Add option to g1176

[pstcho]

Hi guys, i would like to know if anybody tried to add some gadget ( more or less important ) to a G1176

I am using a lot of plugins that i would like to replace by hardware littl by little and some option would be welcome

1. Input Vu Meter ( seperate from the normal one or possibility to switch to input from the original meter )
2. Mix know between dry signal and compressed one
3. Low pass to trigger the compression less hard

Anybody tried any of it?

 

[pucho812]

I don't think anyone has ever tried to add to the design to the g1176 however a side chain filter would be pretty cool as would a blend knob.  The metering I could do without.

 

[dirtyhanfri]

The blend section should be doable, just take a look at the different crush n blend projects around.

I would buffer the input, split it to compressor and mix circuit, then take the comp out to the mix circuit too and the output of this circuit to the physical output of your unit

 

[pstcho]

as i work with computer it is true those options are gadget but i would like to go more analog and has less channels and process stuff from my computer so those gadgets would be welcome

For the blend, the cool thing would be to keep the bypass signal of the 1176 not the full bypass

 

[joaquins]

as i work with computer it is true those options are gadget but i would like to go more analog and has less channels and process stuff from my computer so those gadgets would be welcome

For the blend, the cool thing would be to keep the bypass signal of the 1176 not the full bypass

You say keep using the output stage for the uncompressed signal? Is not a bad idea actually but sometimes I like to add different eq to both signals which would be pretty involved. It could be done, just mix at the output level control, at that point you could add a blender just after the level control, interaction between both controls should be analyzed so is not a problem.

JS

 

[pstcho]

So i've been thinking a lot about those options

About the vu metre i made a board with a UAA 180 controler for 12 leds calibrated for line input but i am wondering where i can take the source form the board or the 1176 ( straight on the Jack input ? ) i am scared it would fuck up the impedence of the input and either make noise either make the compressor react differently ( and i love how it works right now ) or worse destroy the beautiful singla my preamp gives before the compressor

about the mix in fact i think i dont really need, just a nice stuff i use when i mix but i use my 1176 for now just for tracking vocals

for the low pass, the same, so rest the vu metre problem   any suggestion? do i think wrong about the impedence of the input? Should i add a transformer or something else so seperate the input of the vu metre board?

 

[hymentoptera]

Concerning the buffered sidechain, there was a guy on here maybe about a year ago who built 2 or 3 custom PCBs just for that, for high-pass filtering the sidechain, and if I recall correctly, he had good results. Was looking for someone to send a spare board to for testing. I think he was in California?

A search of the forums turned up this link http://groupdiy.com/index.php?topic=54799

Also, I was considering modifying the Hairball Stereo Link kit in order to patch in/out of the sidechain, since technically that's what it's doing, right? The Hairball Link boards are inserted in between the output pot and the PCB boards, and grab a taste of each sidechain, mixes them together, then sends the new mixed signal back to each respective unit. Unless I'm mistaken, this circuit could easily be used to perform a sidechain filter, perhaps by playing with the values of resistors in the negative feedback loop on the Link PCB, maybe strapping a capacitor across it, or to ground, and/or replacing the NFB loop resistor with a variable one, in theory you should be able to tinker with the sidechain from here. I'm surprised no one has done this yet! The Stereo Link Kit is very affordable, and it's already buffered. Pretty much plug-and-play.

Imagine "shorting" jacks for sidechain insert, being able to patch into the sidechain at will for filtering, ducking, etc, and then a knob/switch on the front to engage the sidechain filter! This would expand the usefulness of an already incredibly useful compressor!

 

[hymentoptera]

As for monitoring the input using the meter, I was wondering if it would be safe to mult the input (after the input transformer I suppose) and run that out to the meter board in place of the otherwise useless "+8" section.

Looking at the Rev A schematic in front of me, you'd have to cut the trace between R77 and R18 on the meter board, and probably replace R77 with another 3k6 resistor instead of the 8k2 in the BOM, and inject one side of the input signal into R77, but I don't see any reason why this wouldn't work... I guess you'd have to figure out what to do with the other side of the input signal since you wouldn't want it shorted to the output (edit, see note below)... Anyways, maybe this mod might load down the input, but only while the "+8" button is pressed? Only way to find out is to try it! It might be very useful for monitoring input levels!

Consider that, as always, you'd have to keep the input and output wires separate to avoid oscillation. Recommend using shielded wire for all connections, including the existing twisted pair from output XLR to meter board. In fact, I'm not sure why shielded pair isn't recommended here to begin with.

As for where to tap the input signal from? If you grab it from the input XLR then you are only monitoring the output stage of the previous device, but this would be easiest and could still be very useful. If tapping the input from in front of or after the input tranformer, I'm not sure what the effects would be. Some brave soul will have to try it out!

Edit: I see now what you'd have to do with the low side of the input, you cut another trace on the meter board and inject it there, mirroring what was done with the high side. This seems like a really simple mod; cut two traces, run some shielded wire, replace R77 with 3.6k, and test! The only question is what is the best place to tap the input signal from? XLR? Input tranny output?

