Vocoder Obsession isn’t recognised by the medical profession as an illness but, if you have it, you’ll know the symptoms: an irrational desire to buy hardware to make robot noises
Luckily for you, Dr Vocoder is here, ready to prescribe & dispense treatment…
Not all these are vocoder effects but you get the idea…
Chorus pedals & rack effects are great devices for widening sounds & giving movement in the stereo field. Each one is different and they all have their strengths & weaknesses so, to cover all the bases, I used to buy every one I liked the sound of. Top of the tree – as ever – was the Boss CE-1, closely followed by the Dimension D
Chorus may be out of fashion with some people in 2019 but, for the chorus lovers out here, see my Top Ten and my list of items in stock
Chorus & Phaser pedals & rackmounts in stock:
In the early 1980s dbx introduced the 900 Series, a modular processing system using a 3U chassis with builtin power supply. Sound familiar? Yes, it’s one of the progenitors of the 500 rack system
One of the few manufacturers that supported the dbx 900 Series was Aphex – now a player in the 500 Series market with both racks & modules
The 900 Series had (at least) two racks
Compatible modules included
I have a number of 900 Series items in my workshop queue and will update this page when I have photos and more information
Preservation Sound has more info on the 900 Series plus a download link for the original marketing material. More info here
A few forum links & threads for research:
https://www.gearslutz.com/board/so-much-gear-so-little-time/68346-dbx-900-frame-modules.html
https://www.gearslutz.com/board/so-much-gear-so-little-time/9762-dbx-900-rack-compression.html
Valley People Dyna-Mite
A piece of outboard gear that really caught my attention on an early session at Eden Studios was the Valley People Dyna-Mite. Housed in an ugly beige plastic case it stacked two channels of Dynamite in a very small package. Despite looking like a toy, the Dynamite proved to be a huge-sounding device capable of eye-widening compression. A year later, working at Sarm East, I discovered the epically-wonderful Allison Research Gain Brain, a masterpiece of savage compression & distortion
Later on I discovered the shared heritage of these two items and the story of their creator, Paul Buff. His story has been written about online already and there’s a longer piece here, and more here, so no need to duplicate it
I’ve been working my way through the Valley back catalogue, buying & restoring these remarkable compressors. In the list below, everything with an underlined link is either in stock, or been sold previously, and has a description with detailed photos. If you want an unvarnished opinion on the various models, email me
Significant pieces of Valley gear, in approximate chronological order, include:
Allison Research
Photo Credits: © Universal Audio & © The Telos Alliance
I’m a bit of a Deltalab fan. The first one I used was an Acousticomputer – it was rubbish, but very entertaining rubbish. The later Effectrons really hit the spot and, even now, are great tools for warping & twisting sounds
I am collecting Deltalab & Effectron info together on this page so check back for updates!
