Thermionic Culture Phoenix master compressor; buy or build?

[gato]

Once you start designing stuff you come to appreciate how much work goes into original designs. Sometimes you're simply recycling established ideas for sections of the design, but coming to develop an understanding of how they work together and how different nonlinearities can be musical takes a really long time. For me this has always been about learning, not getting cheap gear. I want to understand how each component changes the sound so I can get the sounds I want, not the sounds in the magazine. I think for most members this is the case.

 

[kambo]

buy a u-33 from old world audio, you will not be disappointed.

u-33 is in my buy list, its a great comp.

 

[r2d2]

..... 1176 & 1178 were listing at around $550 or so in the UREI catalog around 89-90 just before they went out of production (

... "swallowed" by Harman Int.....

 

[r2d2]

...various points of view  apart ...
seem that no thermionic phoenix diy projects here around

 

[gyraf]

(OP was from 2012...)

 

[Mbira]

(OP was from 2012...)

Well it was halloween....Night of the walking dead (thread)!

 

[SIXTYNINER]

…hmmm one of the "untouchables"  (projects) ?  :

 

[hugo]

I found a compressor masterin thermionic culture phoenix at a price of 2500 euros.
I saw that inside the circuit is not very complicated to build.
What do you recommend to build or buy?
I would like a response both to the cost both for the quality.
In your opinion how much costruiretale compressor?
Is there anyone who has built?
thanks

Joseph

The vintage one has been "new" one day...so Thermionic already made its margin on it.. They already took more than they invest and like always..it is just a factory !! You dont hurt anybody except the "law" regarding this. Your build will not have any impact on the market, we are all happy to make La-2as  here, and nobody stopped when UA made its reissue..
If you can, just do it...It can be applied on everything i guess..as far as you dont market it... Sorry, you could even market it since the white market is just full of "copying" project..
Commercial aspects are a capitalist point of view, dont care about it, all those brandts are stealers protecting schematic that they
Thermionic did make the design, but without taking inspiration from other brandts, they would probably never developp any product.  All available compressors on the market are copies of 1176, Fairchild, La2a, GSSL, STA.. other one DIY DIY , but put a better front on it !!

Big support to you, and i would be really happy to build one also

 

[Script]

Buy or leave.

 

[hugo]

G-ssl ... and after we talk about copying issues...

 

[SIXTYNINER]

The vintage one has been "new" one day...so Thermionic already made its margin on it.. They already took more than they invest and like always..it is just a factory !! You dont hurt anybody except the "law" regarding this. Your build will not have any impact on the market, we are all happy to make La-2as  here, and nobody stopped when UA made its reissue..
If you can, just do it...It can be applied on everything i guess..as far as you dont market it... Sorry, you could even market it since the white market is just full of "copying" project..
Commercial aspects are a capitalist point of view, dont care about it, all those brandts are stealers protecting schematic that they
Thermionic did make the design, but without taking inspiration from other brandts, they would probably never developp any product.  All available compressors on the market are copies of 1176, Fairchild, La2a, GSSL, STA.. other one DIY DIY , but put a better front on it !!

Big support to you, and i would be really happy to build one also

Much probably the price/money is the first reason why people try to diy ,

and about  the high price of professional audio devices ,
you can check a thread here around ,
that talk about  however the distributors get high profit only moving pallets and boxes ,
contributing consistently to increasing the prices / cost  of the units ,

if the price was lower , more units should be sold ,
and less people would be interested on the diy ,
as time is money , and diy require a good quantity of time (and "brain teasers" too…)

many prefer to use that time for recording , mixing , processing sound and make music
having more fun than work with electronics ,
earning money , 
to partially  spend for buy units ,

except for who want to improve / customize  or add more options to the units ,
or who also have available  good quantity of free time , and electronics is the hobby ….

if the original units price were 30 / 60 %  less
the number of sold units would be higher ,

only as simple example :
why buy Behringer if you can buy Golden Age Project  audio processors  ?

and :
have sense diy Golden Age Project  audio processors ?

Also keep in mind that in the past (50,60,70,80,90 ages)
music productions had available big budgets to spend for rent recording studios and related "add-ons" ,
because records (vinyls) were sold (not downloaded)
and audio outboard prices were lower , (lower price more units sold ?)

then more moneys for all , (sexy "secretary"      included)

a more reach "market".

 

[ruairioflaherty]

Much probably the price/money is the first reason why people try to diy ,

and about  the high price of professional audio devices ,
you can check a thread here around ,
that talk about  however the distributors get high profit only moving pallets and boxes ,
contributing consistently to increasing the prices / cost  of the units ,

Yawn….

