A note to those whose first, second, or third love is not audio recording equipment:

Although you may not understand the language used below, you have all been influenced by the sound of good quality audio that used vacuum tube amplifiers, regardless of what genre of music was your favourite. For this reason, we've included the song/music files as a perk for your contribution. We'll keep building the library of music that is available through the special link you'll receive when you contribute $10 or more to the Busby campaign.

Our Story

Busby Electronics was started three years ago, although seeds for the idea were planted in the early 1980s when Donn Tarris owned, for a brief time, one of the rare Universal Audio 610 modular mixing consoles. These recording consoles, designed and built by Bill Putnam Sr were to become one of the most sought after mixers from the vacuum tube era. To recording engineers, these offered the bar to which other audio preamps were measured up to.

Unfortunately, the console was in very poor shape, and a decision was made to trade the modules to a dealer in San Francisco who could place them into studios around the US as single channels of preamplification.

From this:

The original 2005 design of the ArMod (originally called the TiMod)

To this:

The new 2011 design of the ArMod

Fast forward to 2008. After three years of modifying vintage audio preamps purchased off ebay (see ArMod original 2005 design above) and reselling them, Donn was finally ready to pursue the design of a new multi-channel audio mixer based on the best 1960s vacuum tube design. Largely driven by the desire to have a compact mixer that could feed the missing six channels of microphone preamplifiers in many eight channel digital audio interfaces, He spent a year studying vintage designs of preamps in books from the late 1950s and early 1960s. A business plan was formulated and investors approached to raise funds for completing the design of every component that would go into the mixer. A definite set of criteria was included in the plan:

1. The design had to incorporate the best of ideas from the early 1960s along with the flexibility required in a modern recording studio. The gain structure had to be able to be set to mimic that of a late 1950s console, or set to allow for maximum headroom, low noise, and accurate amplification - all by the choice of the recording engineer.
2. The design was to be based on a selection of tubes that was not ubiquitous.
   
3. The design should use as many locally available parts as possible - first within the local community, then from the province, then the country, then from other countries with similar economic circumstance. This was to ensure as many jobs as possible stayed in each of these geographic areas. Whenever possible, parts would be made locally within Busby's own shop. This currently includes all metal work, printed circuit boards, paint, and even the casting of the custom control knobs!
   
4. The products must be able to be repaired in the field, to reduce shipping costs, as well as the amount of time needed to affect repairs. All design has this in mind to ensure that the equipment is easy to work on, and that parts are more readily available. No solid state or integrated circuits are used within the signal path. ICs are only used in the regulation of power and for the headphone amp. All other circuits are simple vacuum tube circuits using relatively commonly available parts.
   
5. The products would not be sold just as hardware. In 1979 Donn was involved in starting the first school for recording arts aimed at project studio operators. He designed the initial courses for record engineering and production, giving students a solid base from which to carry on learning. The concepts covered in those initial courses is still relevant today, and will be made available to Busby customers through the web site.
   

Busby 2Rack prototype

Today Busby is set up to build from the designs that have been created and tested over the past two and a half years. Prototypes have been built and used on demo recordings. Feedback is found on the Busby web site from industry professionals who have tested the circuit in the form of the Busby 2Rack dual channel preamp and have been blown away. Initial orders have been received from around the world.

The Impact

Busby Electronics is pure cottage industry. As much of the work as possible is done in our own shop, with sourcing starting locally and moving outward from there - Town, Province, Country, Continent...

The philosophy behind building products designed to last several lifetimes ensures an impact in many areas of artistic, business, and even ecological environments.

What We Need

Busby Electronics is looking to raise $15,000 to improve our equipment and provide training to the people doing the work on building the products we've designed.

If we don't meet our full fundraising goal, we will use what is collected to facilitate training first, then the replacement of the cnc machine. As soon as even one of the products ships to its intended destination, we're confident that other orders will be placed to allow us to continue production.

What You Get

Look at the side panel perks offered for your contributions, we've tried to offer something for everyone - music lover, tech/geek, musician, small or large studio owner. See if something there attracts your attention. You can also feel great knowing that you're helping a small North American manufacturer design and build good quality equipment that will help creators of the music and soundtracks that you listen to!

Other Ways You Can Help

Please share this link with friends, family, associates, acquaintances - anyone you think may be remotely interested. We appreciate all the help we get growing this small company!