Collins

What is one of the biggest problems for recording, mixing, and mastering engineers today?  Figuring out a way to bring life and impact to music that sounds stunning and yet does not consume immense amounts of time and is easy to recall. 

Enter the Hendyamps Collins - Problem solved!

The Collins is intended to be the definitive solution to all sonic needs by giving the user the ability to enhance individual tracks, buses, or full mixes with any combination of transformers, mosfets, pentode tubes, and triode tubes.

HIGH VOLTAGE MOSFETS

The Mosfet stage, running close to 400v, provides a truly unique and incredibly rich tonal response.  Based on the Warhol preamp, this stage is able to provide a punchy and full sonic imprint, fulfilling the need for quick transient response as well as a density increase that can take an audio track from boring and lifeless to immense quite easily.

PENTODE TUBES

The Pentod stage runs EF806 (EF86) tubes which are known for their articulation and aggressive behavior.  On a track or mix this stage is often pure magic as it tends to add a little brightness and raw energy throughout the sonic spectrum, something that is almost always a welcome addition.

TRIODE TUBES

The Triode stage is all about rich, creamy harmonics, adding a gloss over everything it touches.  Often this stage will add a smoothness throughout the sonic spectrum, hiding issues in a track or mix, and especially bringing a warmth to the low mids.  Usually when an engineer is looking for something to add a final polish to a mix, this is the perfect solution.

TRANSFORMER 1

The first transformer is actually an odd choice for a "line level" piece of gear, but the intention was to both squeeze as much tone out of a transformer as well as allow the Mosfet, Pentode, and Triode stages to open up a bit more at the same time.  This transformer is a 1:4 step up, but wired backwards, meaning when engaged, the volume will drop and one or more of the gain stages will need to be used to bring the volume back up.  This transformer should provide a compression to the signal as well as a perceived tightening of the low end and provides some outstanding results.

TRANSFORMER 2

The second transformer is actually a power supply choke (think more inductor) but with a bypass capacitor applied in order to allow the low pass created by the transformer to return to "full band".  The result is that there is a light dip in the low mids which is wonderful for removing the "mud" from a track, along with adding some rich texture to the highs especially.

AIR and CRUNCH

The Collins includes an Air switch in order to give a subtle boost in the highs when desired.  As well, there is a Crunch switch that allows you to engage a diode based hard limiting circuit that offers anywhere from light clipping to heavy distortion as desired, interacting with the Trim control.  

TRIM AND FULL OPERATION

The Collins is a truly unique design and provides an infinite number of options and possible combinations, but is still quite easy to use.  In order to accomplish this, the two Transformers were placed in series and the gain stages were placed afterward, and yet the gain stages were designed to be in parallel with each other.  Each stage and transformer can be completely removed from the circuit with the flip of a switch, and as such, everything becomes interactive.  As well, combining multiple gain stages naturally produces a wide variety of volume levels and thus, a Master Trim control was included in order to set a final output level.

MICHAEL ROQUE COLLINS

Hendyamps has a habit of choosing names for its studio gear based on various artists that best encapsulate the sonic images it paints (at least in the mind of Chris!) and for this piece of gear Chris chose the painter Michael Roque Collins because Collins' complete body of work has demonstrated a complete mastery of nearly every style and genre.  His own style is both beautiful and haunting, but his ability to walk into any artistic world is both legendary and inspiring, and as such, Chris believed it best described the Collins' ability to bring sonic beauty to any musical genre and do so in a fresh and beautiful way (it probably helps that Chris studied painting under Collins for several years!).

Click here to get to know Michael Roque Collins' Artwork!