Feeler: ez760 - Compressor/Limiter/Expander/Gate

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How would this work for vocal tracking?  Not hitting it hard, just making sure I don't clip and to add some color.  Also what other transformer options are there?

If my Compex 2 is anything to go by, they provide very transparent compression, very difficult to hear even when a whole bunch of compression is going on. Mine is transformer free, so Im presuming that this Carnhill version will be more coloured... Other thing to add is that my Compex has more controls on the gate/expander section, so might be a little more flexible.

Mo
 
I think that some of use would like to hear some samples of what a beautiful unit like this sounds like!!
Thanks
 
3nity said:
I think that some of use would like to hear some samples of what a beautiful unit like this sounds like!!
Thanks

Here's a track which I played on back in winter 1981:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzvrIaH4lf4

Points to note: the studio didn't have any digital reverb (it was before digi-verb was commonplace) so the only reverb you hear in the unit is EMT plate, Pre-delayed EMT plate, and a stone room, squashed to bejeezus with a Compex, with the compex gate shutting off the tail, making the characteristic 'nonlinear' sound.

The Compexed-reverb is on the snare drum. It's also doing some SERIOUS compression. There are three basses on the tune. One is compexed, the other two were 1176'd... I think. The heavily plate-reverbed fretless in the middle-8 is Compexed, I think, but it's strangely EQ'ed for midrange 'cut-through', so it's really not a classic example of compex 'strength'. -the snare is pretty classic, though.

NOTHING can "GRAB" a big-strong-sounding bass guitar and HOLD it in a mix, LOCK-ITS-ASS-DOWN-TIGHT, like a Compex.

Believe that.

Keith
 
Wow....the first thing i noticed there without reading your notes was the heavy comp on snare...
Sounds like something i really need..
 
Morning_Star said:
How much is the estimated build cost?  How would this work for vocal tracking?  ......Also what other transformer options are there?

The cost really depends on how you choose to build it.... in the form you see at the start of the thread probably about GBP 300..... but there are lots of ways you could save money.... just take those BC components axial capacitors as an example..... they are about 3 times the price of every other manufacturer..... the Sifam meters were GBP 85 each... the Hairball one is 25 USD !...... when we made the original prototype I used a GBP 7 meter from Farnell and just fitted it upside down in the box to give it a right hand zero.....

Vocals and drums are the reason for building one of these !

There are lots of different transformers you could fit..... you could certainly use 10k:10k on the input and 600R:600R on the output with a couple of resistor value changes.....

..... and you can have it without the transformers at all.... but it would then be unbalanced in and out.

Colin
www.audiomaintenance.com

 
Thanks for the reply.  I'm going to start with one and maybe add some more later for drums.  I'm probably going to use a less colored transformer though. 
 
Just when I thought I shouldn't be planning too many projects this year, all these nice projects start appearing.  ::)
Perhaps I should try to build this with budget in mind...
Is it possible to build this with electronic balancing and add the transformers later ?
Are there many (or any) hard to find parts required in this project?

Very nice project, btw! Appreciate your efforts.
 
lsskmki said:
Is it possible to build this with electronic balancing and add the transformers later ?
Are there many (or any) hard to find parts required in this project?

Just make it unbalanced.... the original units are mostly unbalanced.

Almost all the parts are either "off the shelf" or can be substituted by off the shelf parts.

Colin
www.audiomaintenance.com
 
Damn, that looks tight, in the aesthetic sense rather than the spatial, I'll probably go for one or two pcbs, depending on finances:price at the time.  Thanks for doing this!




ben
 
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