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Post by jeromemason on Jan 14, 2019 10:27:32 GMT -6
Has anyone tried this version out yet?? Just flipping through the limited reviews and the description written on it, they are saying it's acting more like a UA176 or their version of the UA176. Interesting that Retro is keeping the original in production as well, that must mean they're different if not significantly a pretty good bit. I'm really curious to how these sound, if they do indeed sound closer to the UA176. I know I love the original Doublewide in how it makes a vocal extremely thick and I remember how it was a lot like the STA and a little like the UA176 in how you just want to kiss it with like -2db or -4db with quick attack and medium release, really made the vocal massive and sit above all in the mix. Anyone ran this through its paces?? Would love to hear some feedback on it and the original. Retro Instruments Doublewide II Compressor - Jerome |
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Post by Martin John Butler on Jan 14, 2019 10:33:47 GMT -6
I'd be curious to hear them both side by side too. The Retro 176 is my favorite vocal compressor after the CL1B.
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Post by matt on Jan 14, 2019 16:24:16 GMT -6
Yep. This thing is #1 on my list of things to acquire. If it responds anything like a 176, I'm in.
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Post by EmRR on Jan 14, 2019 16:29:52 GMT -6
Clearly a very different device, totally different tube selection and types.
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Post by jeromemason on Jan 14, 2019 16:43:56 GMT -6
Sure seems like they're doing a retake on this one. It's loved already for vocals and bass for being thick and keeping the vocal/bass in the same spot mix time. They had quite a few beta testers out there just going off what I'm reading on the site, that's a good sign to me. They reference the 176 specifically where as the first version was based more on the STA Level. My favorite thing about the UA176 is how it makes whatever you put through it sound large while also pinning it down, for a tube compressor it can give the vocals some bite and really pull the chest out, or it can absolutely pin one down and sound super smooth. A mix between the original Doublewide with additions of UA176 characteristics sounds really really promising. I can only imagine what a kick or bass sounds like through this sucker as well. What I always loved about the 176 was how responsive the attack and release are, you turn the knobs and they do things. Retro is good at nailing that kind of stuff.
This must be really new because I haven't seen anything out there or any clips at all.
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Post by jeromemason on Jan 16, 2019 13:08:38 GMT -6
Well I've got one in the rack..... it's quite interesting and it's definitely a different compressor all together. Instead of the quad pack of tubes like the original it's just a pair, a 12AU7 and a 12AT7. What is good about this is that you have a much larger variety of tube flavors to swap out. There are some really nice 12AT7 tubes out there that impart more harmonics and there are some that are audiophile grade for extremely detailed and super quiet operation.
If someone with the original wants to post up some vocal/acoustic/bass etc. files I'll gladly do a A/B, you just dial the same settings and compression as I do. It also doesn't have the weird off switch which you had to turn the release knob clockwise to turn it off. The first original I demo'd I thought I'd broke because I didn't know this and couldn't get it to turn on, it wasn't until I wanted to see if the pots were detented that I actually turned it on!
Let me know if anyone has anything they want ran through it, I've got a little free time before diving into an EP, at that point I won't be able to dick around with any of the settings on it.
Jerome
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Post by jeromemason on Jan 16, 2019 22:19:36 GMT -6
Yeah so this baby is very different from the original IMO. Still gives a "largeness" to whatever is going through it, but compression is very sensitive. I honestly thought mine wasn't calibrated right or something but it takes a bit to get the hang of where there sweet spot is on this compressor. It's very much like the Retro 176. I just had that box in here a couple of weeks ago and printed a vocal through it, pulling that same vocal back up and comparing this compressor to the 176 it definitely has the mojo. I will say though, and this is not any different than I have always used compression on vocals, but if you really want this compressor or the 176 to shine, put a fast aggressive compressor in front of it, like an 1176 or even another 176 with slow attack fast release and pretty much pounding it. Running the Doublewide II after that and using it to smooth things out and pin things down, it's really really great. Make no mistake though, you could use this as your fast compressor as well, this little box has some ass to it and meanness! Downright meanness! I also feel that when you switch between "single" and "double" there is more happening with this comp. It pretty much is a different compressor, making me feel like it was more like an old Collins in "single" and more like a fat version of an 1176 in "double."
