Decca Storm 64 Console used by Decca / LA PhilharmonicSOLD

This is a fully functional vintage Decca Storm 64 mixing console. Not only is it an exquisite piece of engineering, but also it has a storied history of being part of countless iconic albums and soundtracks. From 1966 to 1988, these consoles remained in use at the Decca studios in London and contributed to a staggering number of excellent and historical recordings. Its subsequent owners included the former vice president of BMG, Stuart Hart, and the  LA Philharmonic. 

The console was just used to master some files for Universal Audio:

"I can definitely hear the magic going on in the reference files, and it's absolutely awesome that you've got a real piece of history there."

Producer Ted Greenberg won a Grammy in 2002 for Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture for his work on the documentary Standing in the Shadow of Motown and he did it on this very Decca Storm.  His love for this console is infectious. He describes its greatness, saying, “It’s magic! It has a sound quality and a vibe to it that of all the gear that I’ve used, this thing is on another level. It’s super special.” 

The Decca name is one of the most recognized and revered names in music as both a record label and as a brand. Interestingly enough, the company has its roots in manufacturing radar systems during WWII. The Decca Storm was originally designed and built by a gentleman named Roy Wallace, inventor of the Decca Tree.  He was the company’s first engineer; developing a tradition of excellence that has been maintained long after his death. He engineered some of the clearest, smoothest, and most adaptable mixers in the industry, and it was all made in-house — a true craftsman. 

Here is this Decca STORM (Stereo Remote Mixer) at Royce Hall in 1969

The list of artists who recorded out of the Decca studios reads like the Hall of Fame:

 The Rolling Stones (Out of Our Heads 1965, Beggars Banquet 1968, Let It Bleed 1969, Flowers 1967, Not Fade Away/Little By Little single 1964, Little Red Rooster single 1964, The Last Time/Time Is On My Side single 1965, Satisfaction single 1965, 19th Nervous Breakdown/As Tears Go By single 1966, Paint It Black/Long Long While single 1966, Have You Seen Your Mother,Baby, Standing In The Shadow/Who's Driving Your Plane single 1966, Let's Spend The Night Together/Ruby Tuesday single 1967, We Love You/Dandelion single 1967, Jumpin Jack Flash/Child Of The Moon single 1968, Honky Tonk Woman/You Can't Always Get What You Want single 1969, Get Off Of My Cloud single 1965, 2000 Light Years From Home/She's a Rainbow single 1967, Little Queenie/Love In Vain single 1970, Street Fighting Man/No Expectations single 1968, Carol single 1964, As Tears Go By/Heart Of Stone single1966, Mother's Little Helper/Lady Jane 1966, Yesterday's Papers/Back Street Girl single 1967, I Wanna Be Your Man single 1964, Money single 1964, Not Fade Away single 1964, It's All Over Now single 1964, Heart Of Stone/Around and Around single 1965, Can I Get A Witness single 1964, Let's Spend The Night Together single 1967), The Who (My Generation/I Can't Explain single 1965, The Kids Are Alright/The Ox single 1966, La La La Lies single 1966, A Legal Matter/Out In The Street single 1966, The Who Sings My Generation1966, Happy Jack 1967, The Who Sell Out 1967, Who's Next 1971, Tommy 1969, Live At Leeds 1970, Magic Buss 1968, Pictures of Lily single 1967, I Can See For Miles/Mary Anne With The Shaky Hands single 1967), Cat Stevens (Cat Stevens 1967-1970), Bill Haley (See You Later Alligator single 1966, Skinny Minnie single 1964), Moody Blues (The Magnificent Moodies 1965, Go Now single 1965, From The Bottom Of My Heart single 1965, Boulevard De La Madeleine/This Is My House single 1966), John Mayall's Bluesbreakers (Bare Wires 1968), John Mayall & Eric Clapton (Blues Breakers 1966), The Animals (Don't Bring Me Down single 1966, Big Boss Man/Inside Looking Out single 1966, Boom Boom single 1966, You're On My Mind single 1966), The Zombies (Just Out Of Reach/Remember You 1966, She's Not There/Woman single 1964, Tell Her No/What More Can I Do single 1965, I Love You/Gotta Get a Hold on Myself single 1969, Summertime single 1972), Neil Diamond (Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show 1969), and Tom Jones (Green, Green Grass Of Home/If I Had You single 1966, Funny Familiar Forgotten Feelings single 1967, I'll Never Fall In Love Again/Things I Want To Do single 1967, I'm Coming Home/The Lonely One single 1967, Delilah/Smile single 1968, Help Yourself/Day By Day single 1968, What's New Pussycat/With These Hands single 1965, Daughter Of Darkness/Tupelo Mississippi Flash single 1970, It's Not Unusual single 1965).

These consoles have been host to nothing but classic names and acts. Hit after hit, the list is truly unparalleled. 

A rare example of a Decca Storm console, assembled from all original parts with a few modern upgrades (transformer-balanced direct outs, monitor input source selector with ext. in, etc.). Any Decca, Teldec, Polygram or Decca/Nonesuch classical recording from 66-88 was more than likely recorded on one of these desks. Decca would occasionally press one of these boards into service at Broadherst Gardens when an equipment change was in progress. The period between the dismantling of the 60's house desk and the commissioning of the "Moody Blues" Neve saw a Storm in the main studio control room.

Decca made two kinds of preamps for this console, a discrete Germanium and a chip based version. The cards are interchangeable. This console has five discrete cards powering five of the mic amps and chip-based powering the other one - providing access to both historic flavors. Fader gains have chip cards on all six channels. The Germanium pre cards in this console were from the second desk made in 1967. The Germanium cards (like ALL Germanium circuitry) were prone to sudden failure, especially from overheat. Not an ideal situation for location work, so the opamp cards were phased in during the mid 70's and eventually replaced all the Germanium cards in service. Six Decca Equalizers on all Channels, with stepped fixed Bass and Treble bands. Incredible sounding EQs. Equalizers are also patchable to either Mix Bus via the patchbay.

Features:

• 6 mic inputs (channels 1 - 5 have the discrete Germanium cards currently) 
• 6 channels with faders (Paignton Faders) 
• Switchable input impendence on Mic Ins – 50ohm or 200ohm 
• 48v Phantom switches for each channel 
• Transformer balanced direct outs on all 6 channels 
• 6 Decca Equalizers 
• 3 Stereo Aux inputs with level and pan knobs – left , right, or off. – cool for summing.
• 1 Stereo Aux input at unity gain, no level no pan
• 2 Mix Busses, 1 Mono 1 Stereo 

Monitor Section:

• Complete functional monitor section with an external stereo input
• Control Room Volume Knob 
• Monitor Input Select: Mono Bus, Stereo Bus or external In 
• Awesome original Ernst Turner Meters - Mono , Left , Right – and a spare which you can put signal into

Additional Features: 

• 1 stereo quarter inch input with no level or pan 
• Elco as well as XLR for mic inputs and monitor section  
• Full Patchbay – 1Ž4 inch – hitting all points of console 
• Both console and Patchbay enclosed in custom flight cases





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