Editing Neve Electronics

{{Short description|English audio equipment manufacturer}}
{{Infobox company 
|name =
|logo = [[Image:Neve logo.png|220px|ADR Logo]]
|type = 
|foundation = 1961
|location = 
|key_people = [[Rupert Neve]]
|area_served = 
|industry = Professional audio design & engineering
|revenue = 
|operating_income = 
|net_income = 
|num_employees =
|parent =
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|homepage =
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}}
'''Neve Electronics''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|n|iː|v}} {{respell|NEEV}}) was a manufacturer of music recording and broadcast [[Mixing console|mixing consoles]] and hardware. It was founded in 1961 by [[Rupert Neve]], the man credited with creating the modern mixing console.<ref name="AMS - Neve History 60s">[http://www.ams-neve.com/about-us/History/The60s/60s.aspx AMS - Neve History 60s] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090228203021/http://www.ams-neve.com/about-us/History/The60s/60s.aspx |date=2009-02-28 }}. Retrieved 16 March 2009.</ref>

==History==

[[File:Neve VR-72 with FF at Studio 1 Control Room Center.jpg|thumb|Neve VR-72 with Flying Faders, Studio 1 Control Room Center]]
[[File:Neve VR-72 with FF at Studio 1 Control Room Left Quarter.jpg|thumb|Studio 1 Control Room Left Quarter]]
[[File:Neve VR-72 with FF at Studio 3 Control Room Center.jpg|thumb|Studio 3 Control Room Center]]
[[File:Neve VR-72 with FF at Studio 3 Control Room Left Quarter.jpg|thumb|Studio 3 Control Room Left Quarter]]

===Company formation===
Rupert Neve formed Neve Electronics in 1961.<ref name="Neve45">{{cite web |title=AMS Neve Celebrates 45 years of Innovation, Growth and Technology Leadership |url=http://ams-neve.com/news-and-events/ams-neve-celebrates-45-years-innovation |date=5 October 2006 |access-date=21 August 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130821103222/http://ams-neve.com/news-and-events/ams-neve-celebrates-45-years-innovation |archivedate=21 August 2013 }}</ref> The company specialised in producing professional audio equipment and mixing consoles. The products used high-quality components and utilized [[Electronic amplifier|Class-A]] circuit designs. In 1964 the company moved to [[Cambridgeshire]]. That year Neve Electronics built one of the first [[transistor]]-based mixing consoles for [[Philips Records]] Studios in London. The company moved to a purpose-built factory in [[Melbourn]], near [[Cambridge]] where in 1968 they designed the 2254 [[Dynamic range compression|compressor]] [[limiter]] for [[ABC Weekend TV]] in the UK. It was also in 1968 that Neve Electronics began to distribute their products in North America.<ref name=Neve45/> [[Vanguard Records]], of [[New York City]], was the first American recording studio to take possession of the Neve console in October, 1968.

===1970s===
In 1970, Rupert Neve designed the 1073 module for the new A88 mixing console; this console was designed for [[Wessex Sound Studios|Wessex Studios]]. During the seventies Neve Electronics produced a whole series of mixing consoles for both broadcast and recording studios. In 1973, the [[Neve 8048|8048 console]] was produced; this included the newer 1081 microphone/line preamplifier and equaliser.<ref name=Neve45/> In the same year Rupert Neve sold Neve Electronics to the [[Bonochord Group]]. He continued working alongside Neve Electronics until 1975 when he left altogether.<ref name="Line Up Magazine">[http://www.ibs.org.uk/public/lineuparchive/2006/107_Sep-Oct/10_The_Neve_DSP.pdf www.ibs.org.uk]{{dead link|date=February 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} 2009.</ref>

