G 1176 Compressor Complete ... Pics !

[fum]

Actually, the original( or the one he based his design on) didn't use an input transformer, and Jakob put one in there, liked the sound of it, so made it an option.

The first pair I built, I built with input traffos. The next pair I'll do without them. =)

chime in here if I'm lyin, Jakob, I'm not tryin to stick words in your mouth :grin:

Regards

ju

 

[Greg]

Just powered it up since the last of my attempts to make it quiet... SUCCESS. She's hum free, but the more I think about it the more I think it was just noise of some sort. It wasn't really a mmmmmm (ie 60Hz), it was more of a bzzzzz. I have a feeling that the shielded I/O cables had a little more to do with the decrease in hum, but then again, I'm not sure. Anyways, if do all the hum reduction techniques, you're bound to have a humless unit.

I still want to re-orient the output trafo. Once that's done, I'll be ready to rack it up !!!

 

[BackHand]

I'm thinking of building a Urei 1176 LN as well together with a bunch of others. My questions is, (we have taken all from the Gyraf component List) whats the exact in and output trafos in the original the make today? I want to make a clone, I guess there's not Lundahls in the original? Please help us find the original parts for the project so we can make a true clone :razz: :!:

Thanks :!:

 

[Swedish Chef]

Woo woo! :green:
Shee's a beaut!
May you have many happy audio mangling hours with her... :thumb:

chef

 

[gyraf]

Fum,

You're right..

[quote author="BackHand"] whats the exact in and output trafos in the original the make today? I want to make a clone, I guess there's not Lundahls in the original? [/quote]

The 1176 output transformer is not available, as it's custom wound for Urei. The LL5402 is not bad in this application, to say the least. Possibly better than the original, if any difference.

Jakob E.

 

[BackHand]

[quote author="gyraf"][quote author="BackHand"] whats the exact in and output trafos in the original the make today? I want to make a clone, I guess there's not Lundahls in the original? [/quote]

The 1176 output transformer is not available, as it's custom wound for Urei. The LL5402 is not bad in this application, to say the least. Possibly better than the original, if any difference.

Jakob E.[/quote]

So if I want to make a 1176LN clone that's supposed to sound just like the original, that can't be done? How much differance in sound can there be?

 

[gyraf]

[quote author="BackHand"] So if I want to make a 1176LN clone that's supposed to sound just like the original, that can't be done? How much differance in sound can there be?[/quote]

Hi BackHand,

I'm not sure if you know what you're asking?

These differences can't be explained in a way that makes any sense.

It's not like the original 1176 is the holy grail by any measure - it's a quite simple, basic FET compressor design. And the Lundahl transformer serves it's purpose well for that.

Also, there is a range of very different sounding "real" 1176's - so your question really is impossible to answer.

You will have to build a clone, and decide if you like it - or compare it to an original of some sort, if you feel you need that sort of legitimizing in stead of trusting your ears.

Jakob E.

 

[BackHand]

[quote author="gyraf"][quote author="BackHand"] So if I want to make a 1176LN clone that's supposed to sound just like the original, that can't be done? How much differance in sound can there be?[/quote]

Hi BackHand,

I'm not sure if you know what you're asking?

These differences can't be explained in a way that makes any sense.

It's not like the original 1176 is the holy grail by any measure - it's a quite simple, basic FET compressor design. And the Lundahl transformer serves it's purpose well for that.

Also, there is a range of very different sounding "real" 1176's - so your question really is impossible to answer.

You will have to build a clone, and decide if you like it - or compare it to an original of some sort, if you feel you need that sort of legitimizing in stead of trusting your ears.

Jakob E.[/quote]

Yes you're right, I was hangin' out there..I understand what you mean now, Sorry!
I'm not at all good at these things !
Me and a group of peapole is building API preamps soon and from that I was under the impression that the in and out trafos made all the differance in sound...so that a Lundahl 1176LN wouldn't at all sound like one from any of the Urei Universal Audio series...guess I'm out hangin like usual :razz:

 

[gyraf]

The simple answer is that there is not much difference soundwise between the clone and the original. After all, it's the same circuit, and I tried a lot of different (available) output transformers before deciding on the LL5402 - because that gave results closest to the original..

The clone is definitely closer in sound to a 1176 rev#F than a 1176 rev#F is to e.g. a 1176 rev#E

Jakob E.

 

[keithcamilleri]

Hi Greg,

looks great...clean and tidy wiring

I am confused on the bypass switch for the 1176 is the bypass switch already built on the meter control board?

can you help me out on this one?


thanks

 

[BackHand]

[quote author="gyraf"]The simple answer is that there is not much difference soundwise between the clone and the original. After all, it's the same circuit, and I tried a lot of different (available) output transformers before deciding on the LL5402 - because that gave results closest to the original..