 

[pstcho]

yeah i believe my next di will be a stereo, now i added a slow attack and nuke switch to my g1176 and it makes miracles on snare, i believe on a master it would sound great

i think to buy the stereo  at Grinder and mount it for this purpose so the low cut will be very usefull

about the input metter any sugggestion? that is what i would like the most cause my preamp doesnt have any metter

 

[pstcho]

thanks a lot for your suggestions, i want to add actually a second metter, a led one for the input and yes mostly to monitor what comes in the 1176 so the output of my preamp

It is a ridge farm cas cooker ( i love the sound and the saturation it brings ) but it is very difficult to contrl it without mettre

Before i didnt have the 1176 i was using the compressor of a mindprint but didnt sound as good but at least i could monitor perfectly my input and never get unwanted distortion

so i will try first to send a white noise in the 1176 record what comes in and then plus the vu mettre on the xlr and see what happens by comparing 

 

[hymentoptera]

Theres tons of posts on here already about adding LED meters to various DIY projects and also as existing gear mods. I'm sure the search will turn them up.

Try searching up the LM3914 and LM3916 chips. These ICs are the brains behind almost every LED display you've ever seen... one's peak, the other's RMS, respectively, so if you're worried about clipping then the 3914 might be what you want, but if you want a VU style display then check out the 3916. Buy several of each (they're cheap!) and breadboard them up to see how they'll behave, because if not implemented correctly I think they might load down the input and change how the unit sounds. Maybe some kind of high impedance buffer, like a FET opamp is needed? I'm really not sure what the best implementation would be. You'll have to research it.

Really, I think my R77 mod (R50 in the Rev D) I suggested is the simplest method. And it's easy to fix back to factory settings if it doesn't turn out right. Cut two traces on the meter board, change one resistor value, and run some shielded twisted pair from input XLR, not unlike what's already done with the output XLR, and when in "+8" meter mode you'd have a nice view of incoming signal. Again, I haven't actually tried this, but it seems simple enough!

 

[pstcho]

thanks for your reply

i made vu mettres with UAA 180  and  ba682  cause i have plenty of them   the LM 3914  is a big classic indeed but i try to use/recycle my stocks in general ...

anyway i will take a loot maybe how to make a standalone line vu mettre and stick it between the gass cooker and the 1176 why not

 

[hymentoptera]

Okay, well here's a quick little schematic of what I had in mind. I don't see any reason why this wouldn't work, except the input signal might be a little low, even before the attenuator, but it should still work.

Note: I haven't actually tried this yet. Just putting it out there for input. All comments/suggestions welcome.

Note 2: Notice that the standard +4 low side from the output XLR must be moved to the switch pole to work correctly.

 

[pstcho]

hey sorry i didnt get notification for this message

Very interesting and pretty easy to do

So you suggest to use the vu mettre already present in the device

I was thinking to have another one for a constant vue of the input but yeah it is a good  start

i dont really have time unfortunately this days to check out cause too much work at the studio but i will keep this on the side for when i have time !! thanks a lot

 

[hymentoptera]

Right, basically reusing the existing "+8" button which is pretty much useless unless you like to crank your outputs until distortion...

I think the +8 switch can be made useful again by making it an input monitor at +4 instead. Unless someone smarter than me sees something I missed.

Concerning OP question #2, wet/dry mix, this can be done on any mixer. Look up "parallel compression". The effect would be the same I think, depending on what sort of "sound" the mixer in question has, if any.

 

[pstcho]

mouhahahaha after 15 years and a LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT of reading and experimenting, i finally stopped modifying my G1176

its the ugliest frankenstein that exists, but it does exactly ( and a bit more) what i needed

- added input led meter
-  all in
- switch EOP a262a3e , LL5402 or Ne5532
- LL5402 out
Adjustable HPF sidechain switchable
- Slow Attack
- True Bypass (switchable and when power is off )

After few tests i must say the input led meter  and the OEP are my favorite feats for vocal recording !!

 

[juanjovincenzo]

- added input led meter
-  all in
- switch EOP a262a3e , LL5402 or Ne5532
- LL5402 out
Adjustable HPF sidechain switchable
- Slow Attack
- True Bypass (switchable and when power is off )

Hi Pstcho, I am finishing and modding my G-1176 too! What are your frecuencies corner? My set ups are 22n- 56k for aprox 130 Hz and 10n-56k for 285 Hz. I have OEPs  A2E trafos, I put both of them  (input 2:1/Output 1:2 ), I have color but a little dark sound, so I want to reduce the low frecuencies energy that force the compression.
I use a Mnats rotary Slam switch, I will try to expand the ratio to include 2:1 and Slow Attack swich-220K Mod.
regards

 

[pstcho]

hey, i went a bit random with not much calculation, more swapping components till i was happy, right now with the potentiomètre, for what i mesured , it seems to go so low that its like bypass to 400hz ( a bit useless, bit again im not an electronician, i go a  lot with the flow )

i really like the darker color of the oep as i use it for vocal recording it helps a bit to tame the "S" and "T"

for the slow attack switch i used again different values i added a 4 position switch bypass till different values that fit my needs