Cheapest compressor build.....

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therecordingart

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Joined
Sep 1, 2004
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Location
Chicago, IL
Normally I don't ask dumb questions like this, but I need to build a really cheap compressor.

I want to put a compressor between my DVD player and TV because when I watch DVDs at night I have to have the volume so low that I can't hear the dialog and the explosions and crap are still pretty loud. I have to ride the volume on the remote every few seconds. I HATE DVDs!!!!!!

Any suggestions?
 
Don't you have a "night" mode on your DVD player ?
Mine (Philips 963SA) has this night mode in its menu, this option is in fact a built-in digital compressor. It's a very nice option when my family is sleeping...
 
http://aronnelson.com/gallery/johan/LA_Light_last_one_001

..build it without the g.r-meter and use a resistors/cap like in stompboxes, for opampbias..then you're down to one dual opamp/channel
the input resistance network is straight out of the LA2a schematic. the rest is just a gain up opampstage and another opamp driving two antiparrallell ( for fullwave :wink: ) LEDs, shining on the LDR

I bet you allready have all the parts, and it should'nt take much more than an hour to build on stripboard

johan
 
[quote author="therecordingart"]Normally I don't ask dumb questions like this, but I need to build a really cheap compressor. [/quote]
I know you need a line-level device, but how about a one part compressor ? :grin:

a lightbulb carefully selected to match the power output of an amp acts as a very interesting organic compressor, with the attack time dictated by the turn on time of the incandescent filament.

http://www.valvejunior.com/


Or headphones ?
 
I was going to suggest headphones and just saw someone else posted that too.

I have that problem sometimes too and I am waiting for the warranty to run out for my tv so I can just wire a plug to the speakers. Low impedance headphones will sound great off the tv amp.

jim
 
Maybe just a couple of diodes wired into your RCA cables would be a cheap quick dirty plan.
I don't think you want to build stereo LA2's just becuase of a dumb neighbor.
 
What about a vactrol? Hang the LDR right off the line to ground and a dual opamp and some passives to handle all the envelope stuff. Should be able to make it to your needs quite easily, and have decent quality.

Didn't some compressor do this? Only had one resistor in the signal chain or something?

adam
 
Just buy an old Aphex Compellor and save yourself the trouble.. has a levelling mode that suits you well here. Won't cost much and you can aim your diy itch for something better. :cool:
 
[quote author="therecordingart"]Normally I don't ask dumb questions like this, but I need to build a really cheap compressor.

I want to put a compressor between my DVD player and TV because when I watch DVDs at night I have to have the volume so low that I can't hear the dialog and the explosions and crap are still pretty loud. I have to ride the volume on the remote every few seconds. I HATE DVDs!!!!!!

Any suggestions?[/quote]

I find this hilarious. We in audio have been working for decades to achieve the dynamic range of a DVD. Now when we have it, we complain about it? I guess we can never have enough. :wink:
 
I know this is DIY, but can you build a stereo comp for under $160?

http://cgi.ebay.com/FMR-Audio-RNC-1773-Stereo-Compressor-MINT-CONDITION_W0QQitemZ160030336194QQihZ006QQcategoryZ38070QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Everyone should have one anyway...

Kinda OT. Sorry.
 
Jules Ryckebusch's design, published in a couple of places, isn't too bad, and might be a few bucks cheaper to build than it would cost to buy an RNC. The manual and schemo are here and the link to Paia's circuit board ordering is here. It is, I think, the PC-9601. The main IC is the SSM2120. Is that still around?

Peace,
Paul
 
[quote author="mediatechnology"]...stereo coupled. You will need that feature. [/quote]

ha! I think you can buy something for cheaper than building. I had this same problem a while back. I hooked up a mono ashly CL-50E I had laying around and it was "perfect". I think I payed $40 for that thing. split one of the (L or R) outputs of the DVD player with a y-cable, send that to the mono comp, another y-cable sends the comp output to an unused stereo input on your receiver/preamp. switch inputs to go from normal to compressed.

I agree with the RNC suggestion, that would be ideal.
 
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