Gyraf SSL Brickwall Limiter Modifications?

[SSLtech]

...But it IS used as a mastering limiter. -By several mastering engineers.

I have the impression that people may be reading things that they don't fully comprehend, and then asking how things can be "changed" to suit some sort of misunderstood model that they have formed in their mind.

It's an excellent limiter.. -The signal path is simple. The sidechain is quite brilliantly engineered. There are well-established variation mods such as sidechain filters, twin-sidechains ("turbo" add-on), metering/display options (LED bar/milliameter/VU 'down-from-zero') etc.

If you absolutely "MUST" have infinite ratio, build it as shown, but adjust the value of a resistor in the sidechain (use a trim pot to fine-tune, and do the same for one resistor in the turbo sidechain...measure the output of each channel individually and singly if using a turbo, and both channels together if building an unmodified GSSL) and you'll have an infinite ratio in place of 10:1. (in fact there's little obvious difference in operation to the user)

the gyraf website is running at crawl-speed, so I can't tell you the resistance value right now, but I can probably do so later on...

 

[Gearsix]

Thank you SSLtech!!!
I am not sure if I really need "infinite ratio", but I need a a machine to put in the end of my (home) mastering chain that works similar to the Waves L2 plugin

 

[SSLtech]

Well... what ASPECT of the waves plugin?

The requirements -as defined so far- have been far too vague. "works like the waves L2 plugin" doesn't define anything.

If you mean something that 'turns down the gain as the signal level increases' then this already DOES work like the L2 plugin.

What -more specifically- do you need it to do that it doesn't do now?

"brick wall" means no matter HOW MUCH you push, no advance is permitted or achieved. -That presumable requires an infinite ratio. Transients may sneak briefly and slightly past... but they're not long duration, and a 'clipper' may do just what a converter does anyhow...

 

[Gearsix]

One aspect I like in L2 Plugin is the level maximization ...

 

[emrr]

10:1 meets the classic definition of limiting, even if it isn't brickwall. 
Many mastering guys working analog clip their converters for the brickwall part. It's virtually a standard with some types of music. Some converters sound ok as clippers, some don't.

 

[SSLtech]

But -again- ALL limiting is a form of 'Level maximization' by defninition.

What -specifically- does the L2 do that the GSSL doesn't do, that you'd like to see incorporated?

Without specific information... 'all in all we're still just bricks in the wall'.

 

[Gearsix]

Hello SSLtech, yes all limiting is a form of 'Level maximization' but it is not the same thing in all compressors.
The 'Level maximization' I can obtain using a LA-2A (plugin) is different to the one with the Waves L2 (plugin) so I use the LA-2A in a single track and the L2 for the entire mix
I'm sorry I can't be more clear, but I have not too technical expertise to explain it in a different way ... but a solution may be to realize a GSSL and try it!

 

[MHanson]

Not to be rude, but I'm not sure you actually know what you want yet ....

That being said, if the L2 is working for you ... why are you trying to find a way to modify a GSSL to make it work *like* the L2?  Why not just keep using the L2?  If you want a "box" instead of a plugin, and love what the L2 does, then why not buy the Waves L2 rackmount piece?

To achieve the same degree of limiting that an L2 yields, you will need to alter the GSSL to an infinite ratio.  If you do that ... then you may need to also look at altering the release times for the GSSL.  If you do that ... it truly is not a GSSL anymore.

Why are we altering all of this again?  Because we like what the L2 does ... but want to make something else do it for us? 

I'm confused.

Michael

 

[Gearsix]

Hello Michael, I don't love very much what the L2 does ... I use it, but I'd like to have an analogue machine (not a digital hardware one) to obtain similar results with analogue flavours

I asked about the possibility to obtain this result with some modifications in the GSSL circuit because I have seen that there are other modifications around the original GSSL circuit

But If this modification means to alter the GSSL to something too far from the original circuit I understand that it may be not useful and may be better to turn my attentions to other machines ... and I think it is what I'll do 

Cheers

 

[SSLtech]

So, I think I get it. -You DON'T like what the L2 does, but you want to make an analog device that does what it does... but differently. -without being specific about what the differences are, or fully comprehending what its functions are... Certainly, if you don't know what the L2 is doing to achieve what you like, then you'll never be able to tell anyone what changes to make.

Though what you're asking -in general terms- seems like a pointless quest anyhow.

What you want isn't a "brickwall limiter". You don't seem to be able to say what you want, since you say you don't want an L2,because you don't love what it does.

I like what the Fairchild 670 does. -Could we change the GSSL to do that?

I like what the UREI 1176 does. -Could we build a GSSL that does that?

I like what the Teletronix LA-2a does. -Could we build a GSSL that does that?

No. And these are devices which are very well understood. -So there's even less chance of making a GSSL -or anything else- behave like a device when we have little or no idea of what it's doing, or how it operates.

The promotional material (for what that's worth) describes that it incorporates look-ahead limiting. That means delaying a signal. -In analog terms that means building an expensive (and rarely transparent) delay line. -Or we go digital, and add very hard bandwidth limitations... and no matter WHAT converters we choose, someone will always be unhappy, and ask why we couldn't have used something different... pretty much like people frequently do with choice of capacitor type now, but with the added problem that you can't just component-swap your way to satisfaction. Then you'd have clocking to deal with, and memory to address...

Or you could just use a plug-in, and have NONE of these issues.

But if you DID want HARDWARE that does what the L2 plugin does -and does it for less money than you or I or ANYONE here could possibly do it- then could I suggest THIS:

It's JUST like an L2. -I mean EXACTLY.

 

[Strawtles]

SSLtech, I think the question it's not to have a sound of a machine with another one, but to know if it is possible to use the GSSL to finalize the master to actual volume level in music standard         
(the main use of L2 plugin in many studios)

Gearsix, do you know the "SPL loudness maximizer"?
I think it may be the toy you need ... but it's a digital machine with no converters on board ...

If you don't love the L2 plugin it's difficult you can love the hardware version, but you can try it

I hope this help!

 

[Gearsix]

Thank you to all!