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Post by grummy on Feb 20, 2014 2:45:07 GMT -6
Anyone on here familiar with or used this AC Sound Pi3141?
They've been around for a few years now and I've been drooling over getting them for just about as long (just based on online clips I've heard).
They're heavily based on the old Pye compressors from the 60s or 70s. Anyone around here have experience with any of the original Pye Comps?
AC Sound recently announced pre-ordering of pi-3141 circuit boards. I just ordered two.
If they are as good as the samples I've heard (and the hype in my head) I plan to use them as a main tracking comp for all kinds of stuff, especially acoustic. Possibly drum bus too, (but they'll have to beat out my 527 pair for that). One thing I noticed from a thread on the purple site (comparing a crap load of comps on a drum bus loop) this Pi seemed to not mess with the top end like most if not all other comps. Sometimes you want a comp to warm things up a bit, but sometimes you want it to compress, add some vibe, but leave the sparkle sparkly. From what I could tell these do just that. No idea if the original Pyes behaved the same way or not. These seemed to do a polish job in the clips I've heard.
I know you can't tell much from clips on line, so I'm taking a bit of a gamble. But at DIY prices it's worth the risk for me. Plus I figure I'll enjoy the build.
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Post by levon on Feb 20, 2014 3:47:38 GMT -6
I have one from the original batch, I love it on acoustic guitars, it's just beautiful. I tried it on drums but preferred other comps for that role, acoustic instrument is where it shines. The downside is that it is a bit noisy over a certain gain level (at least on mine) and the pots are crackling (is that a word?) and don't always click into place, if you know what I mean. So the build quality is not always super high, but I can certainly live with it because the sound is great.
If Abe offers a kit and you are versed in DIY, you can probably upgrade to better pots and get a great comp at a decent price.
Abe has changed some components for the later models and I don't know how these compare to mine. I have also never used a real PYE, I saw the rare one popping up for sale over the years but the prices are ridiculous.
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Post by jcoutu1 on Feb 20, 2014 5:35:06 GMT -6
grummy , any idea on parts cost for these puppies?
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Post by grummy on Feb 20, 2014 13:00:25 GMT -6
Abe mentioned on his Group DIY thread between $250-$300 minimum for all parts before case. Here's the link to that thread. I'm sure there'll be lots more info to come on it: groupdiy.com/index.php?topic=55206.0Hope that's cool to post a link to another forum. No disrespect. I only did it because it's sort of his official thread on these, and I'm sure there will be constant updates on there directly from him. Maybe we can invite him to come over here to discuss. If it looks like there are more folks interested on here I'll send him a PM with a link to this thread. So if you can get a case & faceplate happening for under $150 a stereo unit could be made for under $800 me hopes. That's about half what he charges for a built and tested unit. But I'm not sure what if any corners that'd be cutting, as he says you can spend more putting them together. Hopefully he'll post a BOM soon, and then instructions as he has planned. |
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Post by jcoutu1 on Feb 20, 2014 13:01:40 GMT -6
That sounds rad. I'm interested. Get him over here!
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Post by grummy on Feb 20, 2014 13:09:14 GMT -6
OK. I just sent him a PM over there giving him the heads up.
Hopefully he comes over here.
He seems pretty busy from the posts I've read from him elsewhere, so who knows.
