Victor JVC MI 5000 - MIJ 6-channel mixer (1979) - 1000 epochs

The Victor JVC MI 5000 is a Japanese four channel mixer released in the late 1970s, featuring mic, phono and line inputs, individual channel level controls and an integrated spring reverb available per track. It includes a built in amplifier section, flexible routing options and rugged analog construction typical of Japanese mixers of the era. Its architecture makes it suitable for small studio setups, live use and creative processing. I love this mixer for its fully analog workflow, its flexible reverb and especially for the distortion created when overloading the preamps. This capture demonstrates that behavior using a line level signal fed into a mic preamp, creating short but characterful overloads that give the unit its unmistakable charm. For this capture I used my tube preamp equipped with a NOS Brimar 12AU7 ECC82 WA tube. The result is a dark and harmonically rich profile with a strong analog presence.