kcatthedog
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Post by kcatthedog on Dec 17, 2023 6:40:37 GMT -6
Just wondering, if anyone has the Audioscape or Stam 1178?
Big fan of the Pulsar plug in and jonsying for one of the clones: with their mods: find either very appealing !
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Post by Deleted on Dec 17, 2023 10:14:01 GMT -6
A Distressor 😂
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Post by thehightenor on Dec 17, 2023 11:33:28 GMT -6
Just wondering, if anyone has the Audioscape or Stam 1178? Big fan of the Pulsar plug in and jonsying for one of the clones: with their mods: find either very appealing ! Yes, I bought the Pulsar 1178 plugin and thought .... this sounds really great! As ever with plugins, they always lead me to wanting the actual hardware! The modern option on the Wes Audio NG76 has a similar approach to the 1178 circuit - albeit mono of course. |
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Post by lowlou on Dec 17, 2023 11:35:08 GMT -6
I'm waiting for the Stam clone ; they start shipping in a few days. The Stam version has a few more features compared to the Audioscape version, it has an input transformer mod for example. I'm sure the Audioscape is absolutely excellent.
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kcatthedog
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Post by kcatthedog on Dec 17, 2023 12:57:42 GMT -6
I bet the real thing is great, but i’ve never been knocked out by the plugs and one isn’t stereo. The new 1178 clones seem like really good value to me . |
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kcatthedog
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Post by kcatthedog on Dec 17, 2023 16:08:30 GMT -6
I'm waiting for the Stam clone ; they start shipping in a few days. The Stam version has a few more features compared to the Audioscape version, it has an input transformer mod for example. I'm sure the Audioscape is absolutely excellent. Doesn’t the Stam also have a modified fastest attack time ? |
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Post by audiospecific on Dec 17, 2023 23:50:55 GMT -6
I'm waiting for the Stam clone ; they start shipping in a few days. The Stam version has a few more features compared to the Audioscape version, it has an input transformer mod for example. I'm sure the Audioscape is absolutely excellent.
I would just use a better transformer and probably its not the one they want you to put in either. Its not like you would use it like a 1176ln on a guitar, even though I found out a long time ago I can use that old UTC transformer or an edcor 1/8watt outside of the unit to apply the dark distortion thing it does with guitars. Of course, a pickle works too, ask Sylvia Massey. She thought I was high on dope when I said that to her until she stuck a guitar signal through a pickle.
The reason why all of these are springing up is there is decent Jfets available again.
This is a new one, that I would definitely try if I wanted to build a 1178 comp  mou.sr/48mrUgd
I wonder if they are going to use the NE5532 in it because those are scheduled to be obsolete next year. LME49990 is my future replacement even though I will have to use an adapter board to go from SMD back to pins.
The other op amps, the TLE2084 Would be the one to really stick in it
So yes, now, its easy to get a nice fast fet comp and it shouldn't cost anyone over $200-$300/channel build cost. And transformers, about $120 each for high end ones if want to use them.
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Post by lowlou on Dec 18, 2023 6:32:02 GMT -6
well the Stam is more like 600-700 per channel, and that's with the early bird price.
They added an input transformer, one reminiscent of what you find in the blueface and blackface 1176. That's a mod that costs 200$. I don't know what other components they use.
Other affordable FETS available right now are these old NTP 179-120 currently for sale at what... 7500£ ? lol
They nice, but prices go up 1K every month for them now (these Reverb sellers...). Got mine for way less, & it was already so expensive I thought.
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kcatthedog
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Post by kcatthedog on Dec 18, 2023 7:08:39 GMT -6
^^well the Stam is more like 600-700 per channel, and that's with the early bird price. They added an input transformer, one reminiscent of what you find in the blueface and blackface 1176. That's a mod that costs 200$. I don't know what other components they use. Stam is running a business not just buying diy parts, I would think 100% markup over parts purchase costs is low. |
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Post by lowlou on Dec 18, 2023 7:32:34 GMT -6
Stam prices are great. Their 500 series FETs are very affordable.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 18, 2023 8:12:19 GMT -6
I'm waiting for the Stam clone ; they start shipping in a few days. The Stam version has a few more features compared to the Audioscape version, it has an input transformer mod for example. I'm sure the Audioscape is absolutely excellent.
I would just use a better transformer and probably its not the one they want you to put in either. Its not like you would use it like a 1176ln on a guitar, even though I found out a long time ago I can use that old UTC transformer or an edcor 1/8watt outside of the unit to apply the dark distortion thing it does with guitars. Of course, a pickle works too, ask Sylvia Massey. She thought I was high on dope when I said that to her until she stuck a guitar signal through a pickle.