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Post by abecha024 on Feb 20, 2014 17:22:44 GMT -6
Hi Everyone, thanks for the invite Aaron  Luckily I already registered for an account here a while back, just haven't made my rounds! levon, Glad you are still enjoying your compressor. Yes those switched pots turned out to get scratchy...unfortunately. (we don't use them any more in our builds) One of these days when I catch up with everything I would love to replace them and get the noise level down on your unit. Shoot me an email (we've learned a lot since building the first batch!) So yes, their is a pre-order going for the pi-3141 compressors...It is going on until about middle of next month. I'm planning to have an easy to read manual and everything to make it a fun build for people... These are some of my favorite compressors, I had a chance to compare them to some original pyes and mine are extremely close...a little more transparent in some ways...a little different as far as signal path...not really good or bad either way - I could see sometimes maybe preferring the original pye but sometime definitely preferring the new pye...the main things that are different would be the input and output transformers...and then "new" transistors, but they are easy to source which is my main concern. Also sound tests, when blind it was a 50/50 mash up for me. But I will (eventually) Post all sorts of clips and videos of the comparison more in depth. But I think on its own I've tried to make the p-3141 sound as great as it possibly can, because when I was doing the original design I didn't have access to an original pye to compare with (or 5000$ around to buy one  so I just tried to make it better then the best compressor I could sonically imagine, and that led me to tweaking the circuit/parts a tiny bit...not really to change anything about it just to optimize it with the parts that are being used.. Sonically, they stereo link extremely well, and I love them on drum bus...I concur about leaving the high frequencies intact. I think that is a byproduct of the PWM gain reduction it uses, its surprisingly transparent- even compared to "clean" vcas...it seems to mess with the sound less, but can get incredibly huge sounding with its extremely fast release setting (think 1176 all buttons in) Pretty crazy especially when you consider its chopping up the waveform 250,000 times a second! But all in all my goal is to help people make some awesome compressors for their studios, and continue to make more designs. So check out the pre order if ya'll like. Would love to have you get involved! Abe |
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Post by jcoutu1 on Feb 20, 2014 17:30:19 GMT -6
Abe, thanks for the info. So you're estimate is around $800 all in for the stereo unit? Any eta on the BOM? Is there a plan to have more of the 160 kits in stock too?
Thanks.
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mattj
New Member
Posts: 5 
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Post by mattj on Feb 21, 2014 0:57:32 GMT -6
So abe I've been considering one of these for mixing - especially synth buss so they'd be 90% with synths, samples and drum machines. I have an overstayer vca comp which is fantastic but I've been thinking of moving that to synth duties and possibly the pi on master.... I'm interested what you think of the pi in an electronic studio - think cut copy - cheers mj
Or would the prr-176 be better I wonder?
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Post by levon on Feb 21, 2014 1:03:42 GMT -6
Abe, great to see you here. Yes, I love my PIE, as I said, I can live with the scratchy pots, once they're set and I start to run signal through it, I don't have to move them anymore. The noise on my unit is not a problem if I keep the gain below 16, which is enough form most applications. Recently I found that I could go about two notches higher and the noise was still tolerable.
My PIE sound very sweet and I wouldn't use anything else on acoustic guitars. It's also great for vocals; on drums, mine sounded good but not as grabby as an 1178 or an SSL type, which I prefer. But that's just me. All in all, I can highly recommend it, especially if you can build the kit (which I can't, I'm a useless DIYer).
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Post by cenafria on Feb 21, 2014 3:47:48 GMT -6
I worked with original Pye compressors many years ago. This was the model. They belonged to a producer that worked at the studio for a while. I remember them sounding great on a number of sources. I didn't really find a clear favourite in the short time I used them. |
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Post by abecha024 on Feb 21, 2014 11:43:24 GMT -6
I also love mine on acoustic guitar and any sort of stringed instrument like that. I heard some of the "big boys" use their pyes exclusivly on toms. And I tried it and yes, it makes toms sound explosive! The other application I think I heard is for squashing Drum Rooms and then also for snare. But yea it is a lot of fun to have in the studio for various sources.
As far as a synth bus, Im sure it would work well, but it depends usually when I think of synths I think of words like fat and distorted, stuff that usually needs to be warmed up...not that the pye isnt warm, its very smooth and has a nice tone, but you might get more milage out of the prr-176 for this particular application as it can sometimes be more "fat"? Sounding. But thats the fun of having these toys is experimenting:)
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Post by dandeurloo on Feb 21, 2014 11:56:45 GMT -6
Hey Abe!
I just wanted to say I have a number of Abe's compressors and soon to have one of the stereo PYE's. Abe makes great gear and is a stand up guy. The CLX rules and so does his PRR-176. More reasons for some of you guys to get into DIY.
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Luckily I already registered for an account here a while back, just haven't made my rounds!
so I just tried to make it better then the best compressor I could sonically imagine, and that led me to tweaking the circuit/parts a tiny bit...not really to change anything about it just to optimize it with the parts that are being used..
