crisotop's finished projects

[crisotop]

the sontec and 2254 are the ones I really want. dozens of them.

Igor's Sontec is supereasy to build, the original 2254 boards I've got flying around have some minor troubles (different schematics + component values, depending on model revision) and the original transformers (where the magic is happening I've been told are super hard to find.

best,
Christoph

 

[ChrioN]

Gorgeous units! Where did you get the SSL push button switches?

 

[crisotop]

Pushbutton switches are from canford, as is the ppm14 meter with led illumination. Prices aren't cheap, but their custumer service is excellent.

Hth, christoph

 

[marktokach]

Wow! Wow! Wow! Unbelievable and inspiring! I am working on a dual 1176 and 2 G7 mics which are my first. Need to get my but in gear just a little cautious of messing up. Thanks!

 

[W DeMarco]

****...Everytime I look at this thread I end up drooling all over my shirt...

 

[crisotop]

I am working on a dual 1176 and 2 G7 mics which are my first.

Good luck with those and thanks for the reminder - A pair of G7 mic added to the first post

all the best,
christoph

 

[canidoit]

You got some mad looking clean builds! How does the sontec sound and what was the cost to build it in total?

Have you compared them to other clean EQs? I have the Lil Freq, I wonder how much difference they are to the Sontecs. Might ditch it and build a stereo one, if they are as good.

 

[crisotop]

2-1176 RevD added to first post.

@canidoit: Sontec was roughly €570 and sounds fairly neutral. Stereo matching is not perfect with pots (though the difference is not massive, just some spots where the frequency markings are a bit off from channel to channel), sooner or later I'm going to either mod it with switches, or build another pair. Compared to my ISA220 pair (the only other, rather clean eq I've got) the sontec is much more flexible because of the huge Q range and the high shelve sounds sweet because it goes up to 25k

 

[ChrioN]

2-1176 rocks! Why not use grayhill switches for attack and release? 11 positions should be plentiful.

 

[crisotop]

11 positions should be plentiful

I disagree One of the reasons I didn't use lorlins/grayhills, there's just too much change in behavior/sound with just 11 steps, I need at least 21, as with the i/o switches (they are just barely enough)

thanks for the kudos!
christoph

 

[ChrioN]

Input and output - I totaly get it. 11 steps isn't enough. But attack and release, come on  ;D

http://uraltone.com/kauppa/product_info.php?info=p1077_Rotary-switch--2x24.html&XTCsid=u838pic2h7eph7a6n53bs79je6

These are pretty cheap. Certainly not Elma quality, but maybe good enough. Probably non-shorting though.

 

[crisotop]

Cool thanks, will certainly have a look at them.

I honestly wouldn't mind 11 steps on any "standard" compressor. But if you've got your 1176 slamming the last 30° on the release pot is just night and day in terms of distortion and pumping effects. I might give it a try and use a non-log scale for the release with custom steps in the fast range.

cheers
christoph

 

[ChrioN]

screw scales. you use a pot to hear and measure the points that matters, then you use these values on the rotary switch.

 

[EEMO1]

you can almost make it ouf from the pics but...

got more info on the reamp box?

 

[crisotop]

The circuit is nearly 1:1 from a diy article in the german soundandrecording magazine. You could write "Rossi" a pm, he's the original autor and luckily a member here - much respect for his work

 

[haima]

cristop - great work  8)

another question about the sontec build - i usually hate board mounted pots that aren't at least attached to the front panel... do the pots on your board feel sturdy and reliable? or are the pots that don't have nuts on the front panel bit bendy/loose?

i have igor's boards, case and pots from an early run but i haven't built the EQ it yet -  i can't decide if i'm going to do the suggested pcb mounting for the pots or improvise and attach all the pots to the font panel and connect them to the boards with short flexible wires. what do you think? would you do it differently next time?

 

[mylesgm]

Most impressive run of gear...  Many studios would be most jealous at that rig.. and you built it all yourself!

I mean I'm Jealous!

m

 

[Rossi]

The circuit is nearly 1:1 from a diy article in the german soundandrecording magazine. You could write "Rossi" a pm, he's the original autor and luckily a member here - much respect for his work

For some reason it's only now that I run across this thread. Probably because looking at other people's neat boxes makes me self-conscious... :

Since I already sold my re-amping article to (the world's best recording magazine) Sound & Recording, it wouldn't be fair towards the people who pay my rent to give its contents away for free. However, you can buy the original article (in German!) via the magazine's website:

http://www.soundandrecording.de/artikelsuche.php?Suchtext=re-amping&Rubrik=*&Ausgabe=value&Jahr=*&=suchen&Magazin=SR

It's only 2 Euros, and no, I don't get a cut.

It's a nifty little box; I use it myself. It is a bit different in concept from commercial boxes in that it doesn't focus on reproducing the original guitar tone 1:1 (although you can pretty much do that, too) but offers some variation. In other words it transforms your soundcard output into something like "virtual" guitar. Hence the volume and tone controls. The "balls" knob controls the impedance of your virtual guitar pickup; your tone becomes fatter and louder as you increase the impedance. Obviously it works best when you used a bright guitar such as a Strat or Tele, which you can fatten up quite a bit. If your original guitar is a Les Paul or distortion axe, you can't make it sustantially brighter.

It's also pretty cool for running all kinds of signals through a guitar amp; I've used it on vocals quite a bit.

 

[crisotop]

another question about the sontec build - i usually hate board mounted pots that aren't at least attached to the front panel... do the pots on your board feel sturdy and reliable? or are the pots that don't have nuts on the front panel bit bendy/loose?

You have to be very exact with the frontpanel cutouts (so that the pot shafts have good support from the panel, yet still are able to turn), then it should be no problem. It doesn't feel supersolid, but good enough for me. The only thing I would build differently is using switches instead of pots, to ensure better stereo matching.

For some reason it's only now that I run across this thread. Probably because looking at other people's neat boxes makes me self-conscious...

Mr. Hau, what an honor I've also built your impedance converter and ribbon booster boxes (although I loose about 7-8dB of signal when using the ribbon booster. Have to have a look at the circuit at some time)

All the best,
christoph

 

[EEMO1]

It's a nifty little box; I use it myself. It is a bit different in concept from commercial boxes in that it doesn't focus on reproducing the original guitar tone 1:1 (although you can pretty much do that, too) but offers some variation. In other words it transforms your soundcard output into something like "virtual" guitar. Hence the volume and tone controls. The "balls" knob controls the impedance of your virtual guitar pickup; your tone becomes fatter and louder as you increase the impedance. Obviously it works best when you used a bright guitar such as a Strat or Tele, which you can fatten up quite a bit. If your original guitar is a Les Paul or distortion axe, you can't make it sustantially brighter.

It's also pretty cool for running all kinds of signals through a guitar amp; I've used it on vocals quite a bit.

thanks! I thought I'd make one or two myself. I got some recorded material I thought about runnin through some amps we got sitting around.