P8-TFPRO Edward the Compressor

Anyone used one of these?

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/P8-TFPRO-Compressor-Limiter-JoeMeekSC2-LA2A-LN1176-Urei-/140461700166?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_146&hash=item20b42b7446

so is there actually a fet circuit, VCA, Tube Opto etc.... inside the box???

Mac

According to Fletcher's litterature, the GR element is an opto. There is a servo-circuit that allows to speed it up ot slow it down at will, within limits, as well as regulating the time-constants, so it can be made to behave like any of the cited types.

Perhaps, although it won't actually sound like any of them. 

A friend of mine had one of these on approval. It was interesting to try out all of the various 'emulations', but I have to say we agreed that the signal path sounded particularly bland.

That's why I started with "According to Fletcher's litterature..". 
Your comment is quite interesting because the P38 is supposed to sound similar to the Joe Meek SC2, which is supposed to be very "coloured"...

Hi,



      It is a long time since I used an SC2, but i would not really call it coloured . . . . in fact, i remember some visiting engineers asking if it was "in" or not, cos they couldn't tell . . . .

    Kinda lost in the mists of time . . .



      ANdyP

I own it and use it.  The VCA circuit but the setting does sound pretty good.  It is my favorite setting.  I use it as a buss compressor and sometimes a bass comp.  Purchased it new from Ted after meeting him at a NAMM show.  It is "bland" but sometimes bland is good.  The stereo knob is useful, more so than I thought it would be.  But I just turn knobs until it sounds good. 

strangeandbouncy said:

It is a long time since I used an SC2, but i would not really call it coloured . . . . in fact, i remember some visiting engineers asking if it was "in" or not, cos they couldn't tell . . . .

Click to expand...

I had an Joemeek SC2 (or was it a 2.2? ) Anyway, I always thought the compressor sat on a knife edge between not really doing much, and doing WAY too much. You had to get it just in the sweet spot. I liked it for a while, but slowly moved to other things.

FAIK the 'Ted' is completely different!

I have a sc2 that I like and use a lot.
I agree with the zebra comment though. it has a tendency to act too little or too much.
I like it a lot on drums. and as a subtle leveller when tracking.

Thanks for the info guys - probably not what I am after by the sounds of it.

Might have to get onto building "the mother of all mastering compressors" one of these days.... Mac

mac said:

Thanks for the info guys - probably not what I am after by the sounds of it.

Might have to get onto building "the mother of all mastering compressors" one of these days.... Mac

Click to expand...

I used a P38 for a few months in my mastering studio...... and didn't like it. There are lots of people who dig it a lot, but to me it was way too sensitive to bass frequencies. Also the modes where nice, but not really spectacular. Overall the sound was pretty flat, which isn't bad but far from coloured. There are people who call it a coloured box, I really wonder if they can identify it in a blind test! Last but not least, my unit had cross talk problems.

Maybe it's nice for a drum buss (doubt it though, because it's too sensitive in it's side chain to bass frequencies), but for me it's far from a mastering unit. I build and modified the VariMu project.... now THAT's a good sounding compressor, which is killer for mastering. Next up on my list is a Pico Compressor project with extended mods to make it a killer mastering comp, to complement the Varimu. And an ideal basis for your "the mother of all mastering compressors".

IMO there are some killer DIY comps which are perfect for mastering (with some mods), which will outperform some stock 'mastering' compressors.

kind regards
Maarten

maarten,
yes it was more along these lines that I was thinking - or maybe a dual fet and DAOC combination with switchable output trafos.... sort of shadow hills style...

getting way ahead of myself though, i have far too many other projects on the go which need finishing first...

mac