dbx 160vu clone

[abechap024]

Sounds great dy! i'm excited.

The answer to your Doobie's question is "no...".  I'm almost positive the Doobie's Toulouse Street album (which featured "Listen") came out in '72.  The dbx 160 came out around '76.

That is such a great sounding album!! Ahhhhh Oh no... ??? ??? oh welll..

 

[damnyankee]

Yes, Toulouse Street came out in '72 (man, I'm getting OLD!).  it was recorded at Wally Heider Studios in San Fran.

Here's a nice article by Russ Gary of his recollections as an engineer at Wally Heider Studios around that time:

http://wallyheider.com/wordpress/2010/01/rebel1/

You could probably Google him and get his contact info if you want to ask him which comps they had in their studios in addition to the 1176...

DY

 

[haima]

i was recording in the old studio C last october - nice room

i used an 1176 too - no wonder every track came out sounding like toulouse st!

hahahah

 

[abechap024]

Awesome history. I love that the guy rented out a half hour in bill putnams studio and measured it all!
Thats great you were in studio C! looks like an amazing place. And the 1176 must be why that album sounds so good ;-) eyyyy

K after much self examination and hair pulling. I sent off the order. I'll update on shipping times and all that when I get the info.

Thank you all who are participating! I'm hoping it will be a great learning experience for alll(but not too much of a learning experience;-). I know I've been learning a lot!

Thanks again!
AC

 

[Morning_Star]

When this has been tested I'll def be interested.

 

[Tekay]

Nothing about installing an API console at Wally Heider? I was told that CCR used an API console and a 3M 16ch when they recorded Willy and the poor boys. I even have a copy somewhere, of the made modifications to that console.

 

[damnyankee]

Nothing about installing an API console at Wally Heider? I was told that CCR used an API console and a 3M 16ch when they recorded Willy and the poor boys. I even have a copy somewhere, of the made modifications to that console.

Actually, I think the topic is revolving around which outboard compressor was used on the bass of "Listen to the Music".  AC wondered  aloud if that bass compressor could've been a dbx 160 (which we're reverse engineering).  After checking it out, the Toulouse Street album came out in '72 and the dbx 160 didn't come out until '76.  So the 160 couldn't have been the compressor.  Gary Russ who worked there at the time stated the studio had 1176's and as he didn't mention any other compressor, that's kind of where the conversation is hanging. 

DY

 

[haima]

there's heaps of other related info on http://www.wallyheider.com

particularly, check out this photo of studio C around 1970:

http://www.wallyheider.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=1724

shows a couple of "blue stripe" 1176s, and the console (mostly made from UA parts i think)

also check out this article:

http://mixonline.com/recording/tracking/classic-tracks-creedence-clearwater-revival-fortunate/

 

[Biasrocks]

shows a couple of "blue stripe" 1176s, and the console (mostly made from UA parts i think)

And before those I wouldn't be surprised if they were using the tube variants, 175b & 176's.

If you dig through the site you'll also see a pair of Lang PEQ's and what looks like a Cinema EQ in the main rack.

Along with close up's of the United Audio EQ's and the Demedio 'Input Strip'

Mark

 

[damnyankee]

And before those I wouldn't be surprised if they were using the tube variants, 175b & 176's.

If you dig through the site you'll also see a pair of Lang PEQ's and what looks like a Cinema EQ in the main rack.

Along with close up's of the United Audio EQ's and the Demedio 'Input Strip'

Mark

Wow...I see (4) blue stripes with what looks like (2) LA-3A's or LA-4A's and in the other studio, (2) 1176LN and (2) LA-3A's or LA-4A's.  This gear still stands tall even today.

 

[abechap024]

Hi all,
I don't want to be jumping back and forth from the order thread so I'll post all updates here. Also I've taken the liberty of naming this the "CLX" which happens to be the roman numeral for 160 (thank you wikipedia!)

