strangeandbouncy
Well-known member
Dear All,
Yesterday I conducted some(not very scientific) experiments with my 2 G-SSL's. One has 2151's, the other has dbx 2001's. I am not much of a fan of "A/Bing" since often all you can hear is the switching click . . . Now I have long prefered the 2001 version, finding it smoother, warmer and sweeter. I set up a compressor and after half an hour swapped it for the other. Showing my work partner how to change them, we continued, with him changing, so as how I couldn't see. I also asked him to throw me some "placebo" changes when he just pretended. Each time I could easily spot the compressor! Quite surprising! Even more suprising was the fact that I actually PREFER the 2151's on my drum sub-bus. More punchy, snappy, and aggressive, especially in the mid-range.
A couple of months ago, I accidently plugged my 2001 G-SSL over the lead vocal in a mix, liked it loads, and have used it more and more ever since. Now it is pretty much my first choice every time! Not so the 2151 G-SSL, which although making the vocal "sit" in the same way is "clacky"er and harder. I also tried to make the same comparison with the Quad Comp on our SSL, but comparisons are hard, since the levels in and out are much less than on the G-SSL. Not sure why. This sounds more like the 2151's. i am hoping to purchase some 202c's and some 2181's to try out soon.
I then tried changing the 5534an's for Fabio's 2@5@2%0bc's soldered onto some 8 way dil sockets. WOW! I have read some erudite folk round here say that it won't make a lot of difference. All I can say is try it! Depends on the material, and yet again, vocal is much smoother, warmer, sweeter, detailed, "Focused", etc i still prefer the 5534an's on the 2151 G-SSL over the drum-bus, for the same reasons as I prefer the 2151's there, ie punchier, more "smack". Over the mix, 2520bc is awesome. much more detail! Now I tried 2x2520;s lashed onto a dil socket to replace 5532's. Squeels like a pig! :? Loadsa RF . . . .damn! try as I might, no joy. i'll have to try again tomorrow with a clean head! Anyway I took the oportunity to try some OP275's in place of the 5532's. SAme Deal Again! Much smoother on the 2001's seems like there is more "extension" in the h.f. on a vocal, but I prefer "old clunky" on the drums.
the final experiment was to try to hear the difference in the sound running balanced/un-balanced. With both types of vca and output op-amps, I much prefer the sound running un-balanced! Maybe I just like the sound of the vca's running hotter? or perhaps the output is more symetrical? the negative leg is going through another op-amp than the positive. Who knows!
Anyway, i hope to be able to report a G-SSL with a completely discrete/Class A signal path, not just a partial one! i can't wait.
In the mean time PLEASE can someone sell me some more dbx2001's - even 1 will do . . .
All the best,
ANdyP
Yesterday I conducted some(not very scientific) experiments with my 2 G-SSL's. One has 2151's, the other has dbx 2001's. I am not much of a fan of "A/Bing" since often all you can hear is the switching click . . . Now I have long prefered the 2001 version, finding it smoother, warmer and sweeter. I set up a compressor and after half an hour swapped it for the other. Showing my work partner how to change them, we continued, with him changing, so as how I couldn't see. I also asked him to throw me some "placebo" changes when he just pretended. Each time I could easily spot the compressor! Quite surprising! Even more suprising was the fact that I actually PREFER the 2151's on my drum sub-bus. More punchy, snappy, and aggressive, especially in the mid-range.
A couple of months ago, I accidently plugged my 2001 G-SSL over the lead vocal in a mix, liked it loads, and have used it more and more ever since. Now it is pretty much my first choice every time! Not so the 2151 G-SSL, which although making the vocal "sit" in the same way is "clacky"er and harder. I also tried to make the same comparison with the Quad Comp on our SSL, but comparisons are hard, since the levels in and out are much less than on the G-SSL. Not sure why. This sounds more like the 2151's. i am hoping to purchase some 202c's and some 2181's to try out soon.
I then tried changing the 5534an's for Fabio's 2@5@2%0bc's soldered onto some 8 way dil sockets. WOW! I have read some erudite folk round here say that it won't make a lot of difference. All I can say is try it! Depends on the material, and yet again, vocal is much smoother, warmer, sweeter, detailed, "Focused", etc i still prefer the 5534an's on the 2151 G-SSL over the drum-bus, for the same reasons as I prefer the 2151's there, ie punchier, more "smack". Over the mix, 2520bc is awesome. much more detail! Now I tried 2x2520;s lashed onto a dil socket to replace 5532's. Squeels like a pig! :? Loadsa RF . . . .damn! try as I might, no joy. i'll have to try again tomorrow with a clean head! Anyway I took the oportunity to try some OP275's in place of the 5532's. SAme Deal Again! Much smoother on the 2001's seems like there is more "extension" in the h.f. on a vocal, but I prefer "old clunky" on the drums.
the final experiment was to try to hear the difference in the sound running balanced/un-balanced. With both types of vca and output op-amps, I much prefer the sound running un-balanced! Maybe I just like the sound of the vca's running hotter? or perhaps the output is more symetrical? the negative leg is going through another op-amp than the positive. Who knows!
Anyway, i hope to be able to report a G-SSL with a completely discrete/Class A signal path, not just a partial one! i can't wait.
In the mean time PLEASE can someone sell me some more dbx2001's - even 1 will do . . .
All the best,
ANdyP