Some items have a PDF link to a user manual or catalogue or a schematic
Effectron
Super Time Line
Other Deltalab kit
Preservation Sound
http://www.preservationsound.com/?p=2088
TapeOp forum
https://messageboard.tapeop.com/viewtopic.php?t=59090
https://messageboard.tapeop.com/viewtopic.php?t=83894
Music Electronics Forum
https://music-electronics-forum.com/showthread.php?t=3678
DeltaLab Effectron, I, II, III ADM (Blue) Digital Delays From The 80’s (what I know so far)
Youtube demo (weird noises mainly)
Effectron – PDF
Effectron II – PDF
Effectron Ad 1 –
Effectron Ad 2 –
Effectron I – II – III features
Effectron Ad 2
A growing collection of miscellaneous info about Roland SR-JV80 synths such as the JV-1080
Links
Roland synth modules for sale
http://www.bn1studio.co.uk/product-category/keyboard-modules/
SR-JV80 expansion boards for sale
http://www.bn1studio.co.uk/product-category/keyboard-modules/sr-jv80-expansion-board/
List of expansion boards
http://www.bn1studio.co.uk/roland-sr-jv-80-expansion-boards/
Compatibility Guide for expansion boards
http://www.bn1studio.co.uk/roland-sr-jv80-compatibility-guide/
Roland main SR-JV80 page
https://www.roland.com/hu/search/?q=SR-JV80
Don Solaris
Gearslutz Favourite SR-JV80 expansion boards poll
Nathan Sheldon patches
http://www.nathansheldon.com/xp-80/patches.html
Soundprogramming.net page
https://soundprogramming.net/synthesizers/roland/roland-sr-jv80-expansion-boards/
Professional Dolby Noise Reduction
Dolby A noise reduction (NR) was used on millions of 16- and 24-track 2″ multitracks and 2-track masters. It’s a 4-band compander which boosts levels on recording, and compensates on playback, thereby reducing noise
Dolby SR, the successor to Dolby A, offered around 10 dB more noise reduction. Tapes encoded with SR require an SR card for decoding
Domestic Dolby Noise Reduction
Dolby B was a domestic NR commonly used on cassette recorders. In many ways a simplified version of Dolby A, B was s single-band NR system, boosting high frequencies on record and reducing them on playback. As with Dolby A, B required accurate level & frequency response matching for best results. It had the happy by-product of making B-encoded tapes sound brighter on non Dolby-equipped playback systems
Dolby C and Dolby S were later domestic systems
Professional Dolby hardware
Dolby hardware separates the host and NR card. The host typically provides audio input / outputs (via transformers on the 361), power supplies and remote switching whilst the NR card performs audio functions only
Dolby produced hundreds of card types for audio, film, broadcast & etc. In single- and dual-channel models these fell into two main categories, first- & second-generation models.The noise reduction specification (A, SR, etc) remained constant across hardware generations but cards & hosts are not interchangeable between generations as Dolby changed connector standards
First-generation hardware (supports Cat 22 (A) and Cat 280 (SR) cards)
Second-generation hardware (supports Cat 350 (SR), Cat 450 (A) and Cat 300 (SR / A) cards
For multitrack systems Dolby produced the ubiquitous M16 (16-channel) rack and the later 8-channel expansion. The M16 used standard Cat 22 cards with separate Cat 44H i/o interface cards. The M16 was superceded by the 24-channel XP24 SR rack
Reverbs & Effects for sale are here
Page under construction
Before there were digital reverbs there were reverb plates, springs, mechanical reverbs and – of course – reverb chambers
A reverb chamber is a simple idea – take an empty room, fit a speaker and a pair of microphones and create natural reverb. It’s simple in theory, and hard to do in practice, but there were (and are) some great chambers in larger studios
The plate reverbs was invented by EMT in 1957 and used a suspended steel plate with a transducer and a pickup (later, two pickups for “stereo”). The transducer energised the plate and reverberation was created by the sound waves travelling around the plate. Plate reverbs are still in use, and in production, 61 years later
In the late 1970s EMT began research into digital processes to quantify & generate reverberation. This led to the 1976 EMT 250, still one of the most feted reverbs in the world
The other pioneering reverb company at that time was Lexicon in Waltham, Mass. Lexicon and EMT had one thing in common – Dr Barry Blesser, a founder of Lexicon and designer of the 250 for EMT.
