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Post by BradM on Feb 13, 2017 21:46:08 GMT -6
If you can get a Fairchild 660 in there I don't even need stereo link! Haha, just tugging your leg. I'll get right on that. Brad
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Post by BradM on Feb 19, 2017 15:04:22 GMT -6
Here's an update for everyone. I've been diligently working to optimize the design for performance and manufacturing. I finally finished going through everything with a fine toothed comb and eeking out every last drop of performance. As soon as the PCB layout is revised I'll be making a few pre-production units to verify these final changes and then we'll be moving forward with production and beginning to take pre-orders. Here's a list of the things I've improved over the last month:
- Added a solderless jumper for defeating phantom power on the PCB. This gives those who never intend to use Chroma as a mic preamp peace of mind that they won't fry upstream gear if they accidentally press the 48V button.
- Adjusted the gradient, brightness and ballistics of the of meter so that it looks extra badass.
- Optimized the gain staging of the Colour drive circuitry so that as C-DRV is turned up the output level does not drop like it does on a DIYRE Colour Palette. As you push more level into a module that saturates or distorts the peaks get rounded, so we compensated for this. I also optimized this circuitry so that compressor modules like Implode can be used in "Boost" mode (an internal jumper setting) and the output level will stay relatively constant as you increase compression with the C-DRV knob. Think of this as an "auto gain" mode of sorts - one knob compression that really works! It's really quite awesome if I do say so myself.
- Optimized circuitry throughout for lower noise performance and minimal current draw. I'm very proud of the fact that Chroma is measuring quieter than some of the other preamps I've compared it against.
- Improved phantom power circuitry to minimize discharge times while still mitigating turn-on thumps/pops.
- Improved low frequency response of "N" Mojo Amp to better match Silver Bullet.
- Tweaked Baxandall EQ circuit so that signature band interaction of Silver Bullet EQ curves is maintained even when only engaging one band. This means you get those cool curves in the Silver Bullet manual that make this EQ sounds clear and tight and so very useful. We also tweaked the amount of preset boost based on drBill's go-to settings to reflect what we feel is a good general purpose setting for mixing and tracking.
Oh...did I mention that early adopters are going to get FREE FET Filter plugin modules?
Brad
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Post by chasmanian on Feb 19, 2017 15:16:35 GMT -6
I am soooooo in. please let me know when its pre-order time. gosh dang, that thing sounds like fun!!
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Post by drbill on Feb 19, 2017 17:11:08 GMT -6
If you want in on the pre-order right out of the gate, make sure you sign in on the LTL website. Then you'll be in the first to know.
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Post by chasmanian on Feb 19, 2017 19:28:46 GMT -6
thanks drbill. I'll do it right now.
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Post by BradM on Feb 21, 2017 13:50:35 GMT -6
Question for you guys:
For those of you interested in acquiring Chroma... Do you envision yourself pulling the 500 series module in and out of your rack to swap analog plugin (Colour) modules regularly? Or do you think you'll just install a Colour module when you first buy the unit and then just set it and forget it?
thanks, Brad
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Post by chasmanian on Feb 21, 2017 14:15:21 GMT -6
thats really tough for me to guess. on one hand, I think it will be fun to experiment with different plugins. that said, if I find something that I vastly prefer, I'll set that one, and forget. so maybe that makes my answer all of the above.
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Post by scumbum on Feb 22, 2017 10:57:47 GMT -6
Gotta swap , too many cool things you can do with it !
Ideally if you got a lot of money you could set up a bunch of units to never have to touch them .
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Post by BradM on Feb 22, 2017 11:54:34 GMT -6
Gotta swap , too many cool things you can do with it ! Ideally if you got a lot of money you could set up a bunch of units to never have to touch them . Yes, please buy 8.
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Post by Tommy Harron on Feb 22, 2017 13:57:25 GMT -6
Question for you guys: For those of you interested in acquiring Chroma... Do you envision yourself pulling the 500 series module in and out of your rack to swap analog plugin (Colour) modules regularly? Or do you think you'll just install a Colour module when you first buy the unit and then just set it and forget it? thanks, Brad I'd likely experiment in the beginning, but would probably settle eventually. At the moment, I'm thinking a pair with the FET Filter, and a pair with the Implode module. Then again, one of the best things about the Chroma is that you can switch things up whenever you need some inspiration or if your workflow changes! Looking forward to these! Great chatting with you today, Brad!
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bwoe
New Member
Posts: 11
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Post by bwoe on Feb 23, 2017 19:41:08 GMT -6
A smart move might be a pair (or two) of Chromas with the implode module built in, and if they seem valuable (sorry, no first-hand experience myself), a pair of palettes full of choice colour modules on the patch bay. That way they'd be available post-Chroma or any other box that may benefit from some tonal alteration. It'd be cheaper (though admittedly not feature-analogous) to a Silver Bullet.
EDIT: ...Cheaper assuming you have 4 free spaces in a 500 rack. My math is rarely correct when trying to legitimize gear purchases ;p
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Post by Tommy Harron on Feb 24, 2017 9:19:27 GMT -6
BradM : Is there any plan to make a Mass Drivr with a British line amp, to contrast the American version?
