sides [Tape Op#106] sought out the best of the previous generationsā recording gear. Danās quests across the Atlantic, as well as wheeling and dealing across the U.S. are reknowned. InDan Alexander Audio: A Vintage Odysseywe get a blend of recording history, gear information, crazy stories, Danās autobiography, and more. There are over 80 stories, 400 photos and re-printed brochures and ads, and info on 22 classic pro audio manufacturers. The truly classic studio gear ā consoles by Neve, API, Helios, and Trident, plus Telefunken microphones ā are focused on. This book is not a compendium ofeverything, but the stories and facts are informative as hell. The forewords by the likes of Sylvia Massy [#63], Shelly Yakus [#31], and your humble editor are pretty hilarious. I donāt know why Dan chose to fill 85 pages with a list of 7,500 products he sold between 1979 and 2000 ā not exactly the most engaging reading despite some big-name clients, but the rest of the book offers a glimpse into sonic obsession and a singular quest for locating the recording gear that sounds the best. As Dan told me recently (see my online bonus interview with him this issue), āThe situation today, with so much boutique custom gear, is different. Back then, that gear didnāt exist. There werenāt any outboard mic preamps.ā Iām glad Dan has documented some of this history, and I hear heās working on a book about tape decks next. Oh boy!
($50,danalexanderaudio.com) -LC Also,click hereto read Larry's interview w/ Dan.