Mastering compressor.

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ryanlikestorock

New member
Joined
Jul 23, 2004
Messages
4
Location
Toronto, Canada
Hey there. This is my first post here.

I am a newbie to DIY audio electronics projects but am interested in dedicating a lot of time and effort into building a piece of gear that I can use in my audio mastering studio. Ideally, I'd like to start with a stereo compressor. Which model would you all suggest?

There seems to be a lot of information on the LA2a, but it seems to run in mono. Is there a standard plan for a stereo compressor unit out there, or is the common suggestion to just run two LA2as?

Thanks for all your help. Obviously I'm in the very early stages of what is probably going to be a huge project. I appreciate any help you can offer. I'm going to need it.
 
Hi Ryan!
Welcome to The Lab!
Post often.
It's free!
:grin:
Most folks take this as the pecking order:
1)George Masenberg
2)SSL
3)UREI 1176

And some people would say slide the Fairchild 670 in there for posterity, but that is a bear to DIY.
Those darn 6386's!
That darn Chicago output. Two Triad HS..'s and and two more HS..'s, and then a couple of A10's with 33 cans, geez!


There is a chap selling boards for the real simple SSL.
That's the way to go.
Save the LA2 for some awesome vocal compression. :guinness:
 
Thanks for your word of advice. I'll have a look around for those plans. Like I said, I've never done this before, but I'll be working with a friend who has a better understanding of electronics than I do.
 
Hi Ryan,

Welcome here!

The SSL-Clone project can be found here:

http://www.gyraf.dk/gy_pd/gyraf_diy.html

The pcb's can be found in the "black market" section of this forum..

Jakob E.
 
From the projects floating around in this forum, I'd say the SSL clone might be the best one. The 1176 is not good for mastering. It's too coloured/aggresive, lacks low ratios and is a bitch to run in stereo. Also, I've nver heard anyone actually use one/two for mastering.

The LA2A is also not usefull for mastering, you have very little control over the compression action. A bitch to run stereo as well.

When the Neve clone is ready I think that might be usefull, but it's expensive and complicated.

So the SSL is the one to DIY, I think. It would be fun to hear a hifi'ed version with better opamps/caps/PSU for mastering purposes only.
 
Yes,

Welcome to The Lab.

The SSL clone mentioned is a really useful compressor- everyone I know who's used one loves it- both as a buss-compressor for drums etc, and as an "across the mix" device. It gives you a fantastic "tightening up" of the sound, but can also be transparent. Very handy! Do a search for "SSL clone" in the search box (make sure you click the "search all terms" box!) for lots of other first-hand information, construction tips and great pics!

Sismofyt,

I think DrFrankencopter has been working on a "turbo" SSL?

:thumb:

Mark
 
Cool! I always thought that was a contender for a mod like that. I'm no fan of it's compression characteristics, actually I hate it, like I hate the SSL boards, but I'm a weirdo minority :green:
 
Mikkel has got that audio-cap-trannie-biscuit pretty well wrapped up :wink:

Cookie1.jpg
 
Oh yeah, I totally forgot that one :roll: That would be kool as well. Totally ghetto MU :green:

Michael, the cookie jar is not a comp, but tube electronics for an ol' Tandberg reel2real :grin:

I wonder how those "Tivoli Butt Cokiees" taste? :shock: :razz: :green: :sam: :thumb:
 
I'm thinking of trying the LA2a first to just get something finished. It looks like the easiest. I'll have a use for it in my studio, but if it goes well, I'd really like to look at a stereo compressor.

How many man-hours would you estimate goes into an LA2a for a first time DIY gear builder?
 
The G-SSL was the first compressor I built. It was really a simple build. I took my time and asked questions if I was unsure of anything. It came out great and I'd recommend it to just about anyone. I absolutely love it on a drum buss. It really opens up and kit and allows my mixes to "rock" so to speak. In time I'm sure I'll build at least one more. I have sixteen busses.... maybe I'll just go ahead and build 8 of them... hmmmmmmm

A G-1176 is next compressor on the list for me.. :grin:
 
I just finished an LA2A. I do have some amp/tube gear building experience though. I did everything from sourcing the parts to drilling the chasis. I'd say I spent near 80 hours all said.

If you do not have any electronics experience, I would not build and LA2A. I know that you said your friend has experience, but if he has no experience with tube stuff and point to point wiring, I'd suggest something different.

I don't know if the other PCB based projects are easier since they are basically paint by numbers, because I haven't done one that way yet, but you may consider that option.

If you want to continue in the DIY world, I'd suggest you should spend a good few months just reading posts, searching the internet for information on electronics and tube electronics, and figuring out what all the crap on the schematics are and how they work.

Good Luck!
 
I'd also say go with the G-SSL first. I built two and they work so good that I installed them into my console, . (I'll post pics when I get more apprpriate knobs) It's really a first class project .
I also own an LA2A and that gets used all the time, but I'd not want to be doing one of of those as a first DIY. Every studio needs one of these.

cheers,
Lance
 
Sismofyt

When the Neve clone is ready I think that might be usefull, but it's expensive and complicated.

Care to share some project information on this Clone? As far as expensive, how expensive and as far as complicated how complicated? When in the future will this clone be available to the DIY public. I read your post and I have to ask these questions. I am building two SSL's and I will probably make more but if this Neve is colored I may make one unit.

Later
 

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