Lightning Boy Audio | Studio Production Electronics

Mike's Blog

Contact Mike

RSS Feed

  • Home
  • Store
  • Products
    • Dark Storm - Mic Pre
    • Sun Storm - audio compressor
    • Super Storm - 500 Series Preamp
    • Eye of Jupiter - 500 Series Re-Amping DI Box
    • 23Fe+ Instrument Transformer
  • Mike's Blog
  • Reviews & Demos
  • Customer Support
  • LBA History
  • LBA User's Guides
  • LBA Studios

10/30/2024

Op-2HD tube compressor Prototype.

0 Comments

Read Now
 
Picture
Picture
Here's prototype number 2 in the development of a Storm Series compressor.  The first prototype had a lot of issues, distortion being the biggest one.  This one doesn't have any issues and sounds great.  I think at this point its ready to move forward with refining the design and look.  I'll have to sell this prototype in order to fund the advancement of the design.  It'll be available in the store section of this website under the used gear section later tonight. 

So what is it then?  2 tubes (12AT7, 12AX7) running at high voltage and 3 audio transformers are inside of this compressor.  It is based on my Op-2 Compressor pedal from a few years back, but this is radically better in every way.  More features, more headroom, more tone.  It is essentially an optical compressor, but different from usual in that a vacuum tube is responsible for creating the ratio by means of tube compression (distortion).  The compression knob is both the threshold adjustment and the ratio adjustment in one knob and it acts directly on the compression tube.  As you turn up the compression knob you increase the ratio and increase the amount of signal allowed to pass over the threshold.  There are controls for attack and release times, but they are a little interdependent.  A slower attack setting will result in a slower release time, but the release time switch has no affect on the attack time.  You can get a medium fast release with a slow attack, or a slow release.  You can also get a very fast attack and a fast release, or a slow release.  There is a side-chain low frequency bypass for the detection circuit.  There's more gain available in the tube makeup gain control than you'll likely ever need.  Your input signal level is not adjustable.  A hotter input signal will pass the threshold easier and compress more. 

This device runs on a 12V DC external line-lump power adapter (740mA draw). 

Share

0 Comments
Details

    RSS Feed


    About the Author

    Mike Congilosi II, Owner/Designer/Electronics Engineer at Lightning Boy Audio and Owner/Audio Engineer/Music Producer at LBA Studios.  

    Mike received a Master of Music Degree in Studio Production from SUNY Purchase in 2007.  He has been engineering and producing music for about 15 years and has been a musician since early childhood.  Mike's electronics background comes from self education fueled by love, necessity, and a insatiable drive to create.  

    Archives

    April 2025
    March 2025
    January 2025
    November 2024
    October 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    February 2024
    November 2023
    October 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    February 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    October 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    March 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    October 2013
    September 2013
    November 2012
    October 2012
    May 2012

    Categories

    All

  • Home
  • Store
  • Products
    • Dark Storm - Mic Pre
    • Sun Storm - audio compressor
    • Super Storm - 500 Series Preamp
    • Eye of Jupiter - 500 Series Re-Amping DI Box
    • 23Fe+ Instrument Transformer
  • Mike's Blog
  • Reviews & Demos
  • Customer Support
  • LBA History
  • LBA User's Guides
  • LBA Studios