Universal Audio DCS-RP Manual - Manual (Page 17)

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Historical Notes
Bill Putnam Sr. was awarded the 2000 Technical Grammy for his multiple contributions to the recording industry. He
was highly regarded as a recording engineer, studio designer/operator and inventor. Putnam was considered a
favorite of musical icons including Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Ray Charles, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald and
many, many more. The studios he designed and operated were known for their sound and were an experimentation
ground for his continuing desire to push the envelope. Universal Recording in Chicago, United and Western in Los
Angeles (now Ocean Way and Cello) all preserve elements of his room designs.
The companies Putnam started, Universal Audio, Studio Electronics, and UREI, built products that are still in regular
use decades after their development.
In 1999 Bill Jr. and James Putnam re-launched Universal Audio and merged with Kind of Loud technologies – a
leading audio software company – with two goals: Reproduce classic analog recording equipment designed by their
father and his colleagues, research and design new recording tools in the spirit of vintage analog technology. Today
Universal Audio is fulfilling that goal, bridging the worlds of vintage analog and DSP technology in a creative
atmosphere where musicians, audio engineers, analog designers and DSP engineers intermingle and exchange
ideas every day. Analog or digital, UA remains committed to the “hand assembled” ideal that has been forgotten by
many audio manufacturers. Whatever the endeavor, every project taken on by the UA team is driven by its historical
roots and a desire to wed classic analog technology with the demands of the modern digital studio.
The 610 Preamp
The 2-610 was inspired by the Putnam-designed 610 console built in 1960 for his United Recording facility at 6050
Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood (now Ocean Way). As was the case with most of Putnam’s innovations, the 610 was
the pragmatic upshot of a recurring problem in the studio: how to fix a console without interrupting a session. The
traditional console of the time was a one-piece control surface with all components connected via patch cords. If a
problem occurred, the session came to a halt while the console was dismantled. Putnam’s solution was to build a
mic-pre with gain control, echo send and adjustable EQ on one modular chassis using a printed circuit board. While
modular consoles are commonplace today, the 610 was quite a breakthrough at the time.
While the 610 was designed for practical reasons, it was aesthetic appeal that made it popular with the recording
artists who frequented United and Western in the 60’s. The character of the mic-pre in particular made it favorite of
engineers like Bruce Swedien, Bruce Botnick, Lee Hershberg and Jack Joseph Puig; and artists including Sarah
Vaughan, Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles, and The Beach Boys. Swedien describes the character of the preamp as
“clear and open” and “very musical”.
Studios 2 and 3 at Western, which featured the 610 console, were the site of many classic recordings of the 60’s,
including the Mamas and the Papas (Bones Howe), Up, Up and Away by the Fifth Dimension, Herb Alpert, Sergio
Mendes (Bruce Botnick), and of course Pet Sounds.
Legendary engineer Wally Heider, manager of remote recording at United, used his 610 console to record many live
recordings including Peter, Paul and Mary “In Concert” (1964), Wes Montgomery’s “Full House” (1962), and all of
the Smothers Brothers Live albums. Heider’s console was later acquired by Paul McManus in 1987, who spent a
decade restoring it. [We thank Paul for his efforts and his contribution to our efforts to trace the history of the 610.]
At least one 610 module is still in use at Ocean Way. Allen Sides, who purchased the studio from Putnam to open
Ocean Way, personally traveled to Hawaii to collect the 610 console that was used to record the live “Hawaii Calls”
broadcasts. Jack Joseph Puig has been ensconced in Studio A with the 610 (and a stunning collection of vintage
gear) where he has applied the vintage touch to acts including Beck, Hole, Counting Crows, Goo Goo Dolls, No Doubt,
Green Day and Jellyfish.