SSL 9K DIY how does it sound

Hi all!

Just finished up my second SSL comp and started building 1176's.....but what about the SSL 9k project. What does it sound like compared to the real thing? I've worked on a 9000J a couple of times and wonder what the DIY channel can do...

Opinions anyone?

:?:

Morten

not sure how it sounds compared to the *real* thing, but unless the 9k console's pres can be patched to an output without going through the rest of the channel it would be hard to compare them completely unbiased.

I just finished channels 3 and 4 of my ssl9k preamps. these are great preamps. cheap, easy to build and with different opamps, can be colored slightly to give something different.

i saw this was placed in the meta so i thought i would update my opinion a bit after having used the preamps in some sessions.. they are still great! two of my channels received the last of my OPA627s instead of the 5534s. I still have to say that the OPA parts rule over the 5534 anyday and the sound is much *sweeter* but they are insanely expensive. otherwise the 9k preamps are awesome as they stand and i expect that most are likely not to hear an upgrade in quality by using expensive opamps, but they will change the color a bit for certain.

Cheers!

:guinness:

Anyone ever compared the 9k to the Green Pre? The topology is similar so I was wondering about the sound?

[quote author="Flatpicker"]Anyone ever compared the 9k to the Green Pre? The topology is similar so I was wondering about the sound?[/quote]

Yea, this comes to my mind also...

:guinness:
Fabio

Hey Guys,

Neeno and I compared his SSL9K and my Green. It was far from a scientific
test just some acoustic guitar samples we did through our own ?Chinese? LDR mics
and the pres themselves.

After listening to the samples we found they both had very similar
characteristics. Big bottom end, full mid range and silky high end. Very
clean, and I mean very.

I actually couldn?t get used to the sound at first. My only other pres I had,
other than in my Soundcraft console were the ones on my 002R. Since nowdays
I only do over dubs at in my home studio I just went into the 002R for
convenience.

The 002R pres have a huge scoop in the mids and altered lows, which I had
become accustomed to. So when I heard the Green my mind was doing a jump
having all these mids and lows I didn?t have before!

To be honest I sheepishly thought the pre ?sounded wrong? and Neeno offered his
ears to listen to the sample, which he thought sounded very good. He then
recording a sample on the SSL9K and they were very similar.

I?ll try and record a sample with my Green and 002R to illustrate my point.

Cheers

Matt

[quote author="Svart"] two of my channels received the last of my OPA627s instead of the 5534s. [/quote]

I think I have 4 x OPA627 and 4 x OPA637 somewhere. Does the cicuit need to be modified for the OPA627 or will they go straight in (I know they're DIP8)?

Are the OPA637's similar to the OPA627's?

Thanks in advance.

the OPA627 will drop right in for the 5534. the opa637 will oscillate terribly in this application even with heavy feedback caps. the opa637 is the same in terms of pinout and functions but MUCH faster and is only stable at gains of 5 or more, once you reach this it becomes stable without feedback. I dropped a few of these in some simple 2 BJT/1 opamp/1 servo preamps and they work very well.

Thanks for that Svart. I'll try them in there when they're complete.

Hey Guys,

I didn't want to steer away from the topic of Green Vs SSL9K but I posted some clips of my 002R vs Green here: http://www.groupdiy.com/index.php?topic=106300

Cheers

Matt

[quote author="BladeSG"]...Are the OPA637's similar to the OPA627's?[/quote]Besides what Svart said, I'll add that the '627s top frequency is below 20KHz at 60dB, whereas the '637 is well above 20KHz at 60dB.