The reason why all of these are springing up is there is decent Jfets available again.
This is a new one, that I would definitely try if I wanted to build a 1178 comp mou.sr/48mrUgd
I wonder if they are going to use the NE5532 in it because those are scheduled to be obsolete next year. LME49990 is my future replacement even though I will have to use an adapter board to go from SMD back to pins.
The other op amps, the TLE2084 Would be the one to really stick in it
So yes, now, its easy to get a nice fast fet comp and it shouldn't cost anyone over $200-$300/channel build cost. And transformers, about $120 each for high end ones if want to use them.
Daking switched from JFETs to discrete VCAs emulating JFETs. More consistent and less heat issues. TI is discontinuing NE5532? Nisshinbo makes NJM5532 still. Modern opamps are better but there was very high end NE5532 gear and a huge proportion of gear now uses prosumer circuitry with junky JRC4580, junk NJM chips best suited to guitar pedals, and counterfeit capacitors. And it’s not junky in a cool way like old Tascam and Fostex equipment, it’s junky in a bad unclear way, eg Presonus, ART, Behringer, Focusrite, RME, etc. Honestly people should move onto modern equipment but even that is in short supply because nobody ever taught people how to use the cleaner type compressors that calculate RMS and peak-crest with multiple attacks and releases or the cleaner optical and jfet compressors, most of the world went with shitty dysfunctional digital, so most of what’s left is shitty clones and confused designs. Peak/RMS or Feed-forward/Feedback switches are ridiculous self-inflicting, design-defeating decisions almost all of the time for example. |
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Post by audiospecific on Dec 18, 2023 8:52:31 GMT -6
well the Stam is more like 600-700 per channel, and that's with the early bird price. They added an input transformer, one reminiscent of what you find in the blueface and blackface 1176. That's a mod that costs 200$. I don't know what other components they use. Other affordable FETS available right now are these old NTP 179-120 currently for sale at what... 7500£ ? lol They nice, but prices go up 1K every month for them now (these Reverb sellers...). Got mine for way less, & it was already so expensive I thought.
I can see that being reasonable, because you have to pay people to build it. Even a board stuffing outfit charges 3-4 times the price compare to stuffing a surface mount board and there is very few outfits that still have those old robotic machines. It its surface mount, then that would be too high and should be around what klark charges for their KT1176 times 2.
What's horrible is shipping. From the US out elsewhere. Especially for people on the ebay and reverb. I've been busy with world affairs, but I need to get back into building and populate my new store on Reverb with some things. A lot of my customers from abroad would come to me physically when they would go vacation/holiday to my area, but that has been in a state of decline for me for the past 10 years. I've even tried the internet hosting thing, but it hasn't worked out so well for me. Because I don't have $$$$$ anymore to lay out for advertisements. It sucks when you have a billionaire that's a friend but wants you to get out of building audio electronics and do computer things. That is why audiospecific.com points to a web hosting site. I did lease some servers to broadcasting people, but that went away when the oil people bought them out. But I guess I couldn't complain, because I don't have to pay for the employees to run the hosting servers and maintain them. So, I priced everything on that site to the cheapest they let me. But that hasn't gained any ground. I'm just not good at marketing I guess.
Back on topic:
With an 1178, I wouldn't build the transformers in them. Instead, have a switch box that would go from no transformer to a broad band mastering grade one, an API input, and a dirty undersized one like the blackface 1176.
The sound of the original 1176 transformer came from it being an undersized iron core and its easy to duplicate. That is why I see a lot of counterfeit UTC transformers out there. Because its easy to stick a $15 transformer in a can case and sell it for $300. I wonder is that the reason people freak out on me when I tell them that, or they are supporting the counterfeiters some way.
It will be interesting, I'll definitely have to hear one in person. The two 1176 I like is the KT and Pruple's even though I had to mod the KT a little so the noise floor would go away.
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Post by audiospecific on Dec 18, 2023 9:41:14 GMT -6
TI is discontinuing NE5532?
They are slowly discontinuing all Dip op amps in their lineup. So its SOIC version they will still make. But personally, when it comes to that, minus well use a better op amp that sounds better. Its the circuit and the parts used that dictates the character with them anyways. Jim Williams would just switch to the OPA627 or AD797 till they run out for convenience of soldering, even though he turned me on to the LME49990
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kcatthedog
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Post by kcatthedog on Dec 18, 2023 12:24:33 GMT -6
Build this for sale:
” I wouldn't build the transformers in them. Instead, have a switch box that would go from no transformer to a broad band mastering grade one, an API input, and a dirty undersized one like the blackface 1176.”
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