PYE Compressor/Limiter Thread *boards shipping* BOM up!

[spase]

YEAH i like this pannel.Looks Great

 

[Niketouille]

Any info regarding the thresold steps ?
FP looks great, what meters are you using ?

 

[abechap024]

Any info regarding the thresold steps ?
FP looks great, what meters are you using ?

Hi, were using Hairballs 1ma meters. The threshold steps are basically 10 to 10 they really don't transfer to any concrete dB steps or anything, the input fader can be wired how ever one chooses, we didn't want to lock people in.

 

[providedrailroad]

Are you going to be offering DIY PCB's for this unit?

 

[leadbreath]

hey abe

nice to see this post, im just busy sourcing parts for this project, looking foward to seeing those elusive oscillator inductors!

thanks
mick

 

[abechap024]

Are you going to be offering DIY PCB's for this unit?

Yep thats the plan.

@leadbreath yep ma man! will get everyone updated

 

[valvusmusicus]

Hi
Sorry, Am I being a bit dense, but I cant finr the original schematic in this thread
Could someone less dense direct me to it please

Cheers All :'(

 

[Biasrocks]

Are you going to be offering DIY PCB's for this unit?

Yep thats the plan.

@leadbreath yep ma man! will get everyone updated

Hi Abe

Is this going to happen?

I see pre-built ones on your site, but no boards available.

Regards,
Mark

 

[abechap024]

Hi Mark,
Getting ready for DIY version "Rev 2" making it more simple to build. The original circuit (and boards) are fairly tricky to implement things such as a custom wound oscillator transformer and a very sensitive grounding scheme. Plus a few silkscreen mistakes on the boards.
Rev 2 should be much better, easier to build, going to have options for lots of good stuff that the DIY crowd usually likes to see. (optional electrically balanced input, And using the NE555 chip for oscillator, etc). Simple things that I'm sure the original designers might use if they existed back then. Shouldn't effect sound too much at all, still keeping the Class A discrete make up gain etc etc.

Coming in a month or two I imagine.

 

[0dbfs]

Dang. That sounds sweet!
I'm in for at least two units.
Any chance these will be stereo/dual-mono?

Cheers,
JoBu

 

[abechap024]

Dang. That sounds sweet!
I'm in for at least two units.
Any chance these will be stereo/dual-mono?

Cheers,
JoBu

Good! And yes they will be able to be stereo linked. The Pye's have an exceptional stereo linking as well: They sum the audio before the side-chain and then sum the DC after the side-chain. Pretty nice.

 

[0dbfs]

So is that switchable like on the various gssl turbo variants?

ie; CV from summed audio, or CV from summed SC's.

One more question, are the PCB's sized such that you can make a stereo unit? either 1RU or 2RU? I'm thinking yes from following this thread but was just wondering...

If so, i'll plan for 2x stereo units. Awesome projects Abe!

Cheers,
jb

 

[Biasrocks]

Very cool Abe, it'll be nice to add this to the arsenal.

I picked up an old MXR Dual Limiter recently that uses a chopper as well. A very interesting sound.

Regards,
Mark

 

[abechap024]

So is that switchable like on the various gssl turbo variants?

ie; CV from summed audio, or CV from summed SC's.

No, well actually, I guess you could, but thats not how it was originally designed. I don't know what the benifits of just doing one or the other would be, but could be cool! But the original is just Linked or Mono.

One more question, are the PCB's sized such that you can make a stereo unit? either 1RU or 2RU? I'm thinking yes from following this thread but was just wondering...

The PCBs will be small enough to fit 2 channels (for stereo) in one standard 9" deep rack. Dan from collective cases already has a faceplate if you want to go that route, and its 2 RU. I think you could fit one channel in 1 RU, but not 2 (unless you got pretty creative with the front panel space...

Best,
Abe


@Mark, sounds interesting. Got Schems for the MXR ?

 

[Biasrocks]

@Mark, sounds interesting. Got Schems for the MXR ?

Yep, I'll send them over.

Regards,
Mark

 

[Script]

So is that switchable like on the various gssl turbo variants?

ie; CV from summed audio, or CV from summed SC's.

...I don't know what the benifits of just doing one or the other would be...

CV from summed audio (or summing to mono before SC) makes the comp "deaf to stereo".

Either way I might be interested in a stereo set, depending on price.

 

[PRR]

> my take on the schematic

D4 D5 D6 D7 drawn wrong. Should be full wave bridge, not ring-modulator.

There's no Zener in the original power supply.

> the oscillator transformer

Not a "radio" part. It is the singer from a camera flash unit. You could almost use a camera flash oscillator, except the frequency is low.

It's not critical. I'd be inclined to a 555. Just need to get the duty-cycle way low.

 

[Grummy77]

Always strive to make improvements and fix things. But I'd like to say to also remember if something ain't broke don't fix it. Make updated versions but I'm glad you're keeping your original Pye available. I hope the newest updates sound even better but I must say I think about your Pye a lot since I heard the clips you posted in this thread on GS: http://www.gearslutz.com/board/high-end/561673-high-end-drum-bus-compressor-suggestions-5.html#post7090697"]http://www.gearslutz.com/board/high-end/561673-high-end-drum-bus-compressor-suggestions-5.html#post7090697

There were many comps compared in this thread and your Pye was hands down my fave. Close second for me was the FCS stuff. But seriously your Pye sounded so unique amongst the great many comps compared in there. Somehint about the way it handled the top end for me was a fantastic breath of squished air. 

Personally I don't really care if it sounds anything like the original PIE comps. I checked out the Waves plugin and was not impressed. If it's a reflexion of what a real Pie sounds like then your version may actually sound better (for me and my music anyways).

Can't wait to afford to pick one up. I might have to go the kit road first as picking up components a little at a time fits my current budget a little better. I do think that your current pricing is a great deal though. If I could gt away skipping the mortgage one month I'd have one already.  ;D

All the best.

 

[abechap024]

> my take on the schematic

D4 D5 D6 D7 drawn wrong. Should be full wave bridge, not ring-modulator.

Yes, that original mistake took me hours and hours to figure out why the side-chain wasn't working correctly. But finally did figure it out and i sure did feel stupid.

> the oscillator transformer

Not a "radio" part. It is the singer from a camera flash unit. You could almost use a camera flash oscillator, except the frequency is low.

It's not critical. I'd be inclined to a 555. Just need to get the duty-cycle way low.

Interesting it being part of a camera flash, that does make sense. That was the hardest thing to get working, was finding the right torriod/windings for that and to get it working at the correct frequency. Your right about the 555. I've been recently testing a 555 circuit that is:
Much easier to implement
Much easier to fine tune the frequency
And a cleaner oscillation.

And as far as what the Switching transistor sees, its the exact same as the blocking oscillator. So I anticipate no change in sound.


@Gummy77 thanks for the advice! Its true, I don't want to change anything that is going to matter sound-wise. BUT for everyone going to be building this (myself included) this rev 2 should be much much easier. Plus DIYing it It shouldn't be too expensive. So keep on making those mortgage payments, soon these boards will be out!

 

[Grummy77]

Yeah! That's what I wanna hear!  ;D