 

[SIXTYNINER]

…..and about  the high price of professional audio devices ,
you can check a thread here around ,
that talk about  however the distributors get high profit only moving pallets and boxes ,
contributing consistently to increasing the prices / cost  of the units ,

Yawn….

related to what above

if the original units price were 30 / 60 %  less
the number of sold units would be higher ,

 

[ruairioflaherty]

related to what above

You have no understanding of how the Pro Audio Equipment business works. 

 

[iampoor1]

Much probably the price/money is the first reason why people try to diy ,

and about  the high price of professional audio devices ,
you can check a thread here around ,
that talk about  however the distributors get high profit only moving pallets and boxes ,
contributing consistently to increasing the prices / cost  of the units ,

if the price was lower , more units should be sold ,
and less people would be interested on the diy ,
as time is money , and diy require a good quantity of time (and "brain teasers" too…)

many prefer to use that time for recording , mixing , processing sound and make music
having more fun than work with electronics ,
earning money , 
to partially  spend for buy units ,

except for who want to improve / customize  or add more options to the units ,
or who also have available  good quantity of free time , and electronics is the hobby ….

if the original units price were 30 / 60 %  less
the number of sold units would be higher ,

only as simple example :
why buy Behringer if you can buy Golden Age Project  audio processors  ?

and :
have sense diy Golden Age Project  audio processors ?

Also keep in mind that in the past (50,60,70,80,90 ages)
music productions had available big budgets to spend for rent recording studios and related "add-ons" ,
because records (vinyls) were sold (not downloaded)
and audio outboard prices were lower , (lower price more units sold ?)

then more moneys for all , (sexy "secretary"      included)

a more reach "market".

This is a common attitude amongst those that have never ran a business, or developed pro audio products....

 

[hugo]

I totally agree with this !
And to be honest, I was poor and that was not a reason to work with crap hardwares... if I can jack, i just do ! My Music do not have to be related to my bank account. Plug ins are the same... big studios should buy all of this because they make a commercial exploitation of this, and ask big money to record and mix...poor people should not be seen as stealers..all companies are stealers, business is like this

 

[ruairioflaherty]

I totally agree with this !
And to be honest, I was poor and that was not a reason to work with crap hardwares... if I can jack, i just do ! My Music do not have to be related to my bank account. Plug ins are the same... big studios should buy all of this because they make a commercial exploitation of this, and ask big money to record and mix...poor people should not be seen as stealers..all companies are stealers, business is like this

Yeah, that's complete horsesh*t.

 

[pucho812]

having worked for an audio manufacture and seen how long it can take to do original designs and how much it costs, I can assure outside of uli and others making closes, the margins on unit are usually not so hot.  Parts, chassis, everything costs and those prices are not going down.  Everything costs. Lets also add in workers, healthcare as mandated by the government and so on. Making units is not cheap and that is about the only thing in common it has with DIY. 
Alot of money goes out to get a minimum profit if any but we do it because we love to.

 

[Script]

Making units is not cheap and that is about the only thing in common it has with DIY.

1+
Buying is sometimes even cheaper if DIY time is factored in.

 

[SIXTYNINER]

This is a common attitude amongst those that have never ran a business, or developed pro audio products....

Are u sure ?
have you read the thread about the gain of pro audio devices distributors ?

have you produced songs  or some band ?
have you signed and managed contracts with record companies (majors , and related lawyers ) ?
(when the budgets for record an album were several hundred thousand of bucks to spend in recording studios and musicians rent )

have you managed or owned large recording studio environment (with neve / ssl large desk + many dozens bucks of outboards and analog multi tracks tape machines  and related maintenance costs ?
(electric power bills included )

do you know how many big recording studios have closed in the latest 15 years
thanks to the downloads ?

do you know how many workers were fired by the majors records companies ?

do you really know the reason why Amek , DDA , Soundtracs , Mci , and many other pro audio manufacturers were closed ?
(one of the most recent : Midas purchased by Behringer)

do you really think that the people don't know how little cost produce in China ?
(parts , pcb (empty , fully or partially fitted of parts) enclosures , packaging , etc..)

and that many of  "famous" brands  get most of the devices parts from "there" ?
and put on them : "proudly made in …….." , thanks to the intentionally inaccurate "clown" laws
(with all respect to the people that is clown by profession)

etc...

please read the thread about .
(before write)
thanks.