Okay, test numbers are in:
THD+N (1kHz input @ 0dBu) Threshold adjusted for 10dB gain reduction, 2:1 compression ratio.
Ch1: 0.012%
Ch2: 0.014%
Not "straight-wire", but pretty good.
I figured out that you can cross-link the outputs and still trim the VCAs individually, -you just pull the output 5532 from it's socket on the channel that you're NOT trimming... As usual, make sure the VCAs are warmed up to operating temperature before you adjust though...
There's about 0.2dB inter-channel threshold sensitivity difference, but I'd never actually had cause to measure the inter-channel matching on the real console bus compressor before now... -It seems that if I patch a tone into the pre-VCA left front, center, right and surround channels of the two SL9000's that I've tested so far, there is a slight variation in terms of threshold sensitivity, so this is not abnormal.
Ratio measurement: 2:1 measures as about 2.1:1, 4:1 measures as 3.95:1 and 10:1 measures as about 9:1. I could adjust the 1kΩ resistors to get a closer match at 10:1, but then 4:1 would be off a little, and 2:1 would also be off... It's more than good enough for me! (didn't have the test set in the control room, so I can't give you SL9000 distortion numbers or ratio calculations just yet...
Time to screw the lid on.
I did make some more links and changes to get it to track better:
Link point 'D' on both boards.
Link point 'E' on both boards.
Link point 'F' on both boards.
Remove the 3M3 resistor to ground on the slave
Include the TL072 in the slave build, do not omit it as I previously tried... -This way works better.
I think that's everything.
One of my VCAs died. I had one spare (mercifully!). I actually thought that I had a second spare somewhere, but I can't find it, and now I've had to use the one spare that I definately did have, I definately no longer have a pair of 202XTs. -Someone was asking if I had a pair to sell, but I definately don't for now... :sad:
Anyhow... This bad 202XT probably has one bad 2151 in it, and probably seven good ones, so I'll pull them and test them. Maybe then I can 'resurrect' it with a 2151 if I can get hold of one.
One more thing: the unit has 6dB gain in bypass. I reckon that replacing the 15K resistor in the first half of the 5532 output driver with a 7.5k resistor (or just adding another 15K resistor in parallel) should sort out that problem. That's one more thing to look at before I sign off on the project.
Keith