EMT had a background in broadcast and high-end audio products whereas Lexicon was a typical high-tech company which grew in the shadow of MIT
Reverb Top Ten
Equalisers for sale are listed here
In theory, equalisation is one of the simplest audio tasks. That doesn’t stop there being thousands of EQs to choose from, using hundreds of different approaches to a couple of of basic topologies
The earliest equalisers were used to flatten the frequency response of fixed telephone lines. They were typically LC (Inductor / Capacitor) equalisers followed by a valve gain make-up stage. They were designed for permanent equalisation and would have a fixed HF boost matched to the line
The advent of equalisation in sound recording and cinema audio playback led to variable equalisers like the legendary Pultec EQP-1A. The development of transistors led to equalisers with more frequency bands and greater flexibility
Cost is a big factor. Cheap EQs can work well but are likely to be limited in flexibility and precision. They are also unlikely to be easy & enjoyable to work with
At the other end of the scale, high-end equalisers like the GML 8200 and Massive Passive offer great flexibility, accuracy & repeatability – at a price
The middle ground is where the price / performance ratio works best. Great affordable, usable EQs include
Equaliser Top Ten
Honourable mentions
Boss Micro Rack – 12-Bit effects from the 1980s:
Roland has partnered with Studio Electronics to produce an analogue synth with all the facilities of a modern digital synth. It sounds great in this clip
A recent idea inspired by the success of the 500-Series format and the continuing popularity of analogue consoles. OSCAR is a an open platform for building analogue consoles, based on buckets of eight channels with simple metalwork and – as far as possible – standard parts
One possible path is to size the bucket so that 500-Series modules can slot right in. They’re 1.5″ wide as standard. Other options include modules 2″ wide (actually 50.8 mm). This fits in with the Eurocard standard
Both 500-Series and Eurocard have a standard 3U (5.25″) module height, but Eurocard also allows for a 6U (10.5″) standard which is a far more usable size for a channel strip
I don’t see 500 modules as the perfect solution. A taller channel strip would allow greater flexibility and reduce cost and allow the format a wider appeal
Metalwork represents a sizeable proportion of the total cost of a console but it’s possibly the most difficult thing for DIY builders to create. Constructing a console out of standard parts, each built to close tolerances and with a good finish, would leave the DIY builder free to concentrate on electronics
There’s a thread running about the idea over on the Group DIY Forum
http://groupdiy.com/index.php?topic=63172.0
First sketch of OSCAR
First sketch of metalwork ideas
Links
http://groupdiy.com/index.php?topic=63172.0
http://www.radialeng.com/500series-standards.php
http://www.emusician.com/gear/1332/roundup–api-500-series-chassis/45767
Hand-built Neumann W492 Stereo Equaliser clone
There’s lots of interest in DIY projects at the moment. Many pieces of vintage gear have been recreated and schematics, circuit boards, bills of material (BOMs) and build logs abound
I have a number of projects underway – probably too many – and locating components is a major part of the build process. Below is a list of links to some of the better known resources
In a later blog post I’ll detail some of the more popular DIY projects
GroupDIY Forum
A friendly forum with some real experts on hand
diyAudio Forum
Rather more esoteric forum with a wider purview
Audio Maintenance Ltd
UK-based parts supplier, also high-quality kits. AMEK specialist. Authorised Penny & Giles sales & service
Hairball Audio
US-based kit & parts supplier
Mnats
Prolific designer, DIY creator, forum contributor
Gyraf
Jacob Erland’s boutique pro-audio manufacturer, also has DIY project info
Schaeffer AG
German enclosure & front panel manufacturer
Frontpanels.de
German case manufacturer, specifically for DIY projects
HiFi2000
Italian case & enclosure manufacturer
Front Panel Designer
Software to design front panels, suitable for printing & engraving
Mouser
Farnell
Rapid Electronics
RS Components
Don Audio
Distrelec
DIY-Tubes
List of synths & modules compatible with SR-JV80 Expansion Boards. A list of all expansion boards for sale is here