The clone is definitely closer in sound to a 1176 rev#F than a 1176 rev#F is to e.g. a 1176 rev#E

Jakob E.[/quote]

Great! You're sucha great help :grin: ! If it's that close i'll build one. Well I already have the DSP version of it (from UAD-1), you wouldn't have tryed that one would you :wink: :?:

 

[Greg]

@keithcamilleri:
I'm not sure if I understand what you're asking. Do you mean for the original Rev#F 1176 or Gyraf's clone?

@backhand:
If you build one and don't like I'll gladly take that useless piece of audio junk off your hands... :grin:

 

[tubejay]

[quote author="Greg"]Tubejay:
Here's one with the input trafo:
http://www.digital-synthologie.de/1176/index_mk2.html

That is a Par-metal chassis, and I can post the frontpanel file when I get some time later today. If I forget, please remind me. One suggestion: I think for the pots I had a 10mm hole cut, which gives them a some play, so it's pain to get them perfectly centered. Check the specs for whatever pots you use and change the hole size to exactly what you need.

Regarding hum... yes I had the hitchiker cut done and still had some hum problems. Then I added the shielded I/O cables, ground strap, and star ground. I might also recommend re-orienting the board so the input and output wires are as short as possible. Hindsight... but then the secondaries of the power trafo will need a longer run.[/quote]

Thank you! It looks like that link with the input transformer is still using the 5532, in addition to an input transformer. Maybe I'm crazy and have made this up in my head, but I thought there was a way to do it without the 5532. Can anyone inform me if I've made that up? If so, I'm ready to proceed with the 5532 and the input transformer together.

Greg, any report on the sound? Do you like it?

 

[tubejay]

Greg, what's your next project? Are you doing the 1081's? That's my next project...though I plan to do some work on my PM1000 console before that. I was looking into that API project as well. How much do you think that costs total to build a pair? My cash flow is getting tight, and my goals lofty.

 

[Technetium]

hey Greg, thanks for the heads up.
btw, congrats on the win.
-Dave

 

[Greg]

[quote author="tubejay"]Thank you! It looks like that link with the input transformer is still using the 5532, in addition to an input transformer. Maybe I'm crazy and have made this up in my head, but I thought there was a way to do it without the 5532. Can anyone inform me if I've made that up? If so, I'm ready to proceed with the 5532 and the input transformer together.[/quote]

I saw that the 5532 was still in there, but he's actually using the optional trafo input. I'm guessing he must have done something so the 5532 in there wasn't a problem. But if you use the trafo, you can elimate components to the left of R5 (I think). Just look at the schematic and you'll see the components that are being used to de-balance.

Greg, any report on the sound? Do you like it?

I've only used this on one source on two occassions. It was for two sessions of bass... for a kind of hardcore/metal/grind band I'm working with. And I must say that the bass tone I was able to capture was among the best I've ever done. Now we had a great tone at the source, so I'm not going to say that the G 1176 made it sound good, but it helped, especially in the aggressive of the sound. And I think it held the low end together very well and didn't make a big musy mess. No flab, but not squashed to hell. I was compressing from the 4 to 7 dB range depending on the song and how well the guy could play the song. I will be using it this weekend on a vocal session for the same band.

Greg, what's your next project?

Tough question. I had my heart set on building a pair of API 312 pre's from Fabio's boards, but since I won the "Neve-type" Sowter's I'm leaning towards a Neve preamp or something Neve-ish... c'mon, I can't have that iron sitting on my bench for six months. I'm going to start reading the Neve Meta and think about what I should do.

 

[synthetic]

Another fan -- gorgeous work, man. I hope that mine looks 1/2 that good when I put it together.

 

[tubejay]

[quote author="Greg"]

I saw that the 5532 was still in there, but he's actually using the optional trafo input. I'm guessing he must have done something so the 5532 in there wasn't a problem. But if you use the trafo, you can elimate components to the left of R5 (I think). Just look at the schematic and you'll see the components that are being used to de-balance.[/quote]

I wish I was smart enough to see that from looking at the schematic...but I'm not there yet. I do pick up more and more with every project though. So hopefully soon I'll understand what the heck's going on. Anyway, I think I get you now. Do you know, are there any traces or anything that need to be cut or changed to use the transformer input, or do I just eliminate everything left of R5 and then it's good?

Last question, did you match the fets? At this point, I'm thinking that it'd be a waste of time. I'm really not all that concerned if my gain reduction tracking on the meter doesn't match. I use my ears anyway. If it's off a few dB, I really don't care.

 

[Greg]

[quote author="tubejay"]Do you know, are there any traces or anything that need to be cut or changed to use the transformer input, or do I just eliminate everything left of R5 and then it's good?[/quote]
No traces need to be cut if you the optional input transformer. You do need the two optional 10k resistors on the board, though.

[quote author="tubejay"]Last question, did you match the fets?[/quote]
Yes, I used PRR's little circuit to match the FETs. I think this is very important.

 

[tubejay]

[quote author="tubejay"]Last question, did you match the fets?[/quote]

[quote author="Greg"]
Yes, I used PRR's little circuit to match the FETs. I think this is very important.[/quote]

Is this the PRR FET tester you used?

If so, did you use a 9V battery to test it? I guess that would be easy enough.