Cooper-Mathias Orange Mixing Desk HELP

[jonokirkTML]

Hi guys,

It's my first post. My name is Jono and I run themusiclocker.

Have had someone offer us a beautiful Cooper-Mathias mixing desk with serial number 14!

I'm struggling to find much out about it, and I certainly don't know what a decent price to pay for it is.

We use Orange as our background in every thing we sell. They're by far the best looking amplifiers around, and a personal favourite of mine!

Could anyone help with this?

[Sooner]

Looks like a smaller version of the one in this 1971 catalogue:

[bclaire]

Any bigger pictures? Can't make out the ebay thumbnails....

Pretty sure the catalog photo nails it. The description states that it is user configurable so I would guess that each one ended up a little different from the others.

As far as value, I'm not sure what to think. Mixer technology has come a long way and other than a curiosity, I don't know what the real worth would be. My guess would be that everything would need to be cleaned (talking mostly electronics).

That said, it is really cool!

[Les Paul Lover]

Hi guys,

It's my first post. My name is Jono and I run themusiclocker.

Have had someone offer us a beautiful Cooper-Mathias mixing desk with serial number 14!

I'm struggling to find much out about it, and I certainly don't know what a decent price to pay for it is.

We use Orange as our background in every thing we sell. They're by far the best looking amplifiers around, and a personal favourite of mine!

Could anyone help with this?

Are you based near Derby, UK? If so, I keep seeing your vintage oranges and matamps every time I run a search and order it nearest 1st....


Frankly, these mixers are more curiosities these days than anything else. You may find someone willing to buy it for a couple hundreds, perhaps more if you're lucky...... but PA gear hasn't fared as well as valves amps have in the vintage realm.

People do want the modern features you get in modern mixers, whereas people still want the old school valve tone.

As you know, the ORs, ORMAT and pics only are where the money is - and even then, beyond the very early years, they don't sell for crazy money.

Out of curiosity, have you tried it out? Does it sound ok?

[jonokirkTML]

Guys, I can't figure out how to post higher quality photographs. I used jpegbay.com but it didn't come across very big...

It's one of the early ones I know for sure as it's the Cooper-Mathias. Also, I read somewhere about the fact it doesn't have the 'Orange' badge on it so that makes it pre- 1971? Is that correct?

[jontheid]

I used to have exactly the same desk, mine was serial number 6. Paid £60 for it in the early 90s. Shamefully ended up chucking it in a bin when moving house ( I was very poor and short of space and it was heavy and reasonably large).
It is a solid state, mono desk. All transistor, quite noisy.
The EQ if I recall correctly is 3 band, the controls aren't pots, they are stepped switches. Never understood why really.
The VU meters at the back have an orange background which is quite cool.
The inputs aren't balanced but have transformers to switch from high to low impedance, there are small switches on the rear panel next to each input.
Not the greatest piece of kit really. Depends what you want to do with it I suppose. A rarity for sure.

[jontheid]

Here are the big pictures:

[jontheid]

Your mixer has built-in reverb, which I haven't seen before.

Old thread on this sort of mixer:
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=29204

Oh, and the O1 Band played Reading Rock Festival in 1980, though I can't find out anything else about them.
Cheers,
Jon

[bclaire]

Your mixer has built-in reverb, which I haven't seen before.

Old thread on this sort of mixer:
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=29204

Oh, and the O1 Band played Reading Rock Festival in 1980, though I can't find out anything else about them.
Cheers,
Jon

Catalog states "Optional Hammond reverb available."

[bclaire]

Funny reading that old thread - where I asked what a Jimmy Bean is, and now I have one!