The boards plug into the synth modules & keyboards listed below. They are easy to fit – a screwdriver is the only tool required
| Compatible Synth Modules |
| JV-880 |
| JV-1010 |
| JV-1080 |
| JV-2080 |
| JV-3080 |
| JV-5080 |
| JD-990 |
| Compatible Synths |
| JV-80 |
| JV-90 |
| JV-1000 |
| XP-30 |
| XP-50 |
| XP-60 |
| XP-80 |
| Fantom FA76 |
| XV-88 |
Roland produced a wide range of expansion boards for the JV-Series synths. Many were developed in conjunction with Spectrasonics, a company set up to sample sounds & map them across a keyboard
Some expansion cards were outside the traditional numbering scheme and were only sold bundled with keyboards. Below is a list of Roland board numbers & names with links to items in our shop
A list of all expansion boards for sale is here
SR-JV-01 Pop
SR-JV-02 Orchestral
SR-JV-03 Piano
SR-JV-04 Vintage Synth
SR-JV-05 World
SR-JV-06 Dance
SR-JV-07 Super Sound Set
SR-JV-08 Keyboards of the 60s and 70s
SR-JV-09 Session
SR-JV-10 Bass & Drums
SR-JV-11 Techno Collection
SR-JV-12 Hip Hop Collection
SR-JV-13 Vocal Collection
SR-JV-14 World Collection Asia
SR-JV-15 Special FX Collection
SR-JV-16 Orchestral 2
SR-JV-17 Country
SR-JV-18 Latin
SR-JV-19 House
SR-JV80-96 World Collection Latin
SR-JV80-97 Experience III
SR-JV80-98 Experience II
SR-JV80-99 Experience
For more information on SR-JV synths see here
Original render with old Urei 1176 knob design & VU meters
Hans on the GroupDIY Forum posted an idea for a multichannel compressor based on the 1176 reboot by Gyraf
Enthused by the idea, here is my rendering of an 8-channel version in a 3U case. I call it the 1176 / 8
I quickly (and, looking at it again, fairly inaccurately) modelled an 1176 input knob for the bottom of the panel to get the genuine 1176 vibe. The meter is a generic VU meter, 48 wide x 40 tall, designed to fit in a 1U case. The other knobs are Sifam 14 mm
After playing with dimensions, and mocking up a front panel with real knobs, it became obvious that there’s insufficient space for a meter in a 3U version. Then I had a brainwave – why not use a separate, optional meter bridge in a 1U box? So here it is
1176/8 version 4 with redrawn UREI input knobs and separate meter bridge
See the thread here
http://groupdiy.com/index.php?topic=60141
Gyraf site
Compressors for sale are listed here
Compressors are odd things. Some see them as a way of controlling levels, of preventing overloads and as a utility device for audio. Others see them as the ultimate tool for changing dynamics, for creating excitement and for their audible effect
I fall into camp #2. For me they are like temporal equalisers – a good compressor lets you change the dynamic shape of sound in a way that nothing else can
After spending some time with the Empirical Labs Fatso and Distressor, my Favourite Compressor list has been revised to make a Top Ten. And there are plenty of compressors in my list of recapped & refurbished devices
Compressor Top Ten
1. UREI 1176
Nothing sounds like an 1176 – it’s a one-off, a freak, an outlier – and that’s why it’s stood the test of time. For vocals and bass guitar, nothing betters it for a punchy, aggressive sound. Set it for a fairly slow attack, fastest release and 4:1 compression then just ramp up the input level till the vocal sits where you want it. A little tweak on the attack time, a hint of EQ and job done
2. UREI LA-2A
In some ways the polar opposite of the 1176, the LA-2A is a more laid-back device with markedly slower attack & release times. It’s amazing when just tickling a signal but also shines when driven hard. It’s a subtler device overall and more about final polish than pure attitude
If, like me, you must tweak attack & release times to suit tempo & dynamics then, in theory, the 160XT falls at the first hurdle. It has no attack or release controls, just threshold & ratio, and the only other option is an Over-Easy / Hard Knee switch. Fortunately for the 160XT, theory is dead wrong – it’s a hard-charging, attitude-loaded punk of a compressor that’s as subtle as a car crash. The 160XT won’t work in every situation but, every time it does, you’ll wonder how you lived without one
The SSL 4000E came with a four-channel VCA compressor as standard across the Quad Bus output of the console. It’s a magic switch which, when pressed, opens up a whole new universe of sound. As heard on 95% of all hit records from 1985 to 2000, the SSL Bus Compressor is really rather good