These are just my first impressions and I've only used it on female vocals so far. I will say that working with your converters input and output level can make this box sound even better. I pulled the output of my converters down and the input up a little so I can have more throw with the "input" on the box. If you run line level it has a massive amount of headroom but I found the input knob can be a little too course, trimming down the converter output allows much more fine adjustment of compression.
I'll put more as I get familiar and fully confident with this comp, but it's staying that's for sure. I am going to reach out to Retro and make sure it's supposed to have that much gain on the input stage though, it's massive! You can dial in probably -25db of freaking compression like that.
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Post by seawell on Jan 16, 2019 22:35:38 GMT -6
As a huge fan of the Sta Level and 176 I'm very interested in this comp so thanks so much for sharing your experience with it so far!
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Post by Darren Boling on Apr 16, 2019 19:12:08 GMT -6
Wondering if you're still loving your Doublewide 2? I've been thinking about getting one and just saw Sweetwater dropped the price.
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Post by tasteliketape on Apr 16, 2019 19:21:31 GMT -6
Wondering if you're still loving your Doublewide 2? I've been thinking about getting one and just saw Sweetwater dropped the price. Damn it I didn’t need to hear that lol |
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Post by tasteliketape on Apr 16, 2019 19:22:16 GMT -6
[quote author just saw Sweetwater dropped the price. [/quote]
Damn it I didn’t need to hear that lol
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Post by jeromemason on Apr 17, 2019 14:58:18 GMT -6
Wondering if you're still loving your Doublewide 2? I've been thinking about getting one and just saw Sweetwater dropped the price. I use it on every vocal..... It's not leaving my rack for sure. |
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Post by jgabriel on Jun 8, 2022 11:27:20 GMT -6
Wondering if you're still loving your Doublewide 2? I've been thinking about getting one and just saw Sweetwater dropped the price. I use it on every vocal..... It's not leaving my rack for sure. so if i want a more sta level sound (which im quite familiar with been using for years, 176 no experience) i should go with the original doublewide? this is for tracking and live performance only, no mixing … anybody else have a chance to directly compare or switched to the ii and have some insights to share? |
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Post by Johnkenn on Jun 8, 2022 15:21:16 GMT -6
Neither of them are going to sound like a sta-level.
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Post by rob61 on Jun 8, 2022 15:34:31 GMT -6
For those of you who have used a StaLevel does the Audioscape V-Comp do a good job emulating a StaLevel?
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Post by seawell on Jun 8, 2022 15:45:20 GMT -6
For those of you who have used a StaLevel does the Audioscape V-Comp do a good job emulating a StaLevel? Just my 2 cents but I prefer the sound of the retro sta level quite a bit over the v comp. |
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Post by Vincent R. on Jun 8, 2022 18:26:19 GMT -6
For those of you who have used a StaLevel does the Audioscape V-Comp do a good job emulating a StaLevel? Man I’d love to hear them side by side. I’ve been really enjoying the V Comp on my vocals lately. I’d be curious to hear how close it is the the STA Level. |
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Post by jgabriel on Jun 8, 2022 19:35:28 GMT -6
yea course a lil 500 series thang isnt going to stack up against a real sta level
but im trying to decide whether to go for the doubelwide i or ii
for vocals at live shows mainly
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Post by jgabriel on Jun 9, 2022 10:21:37 GMT -6
anybody else on doublewide i vs ii?