In 1977, Neve Electronics began using digital technology with the introduction of their Necam system. Necam stood for Neve Computer Assisted Mixdown. The first [[Necam]] system was installed at [[AIR Oxford Circus|AIR Studios]] in [[London]].<ref name=Neve45/> Necam also gained popularity in television post production facilities, including the BBC. Before the introduction of Necam, all fader mixing had to be done as live, a considerably skilled and stressful task for any dubbing mixer. Necam allowed for fader movements to be stored and recalled at a later point, allowing the dubbing mixer to build a mix in stages and focus on the creative and artistic elements of a mix, rather than on managing the technology. For those working in television post production, this was seen as a major breakthrough.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.adapttvhistory.org.uk/assets/stories/sound-mixing/tvsoundmix.html|title=The evolution of television sound mixing|website=www.adapttvhistory.org.uk|access-date=2018-05-29}}</ref> In 1979, the 8108 console was produced using both analog and digital technology. The console had assignable controls and memory mixing faders.<ref name=Neve45/>

===Merger with AMS===
In the 1980s, there were concerns about Neve Electronics' financial situation. This was partly due to their ambitious investment into research and development of projects such as the DSP console and the Necam system.<ref name="Line Up Magazine" /> Another product that was included in the company's research and development programme was a digitally controlled routing system; very few of these were sold.<ref name="Line Up Magazine" /> In 1985, Neve Electronics was acquired by the Siemens group;<ref name=Neve45/> then in 1992 the [[Siemens]] group combined Neve Electronics with another newly acquired company, [[AMS (Advanced Music Systems)|Advanced Music Systems]] to form [[AMS Neve]] which continues to produce products under both the Neve and AMS Neve brands.<ref name=Neve45/>

==Notable products==
* Neve 8028 Mixing Console, "one of five in the world",<ref>{{cite news|url=http://readbuzz.com/movies-tv/2013/rock-docs-sound-city-2013|title=Rock Docs: ''Sound City'' (2013)|first=Patrick|last=Filbin|work=Buzz Weekly|location=[[Champaign–Urbana metropolitan area|Champagin-Urbana]], Illinois|date=9 April 2013|accessdate=11 June 2013}}</ref> "a 24-input, 16-bus, 24-monitor 8028 with 1073 or 1084 EQs and ''no automation''"<ref name="MixMar2009">{{cite web |last=Scoppa |first=Bud |title=L.A. Grapevine, March 2009 |url=http://www.mixonline.com/news/facilities/la-grapevine-march-2009/367413 |website=[[Mix (magazine)|Mix]] |date=1 March 2009 |access-date=22 March 2017}}</ref>
* [[Neve 8048]] Mixing Console
* Neve 8068 Mixing Console
* [[Neve 8078]] Mixing Console
* Neve 2254 Compressor/Limiter
* Neve 1084 Mic Preamplifier & Equaliser

===Neve 1073 Console Module===
The 1073 is a [[Electronic amplifier|Class-A]] design microphone/line preamplifier with three equaliser bands.<ref name="Neve 1073 Console Module">[http://mixonline.com/TECnology-Hall-of-Fame/1970-neve-1073/ Mix Online] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090523201940/http://mixonline.com/TECnology-Hall-of-Fame/1970-neve-1073/ |date=2009-05-23 }}. Retrieved 26 October 2009.</ref> The equaliser has a fixed [[Hertz|12kHz]] high frequency band and switchable low and mid range bands with cut and boost controls.<ref name="Neve 1073 Console Module" /> There is also a passive third-order (18&nbsp;dB/octave) high pass filter. Two switches were also fitted on the module's front panel for equaliser bypass and phase polarity.<ref name="Neve 1073 Console Module" /> The 1073 module was designed to be part of the 80 series Neve console. It was never intended for use as a stand alone module.<ref name="Neve 1073 Console Module" /> It is now regarded as a "desert island" preamp by many recording engineers, and has been used on a countless number of hit records over the past 30 years from Rock, Rap, Hip-hop, to Classical. The sound is described as very big, fat, and colored. The factor contributing to the larger than life sound is greatly attributed to the design of the transformer which seems to add subharmonics to the signal.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.eqmag.com/article/ams-neve-1073/Dec-04/2262 | title=AMS-Neve 1073 | first=Lynn | last=Fuston | work=[[Electronic Musician]] | publisher=[[NewBay Media]] | date=1 December 2004 | accessdate=29 October 2013 | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090710203546/http://www.eqmag.com/article/ams-neve-1073/Dec-04/2262 | archivedate=10 July 2009 }}</ref> The Equalizer section of the 1073 is regarded as very "musical" and practical and has become the favorite choice of many engineers for recording and mixing.