The Full Analogue Tape Simulator and Optimiser is a combined compressor / harmonic generator designer to warm up spikey digital sources. It’s fantastic
6. Empirical Labs Distressor EL8X Compressor
The best-selling Distressor combines traditional compression styles with super-modern controls & massive flexibility
As its name suggests, the Dynamite exists to smash things to pieces, violently and comprehensively. It’s capable of the most pumping, squashing compression you’ve ever heard but still manages to maintain fidelity while doing it. Designed by Paul Buff, the Dynamite has a raft of devious sidechain filters, keys, RMS / Peak switches & etc and can be used as a gate / expander. Always a nightmare to set up, the Dynamite is nevertheless utterly brilliant
8. Allison Research Gain Brain
More insane compression from Paul Buff. Loud, nasty & vicious
9. dbx 163X
Filthy, dirty, nasty compression with loads of vibe. I love it
10. FMR RNC Really Nice Compressor
Clean, cheap, effective, brilliant
A few other compressors deserve an honourable mention for their notoriety, amazingness or sheer subtlety
Chorus pedals – how can you not love them? They’re so raw, so unpolished, so direct, so easy to fiddle with…
I love using chorus pedals when mixing as they sit the sound in a different perspective to that created by a plugin or a polished, hi-tech piece of outboard gear. I have a decent collection of chorus pedals (see chorus pedals in my shop), and have owned quite a few more, but some stand out more than others
My All Time Top Five Chorus / Flanger / Phaser list:
What makes the CE-1 sit at the top of the list? It’s not because it’s a swirly, deep, flangey chorus, because it’s not. It’s subtle, smooth, refined and rather special. It adds depth and subtle movement, so it’s superb for widening keyboard pads and giving depth to a mix. It does all this without any downsides at all – it’s quiet (or quite enough), it’s mains-powered so no batteries to worry about, and it’s absolutely incapable of sounding bad
The Dim D sits in a class of its own at the top of the rack-mounted chorus tree. It’s super-simple with four settings, each of which seems to be perfect, but one is always slightly more perfect than the rest. Again, it’s not a deep, swirly device, but it does a great job of adding subtle movement and widening sounds
Eventide is one of my favourite manufacturers. They haven’t made a bad piece of gear since they started in New York in 1971 . The Eventide Flanger, and it’s sister, the Phaser, are old-school rack devices which will do deep, resonant flanging, subtle movement and anything in between. My favourite trick is to feed the whole mix though it, slowly cross-fade with the original mix and switch back on a downbeat. Sounds great on headphones, sounds great on the radio
If you could imagine a slightly more British, slightly more buttoned-down version of the Eventide, you’d get something like the AMS. Great audio quality, very smooth in operation, great controls with more finesse than the Eventide, the AMS is a killer flanger
When you trawl through factory presets on outboard gear it’s rare to find a sound that jumps out at you that also works in a track. Symphonic is one of the few. Unlike the other chorus / flangers in my list, Symphonic is the only one from a digital device with presets. All the others predate the digital era and use analogue, bucket-brigade delay lines. The SPX90 may be digital, but someone at Yamaha engineering spent time creating a killer flanger which someone else from marketing named Symphonic. Whatever – it’s great
A few other Chorus pedals & rackmount devices stand out:
MXR Phase 90 pedal – fabulous stomp-box phaser
Any MXR Flanger – I haven’t found a bad one yet
Any Electro-Harmonix Chorus or Flanger – I haven’t found a bad one yet
Yamaha Rev 7 – Symphonic, just like the SPX90
There’s one more device that would sit on top of the pile if it could be described as a Flanger. It will do Flanging, but I don’t really think of it as one. Maybe my mistake
The Marshall Time Modulator is possibly the weirdest, most wonderful piece of outboard gear ever devised. Most engineers I know steer clear of it but I have to say I love it
It had to happen eventually – I’ve been looking at Modular Synths and getting increasingly interested in building a small rig, perhaps like Bob’s setup above?
