8100 with cobalt blue card

[oldiesstation]

Have a friend looking at an 8100 with the cobalt blue card or they will sell it with the original stock cards.Eventually will be using an ariane with it.Would you go with the stock cards or the cobalt blue.Been a long time since i've been around the 8100.Best i remember was the cobalt blue ran hot and was too aggressive.any input would be appreciated.

 

[littlejohn]

Sned it to Bill Sacks for refurb with the original cards. See if he has an xt2 chassis he'll sell, and if he does, spend the Arienne money on the xt2.

 

[oldiesstation]

i ran the 8100/xt combo way back in 1986,so you can see it was awhile back .But i was very impressed with it.Any particular reason why you would prefer the xt over the ariane? Just got pics of the 8100,CHERRY CHERRY one owner(broadcast eng/owner)Not a scratch on it anywhere..Dam what a find.

 

[wgliradio]

Try it with both, but I have found the BEST cards are the STOCK cards (and the older the better). I have an old Card 5 (re capped) and it is much smoother than the newer Card 5 I have (which was revision whatever in the mid 1990's). The new Card 5 is very stiff sounding and the bass is way too tight.

 

[oldiesstation]

they ran gentners with the blue cobalt card, but had already sold them.so the choice is the blue cobalt or back to the original stock cards,which i'm sure the card 5 was an older version.i know these 8100's had an assortment of mods thru the years.

 

[Sgeirk]

Erm,

Just an opinion...but I had a modded xt2 and while I was happy with the loudness and the spectral tightness, I felt the best sound I ever got from an 8100 was when we had an old card 5 and the Ariane.

The Ariane is a more "intelligent" and flexible box than the xt2...it's also 25 some odd years newer, ain't it? That said, the 8100 is and always will be....a classic.

 

[littlejohn]

Just from listening to them, I find the Ariene overdone develops the old Sam Philips 'Wall Of Sound'. Which, if that's what you want, it seems to do so without a lot of nasties on the side. If you want to preserve the original balance, you turn it back to a really good AGC. If you do that, you'll find the one in the 8100 does a good job, and there's a cost savings. The local ones which sound awful do so because they're being overdone, not because the box is or isn't a good product.

 

[TomT]

Had an 8100 with a cobalt blue card. Definitely needed an AGC ahead of it. Was LOUD (Classic rock station) but not that clean. Replaced it with an Omnia 3t. Get the 8100 with the original cards, if you are still enamored of the cobalt blue card I still have it around here somewhere. Make you a deal so long as I don't have to ship it overseas.

 

[oldiesstation]

thanks for the offer,tom.i told the buyer to go with the original cards.i think the cobalt blue was too aggressive and too NASTY.That o3t is a good unit.i'm up to the Mighty 6EXI now,man it rocks.Heck i have forgot alot about this 8100,long time since 1986.

 

[RadioFixerCLE]

Just from listening to them, I find the Ariene overdone develops the old Sam Philips 'Wall Of Sound'.

I thought the "wall of sound" was Phil Spector's idea? ???

 

[littlejohn]

You are right, and I stand corrected. Never allow your age to progreess to the gray hair stage, you get names mixed up. [insert gratuitous age - or - sexist comment here at your option}

 

[RadioFixerCLE]

;D ;D at Littlejohn

 

[LA_Guy]

The Cobalt Blue card can sound quite good if not overdone-and LOUD!
It does, however put out quite a bit of heat, so keep the cover off the cards and also you might leave the door open if you can.

 

[Sgeirk]

Friend of mine had a cobalt blue card he was demo'ing back in the day actually start to SMOKE while on-air!

It was removed immediately and sent back.