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Post by thehightenor on Jun 9, 2022 14:45:26 GMT -6
Neither of them are going to sound like a sta-level. Unfortunately true. Before I bought my Retro STA Level, I checked out the Doublewide and I thought it added a slight mid honk to a vocal and had a very different vibe and weight. Great for mixing snare though, it seemed to lend itself well to that source. |
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Post by jgabriel on Jun 9, 2022 14:49:56 GMT -6
yes i used a drip sta w nos tubes for years before commissioning a custom p2p sta build
wouldnt expect anything to sound good as that, other than a refurbished vintage one heh
but nonetheless, what's being discussed is the doublewide ii has more characteristics of the 176 and the doublewide i of the sta
and im wondering if that's what others might be experiencing
personally i don't mind noise floor or things like that just really want best tone possible on live vocals
and love my voice with the sta level / vari mu style compression
in 500 series there aren't so many options
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Post by Deleted on Jun 11, 2022 13:03:40 GMT -6
Neither of them are going to sound like a sta-level. Unfortunately true. Before I bought my Retro STA Level, I checked out the Doublewide and I thought it added a slight mid honk to a vocal and had a very different vibe and weight. Great for mixing snare though, it seemed to lend itself well to that source. Hmm, that's not good. I'm looking for something to replace my Stam 2A as I've had to repair it like three times in the last year, I've ordered a pair of Buzz Essence's for backing vox but I have the Retro DB 2 on order to replace the Stam. Yep, I know a 2A isn't the same but it's not the only comp out there that can sweeten the highs / add weight, I've used quite a few MU's that'll do the same. So are we saying I should upgrade to the Sta Level? |
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Post by thehightenor on Jun 11, 2022 14:00:22 GMT -6
Unfortunately true. Before I bought my Retro STA Level, I checked out the Doublewide and I thought it added a slight mid honk to a vocal and had a very different vibe and weight. Great for mixing snare though, it seemed to lend itself well to that source. Hmm, that's not good. I'm looking for something to replace my Stam 2A as I've had to repair it like three times in the last year, I've ordered a pair of Buzz Essence's for backing vox but I have the Retro DB 2 on order to replace the Stam. Yep, I know a 2A isn't the same but it's not the only comp out there that can sweeten the highs / add weight, I've used quite a few MU's that'll do the same. So are we saying I should upgrade to the Sta Level? I have a bright tenor voice so Vari MU's really suit my voice as they cool the tip of the flame so to speak. So I use either a Retro STA Level or a Thermionic Phoenix for tracking. My current go to chain for my voice is a Wunder CM7 > Coil CA 70 > STA Level. It's ridiculously smooth. Sometimes too smooth and I prefer a SM7 > 1073 > 1176 for an more edgy blues tone. (though I'm currently looking for a new 1176 as I'm without one) I can highly recommend the Retro STA Level it's fantastic on vocals, bass, acoustic guitar .... heck it even sound great on hi-hat :-) |
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Post by jgabriel on Jun 12, 2022 9:55:09 GMT -6
my chain in studio is Pearlman TM-LE> CAPI VP28 or EZ1073> Audioscape La2a > STA Level (custom build)
very colored but that's what i like, warm, rich, pops out a lot - without the STA in the chain it loses some of the power and pop , it's night and day really. so quite spoiled really...
BUT for a live show, to bring along the VP28 or a don classics nv73 which is being built now, and then the best vari mu i can get in 500 series is the goal ! hence poking around this thread trying to figure out which double wide folks feel gives that sta vibe (or maybe i should consider something else, but all research seems to point to the doublewide I or II, but can't really seem to get to the bottom of which one ! )
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Post by basspro on Feb 22, 2024 10:31:37 GMT -6
Reviving this old thread (and first post here!). I have a pair of original doublewides, but I'm considering upgrading to the Doublewide II's for stereo operation. Does anyone here run these in stereo? I'm curious about the linking, but can't find any info and Retro hasn't responded.
I'm wondering if there's any way to use these in an API 500-6B? I've read that there are pre-soldered jumpers for linking, but I'm not sure if that would work in this case?
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