===Neve 33609 Compressor Limiter===
The 33609 is a 19” rack mounted compressor limiter produced by Neve Electronics for [[Broadcasting|broadcast]] and recording purposes.<ref name="Neve Limiter Compressor Brochure">[http://www.danalexanderaudio.com/neveinfo/compressor.jpg Dan Alexander Audio] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071211212009/http://danalexanderaudio.com/neveinfo/compressor.jpg |date=2007-12-11 }}. Retrieved 2 November 2009.</ref> The unit can be linked for stereo and multi-channel operation. The compressor processes the audio signal before the output amplifier, meaning the output level can be raised after compression of the signal.<ref name="Neve Limiter Compressor Brochure" /> The controls include compression attack and recovery times. There is also a bypass control to switch the effect in or out of the circuit. Other configurations were available at the time of the product's release.<ref name="Neve Limiter Compressor Brochure" />
The Neve 33609 compressor limiter was re-designed around 2009 by [[AMS Neve]] and labelled as the 33609JD stereo compressor.<ref name="33609/N Stereo Compressor">[http://www.ams-neve.com/Products/Outboard/33609/33609.aspx AMS-Neve] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091216113431/http://www.ams-neve.com/Products/Outboard/33609/33609.aspx |date=2009-12-16 }}. Retrieved 2 November 2009.</ref>

== Timeline ==
* 1961: Company based at [[Harlow]].
* 1964: Moved to the Priesthaus in [[Little Shelford]].
* 1966: The Neve Group of Companies formed 1 December 1966 to take over business run privately by Rupert Neve.
* 1966: Consoles made for the TV Centre, [[Madrid]].
* 1969: First broadcast consoles for [[ABC Weekend TV]] and [[Granada TV]].
* 1969: First consoles to the USA: [[Sound City Studios|Sound Studios, Van Nuys, CA]] and Vanguard studios in New York. First 16 track consoles.
* 1970: First console to [[AIR Oxford Circus|AIR Studios]], first desk for [[BBC TV]] [[Lime Grove Studios]], a standard 8008 24/8 costing £15,000.
* 1970: Rupert Neve Incorporated (USA) formed April 1970.
* 1970: Rupert Neve Canada formed (sales company) 10 September 1970
* 1973: Neve group of companies purchased by Bononchord (later named ESE Energy Services and Equipment) with Robin Rigby as Chairman.
* 1975: Rupert Neve leaves the company under contract to not produce a similar product for ten years (i.e. Focusrite 1985).
* 1977: 8058 and 8068 Mark 1, 5312, 5315
* 1978: Rupert Neve and Company Ltd becomes Neve Electronics International on April 1, 1978.
* 1978: Neve digital design department formed.
* 1985: Neve taken over by  Siemens AG (Austria) end 1985.
* 1992: Company is amalgamated with AMS in [[Burnley]] with remaining staff either moving to [[Burnley]] or the [[London]] Sales Office. Company now called [[AMS Neve]].
* 2005: [[AMS Neve]] acquired by [[SAE Institute]].
* 2010: SAE sells its interests in AMS Neve back to Mark Crabtree.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.ams-neve.com Company website]

[[Category:Audio mixing console manufacturers]]
[[Category:Audio equipment manufacturers of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Manufacturing companies established in 1961]]
[[Category:Electronics companies established in 1961]]
[[Category:British companies established in 1961]]
[[Category:1975 mergers and acquisitions]]
[[Category:1985 mergers and acquisitions]]