BOM for respective sections, will update a BOM for the full build:

Recommened  ;D ;D ;D:
FULL Build

Section BOMs:
Main Board for Build
Original 160vu Power supply
RMS detector
Discrete / that VCA


updated schematic and PCB overlay (hopefully easier to read)

Just Main Board Schematic
Full Schematic
Reference PCB Layout


btw sorry the schematics are so funky - I've been fighting this program ever since I converted it from eagle...So bear with me...
Cheers!
AC

ps. found out today boards will be shipped from factory on the 17th

 

[haima]

i've been thinking - for those who want the push button look, perhaps one option is to use the 1176 style "Meter Switch Bank Assembly" from hairball - and use the 4th switch as a mains power switch - like the 1176...

http://hairballaudio.com/shop/product_info.php?cPath=28&products_id=55

i know hairball mike is/was looking into 3way versions for this project - but this could be a neat solution and it doesn't require him stocking a new item?

 

[abechap024]

I wasn't aware there was a switch like that....with the spdt built right in. I'm assuming only the first 3 switches are ganged?
in which case that would work perfectly! (great price too)
Good thinking
AC

 

[Arno]

No, they're all ganged in the 1176.
Power shuts of when fourth switch is in. Power on for gr/+4/+8 switches.
But I'm sure one can remove one of the swichtes from the interlocking eh thing.

 

[abechap024]

Hi All
For those in the states here is a mouser shopping cart:

USA MOUSER 160vu / CLX FULL BUILD PARTS LIST 

for the full dealio...as in original power supply, discrete vca, rms .....If you end up using it you should probably add more BCxxx parts so you can do some sort of matching for the VCA....I only have the *exact* number you'll need

    If anyone from overseas wants to place an order and then have it shipped to me, I can send it along with your board. I don't know if that will be more convienent or not, but If you live somewhere with limited availibility of parts....might be the way to go.

regards
AC

edit: I didn't include any opamps...thought people usually have enough laying around(or have their favorite types). And you can experiment with whatever...except for the lm301 in the output stage and the first lm301A in the RMS detector, those are set up using their "feed forward" and if you want to replace with different opamps you'll have to leave out the pf capacitors that feed forward. or just stick with the lm301!  

 

[damnyankee]

Let's talk Vbe transistor matching - which will be a must for the VCA.  The Vbe between the two transistors must be between around 0.5 mv of each other.  A circuit will need to be built to do the testing and during testing, air (via fan???) will need to be blown over the transistors being tested to ensure transistor temperatures are the same.  If there is something else I've omitted, please add it.

Now, I've never done this and I have to believe some of you haven't either.  So here's a good article with visuals to explain the process: http://www.musicfromouterspace.com/analogsynth/TRANSISTORMATCHER/TRANSISTORMATCHER.php

I like the LED confirmation on the left hand side of the breadboard.  ;D

Does anyone use a simpler circuit???

Thanks!

DY

 

[Whoops]

Don't know if this might be help full at this point,
but here you can find the original manual with Schematic :

http://www.technicalaudio.net/pdf/dbx/dbx_160.pdf

 

[abechap024]

Don't know if this might be help full at this point,
but here you can find the original manual with Schematic :

http://www.technicalaudio.net/pdf/dbx/dbx_160.pdf

thanks for your good intentions Whops but that schematic can be found on the dbx website and has been the basis of this thread since the thread began.

 

[clintrubber]

I would also like to do the Rockman Instrument EQ, Rockman Stereo Echo,

Just curious, have you seen schematics for these ? Or to be based on the info from the patents ?

Cheers/Bye

 

[haima]

Let's talk Vbe transistor matching - which will be a must for the VCA.

what about the option of using THAT matched transistor arrays? i they are better matched than anything we could do easily - and better thermal coupling due to being on the same die. they are available at farnell and mouser amongst other places.... not TOO expensive considering the time needed to find matches.

obviously the pcb would need to be drawn to suit - perhaps something for the next revision?

that that data http://www.thatcorp.com/datashts/300data.pdf