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Post by Bender on Feb 25, 2017 13:07:49 GMT -6
Kinda on topic, Is anyone taking advantage of the rogue 5 DOA's being 19 bucks right now? I haven't tried them myself but having never seen the "guts" since they're underneath,but by looking at the soldering spots it appears to be only two resistors and two transistors, maybe some SMT's??? Whats the sound like vs the other kits/prebuilt doa's on the block.
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Post by drbill on Feb 25, 2017 14:23:54 GMT -6
Hey Bender!!! Check out any of the "A" mode clips of the Silver Bullet and you'll hear the Rogue 5's. There is a lot more going on than 2 resistors and 2 transistors. :-) Brad has carefully chosen a variety of SMT components that make the Rogue5 what it is. There are a variety of 2520 style op amps that utilize SMT to get their sound - like the Red Dots for instance. Others are "potted" so you can't easily "see" what's going on. At $19, what's not to like. Grab a pair and try em out. Brad's going to shake up the DOA supply with his "basically make nothing" price point I think.
I think he's taking this whole socialist audio for the people thing too seriously. LOL But IMO, it's a brilliant move to get people more familiar with the LTL esthetic and sonics at a no brainer price point.
Personally, sonic wise - I think they hold up very well in the market, and are the cheapest option that I'm aware of. The benefit of in-house sales, and large scale engineering and purchasing power. All the 2520 footprint DOA's sound a bit different, but they all have a similar heritage. Worth trying at any rate.
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Post by BradM on Feb 25, 2017 20:33:35 GMT -6
BradM : Is there any plan to make a Mass Drivr with a British line amp, to contrast the American version? Hi Tommy, It was great chatting with you the other day as well. Thanks for letting me talk your ear off. I can neither confirm nor deny any plans to make a British flavored Mass Drivr. I'm under strict orders from the Void Corp Board of Trustees to maintain complete confidentiality. But I will say there are lots of cool modules on the to-do list. I just need to get Chroma, Mass Drivr, and FET Filter out the door first. bwoe - I full support that plan! Bender - Thanks for noticing the new Rogue Five pricing. As for the guts, everything is on the bottom side of the board including 6 gold plated pins, two through hole output transistors, two through hole resistors, and as many SMT transistors, resistors, and capactors once can fit on a 1.125" x 1.125" square PCB. It's not too much different than what you might see if you ripped an actual 2520 out of the potting cup. While from a circuit nerd perspective it's fun to look at a little "city block" of parts, from a business perspective I realized it's much more advantageous that the rest of the world be looking at that little Spaceman logo. Bill thinks I'm going to "shake up the DOA supply". Nah. I just think it would be fun to see the little Spaceman in everyone's Instagram photos. I'm definitely not planning to make any money with this ridiculous pricing. I've personally tested them against many other DOA's on the market including modern and vintage API 2520's. They all sound different as you might imagine. I have my own thoughts on what the differences are, but I'd rather folks try them out and form their own opinions with their own gear they are modding/building. After all, they are only $19 each. And on top of that I offer a 14-day trial and full refund if they don't work out for any reason. I will say that after I brought a bunch down to my friend's studio and swapped out two channels worth of op amps in a new API 1608 console, we were both pretty impressed by what they did for that console. I hope that helps! Brad
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Post by Johnkenn on Feb 25, 2017 20:50:57 GMT -6
Think I'm gonna order a couple!
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Post by Bender on Feb 26, 2017 1:47:52 GMT -6
I'll be ordering a few as well, too good to pass up and I'm sure they're delicious!!! Thanks for all the info Brad
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Post by jcoutu1 on Feb 26, 2017 6:44:04 GMT -6
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Post by Coil Audio on Feb 26, 2017 15:32:05 GMT -6
Very Cool!
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Post by BradM on Feb 27, 2017 11:51:13 GMT -6
Hey guys, Thanks for all the interest in the Rogue Fives! Just a heads up... As you would imagine the $19 price tag makes these suddenly very popular. I need to reserve a bunch for Silver Bullets and Chromas so that means the available stock will be limited. First come first serve. In other words, don't wait to order. They might all be gone this week. @jcoutu - I see you standing there at the street corner with your cardboard sign. Haha. Brad
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Post by BradM on Mar 2, 2017 15:38:17 GMT -6
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Post by BradM on Mar 3, 2017 18:05:28 GMT -6
So it looks like Jesse's op amps arrived today. I look forward to his thoughts once he gets them installed. A bunch of op amps all got delivered today. I'm not sure if any of those other guys are users here, but hopefully some of them will chime in, too. Maybe we need a separate thread so we don't sidetrack the Chroma discussion. Brad
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Post by Johnkenn on Mar 3, 2017 18:18:43 GMT -6
Sure - start one up Brad.
Ugh. I wish I had the money to pull off a Chroma right now.
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Post by mulmany on Mar 3, 2017 18:55:15 GMT -6
So it looks like Jesse's op amps arrived today. I look forward to his thoughts once he gets them installed. A bunch of op amps all got delivered today. I'm not sure if any of those other guys are users here, but hopefully some of them will chime in, too. Maybe we need a separate thread so we don't sidetrack the Chroma discussion. Brad Just bought 4 to test out in my CAPI.
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Post by Johnkenn on Mar 3, 2017 18:59:13 GMT -6
CAPI rack?
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