A $30,000 Neve Melbourn for $4000? Not quite...

The Neve Melbourn 12-2 mixing console is a classic in miniature, but now quite expensive to buy on the used market. But might this be an alternative?

A $30,000 Neve Melbourn for $4000? Not quite...

The Neve Melbourn 12-2 mixing console is a classic in miniature, but now quite expensive to buy on the used market. But might this be an alternative?

It's always interesting to see what gems come up for sale on eBay. There are few bargains however because these days everyone seems to know what things are worth.

The Neve Melbourn, which the item for sale is not, is a very desirable item. It has the Neve sound, and Neve preamps, to which many aspire. Also it is a lovely little unit to use. I've used one, actually two, and I know. I did aspire to own one at one stage when the used price was around $8000. Silly me, my decision not to buy was proven wrong by the subsequent rise in value to somewhere around $30,000, depending of course on condition.

By the way, the Neve Melbourn is named after the village in Cambridgeshire UK, not Melbourne Australia.

But here for sale on eBay (link active October 4, 2012) is a mixing console, the Chilton QM3, that looks like the Neve Melbourn's fraternal twin brother. And the buy-it-now price is a mere £2500 UK pounds, or around $4000.

Of course it isn't a Neve and it doesn't have Neve preamps. It's a Chilton and it has Chilton preamps. But the 'fun to use' factor is probably very similar. And who knows - the preamps might be gems in hiding.

In terms of 'what's-not-to-like?', well the item might be sold by the time you read this. Oh well, there must be more of these around...

If you want to know more, here's the manual...