Modular Synths, for the uninitiated, are built from individual modules such as oscillators, filters and amplifiers in the same way as the original Moog System shown above. Modern modulars come in a number of different formats but the Eurorack system is growing fast. Popularised by Doepfer in Germany, Eurorack modules are 128.5 mm tall so fit neatly into a 3U rack height (133.35 mm). Module widths are measured in hp (1hp = 5.08 mm) so racks are characterised by linear capacity – “I’ve just filled my new 104hp case with modules…”
There’s a thriving business in new & used modules and in DIY kits for home assembly. There’s also lots of information online on DIY cases for Eurorack modules. They don’t have to be 19″ racks – make them any width you like with a DIY case. There are some great examples in the DIY Case thread on the Muffwiggler forum
If you’re thinking a 3U rack sounds like a 500- / 51X-Series rack, you’d be right, but there are major differences: Eurorack doesn’t have a backplane for the modules to plug into, voltages rails are different (± 12 Volts for Eurorack), power is connected to each module using a power cable and inputs & outputs are mounted on the front panel. Eurorack modules also vary hugely in depth and width with shallow units being under 45 mm deep
The Modular world is full of acronyms and buzzwords, even more so than the music world in general, so here’s a quick guide, written by a beginner for beginners, into Modular lingo:
I’ve compiled a few links useful for research into modular synth suppliers and DIY resources
Photo © Moog
The JV-1080 is one of those long-established synths that crops up again & again. Due to the wide range of expansion boards available, the JV-1080, and its cousins, have been useful for at least 15 years
I usually have a couple of JV synths & expansion boards in my online shop
| Feature | JV-880 | JV-1080 | JV-2080 | JV-1010 | XV-3080 | XV-5080 |
| Polyphony | 28 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 128 | 128 |
| SR-JV expansion slots | 1 | 4 | 8 | 1 | 4 | 4 |
| SRX expansion slots | 2 | 4 | ||||
| Other expansion slots | Data + PCM | Data + PCM | Data | Smart Media | Smart Media | |
| Outputs | 4 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 8 + SP/DIF |
| Effects | Chorus, reverb | Chorus, reverb, EFX – 1 x 40 | EFX – 3 x 40 | Chorus, reverb, EFX – 1 x 40 | Studio quality | Studio quality |
| Preset Performances | 32 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 |
| Preset Patches | 320 | 512 | 640 | 895 | 1152 | 1152 |
| Preset Rhythm Sets | 2 | 18 | 23 | 23 | ||
| User Performances | 16 | 32 | 32 | 64 | 64 | 64 |
| User Patches | 64 | 128 | 128 | 128 | 128 | 128 |
| User Rhythm Sets | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | |
| Modulation | Matrix | Matrix | ||||
| Sample playback | yes | |||||
| Display | Small, two lines | Medium | 320 x 80 pixel | Small, one line | Large | 320 x 80 pixel |
| Format | 1U | 2U | 2U | 1/2U | 2U | 2U |
| Production date | 1992 | 1994-2001 | 1997-2001 | 1999 | 2000 | 2000 |
| © 2015 bn1studio | ||||||
Roland XV & JV Power User tips
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/nov03/articles/xvjvmasterclass.html
Product page (JV-1080)
http://www.rolandus.com/products/details/495
Owners manual (JV-1080)
http://www.roland.co.uk/assets/media/pdf/JV-1080_OM.pdf
Vintage Synth Review (JV-1080)
http://www.vintagesynth.com/roland/jv1080.php
Sound on Sound review (JV-1080)
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/1994_articles/dec94/rolandjv1080.html
FAQ
http://www.d-flame.cx/~samon/jv_xpfaq.html
Sound on Sound review of SR-JV80 Expansion boards
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/nov98/articles/rolandjv.htm