Dolby stretch mod

Dmitry Chuvelev · 31st March 2006, 06:56 AM

Hi! Anybody knows what mod should be done to Dolby 360/361 unit to get that "dolby stretch" sound with Dolby A card?

Thanks, Dmitry.

Mixermend · 1st April 2006, 05:07 PM

I have this information in my files. From memory it only involves removing 2 or 3 resistors on the Dolby CAT 22 card.

These cards are often available quite cheaply on eBay - so you could get a couple for modification and keep your own standard.

I will check tomorrow when I go into my workshop.

JG

Dmitry Chuvelev · 3rd April 2006, 03:30 PM

Thanks for your reply. Can't wait to try this trick.

obarkov · 26th April 2006, 05:26 PM

I just purchased a Cat 43A with a Cat 22 card.

What is this trick? And what does it do?

Also is there such thing as a CAT 43 card?

I saw a post on ebay about someone selling a CAT 43 dialog card and a 361 and a remote.

Thanks,
ollie

Mixermend · 28th April 2006, 09:03 AM

I have now found the information about the modification to the Dolby Cat 22 noise reduction module - to allow its use for a vocal effect.

The purpose of the modification is to prevent processing in Bands 1 and 2 - allowing a normal signal to pass through in these bands. Noise reduction processing is allowed in Bands 3 and 4 however.

The modification involves lifting one end of 2 resistors on the card and fitting 2 short link wires.

If anyone is interested in this - please send me a PM and I will prepare a diagram and photo of the Cat 22 board to show what needs to be done!

Mixermend · 7th May 2006, 11:36 AM

The Cat 43 card enables the unit to be used for "post production" noise reduction - with a control unit having slide faders to give control of processing in the 4 noise reduction bands.

It can therefore be used on noisy material to clean it up. I would think that these were quite rare.

I now have a PDF document detailing the simple modification need to convert a standard Cat 22 card into a form suitable for a vocal effect.

Send me a PM with a real e-mail address - and I will send it to you. It is a fairly big file (390K) - as it has a colour photo of the module marked to show what needs to be done.

flooge · 15th September 2006, 11:39 PM

Hi Mixermend,
can you send me
the Mod file?

estudios@mcrrecords.com.br

thanks

msrecprod · 18th September 2006, 12:47 AM

Great info Mixermend! Could you please send me the mod file as well.

msrecprod@hotmail.com

Thanks!

Purp · 1st November 2006, 02:41 AM

Mixermend i would much appreciate those.
Thank s

FreaQuency · 3rd December 2006, 08:53 AM

Mixermend, Is this file still available or am I too late? I would love to get my hands on this file.

Thanks

Mixermend · 4th December 2006, 07:01 PM

Please send me a PM with a real e-mail address - to which I can send the PDF document with details of the mod.

It is very easy to do (and reverse if you don't like the effect).

John

richmix · 28th May 2007, 07:55 AM

[quote=Mixermend;1002712]Please send me a PM with a real e-mail address - to which I can send the PDF document with details of the mod.

It is very easy to do (and reverse if you don't like the effect).
Dear Mixermend. please send me the mod info,
thx

richmix@erols.com

rob S · 9th May 2008, 07:02 AM

make that a double.
send me as well

robschnapf@roadrunner.com

thanks
rob

Bassmankr · 9th May 2008, 02:16 PM

This mod is to recreate the trick used with the old Dolby A301 unit where you pull out two of the compressor cards. Think Journey's lead vocals (Steve Perry's) signature sound. I've got a Dolby A301 and have done the mod to a couple of Cat 22 cards using a Dolby 361 and I can tell you it's not the same thing but it's still a usable effect (especially given how cheap you can get a Dolby unit that takes Cat 22 cards for). Those old Dolby A301 units are 5 rack spaces high so the circuits/parts are a bit different. The way to use the Cat 22 card mod is to set it up as an effect send or have it run on a parallel input strip so that you can BLEND it in with the original. What amazes me is how someone thought about pulling a couple of the cards on the A301 and then running signal through it. Wonder if that was a happy accident or something else. Anyone here ever heard the story of how it came about?

pulse_divider · 9th May 2008, 04:43 PM

Which cards should be pulled on the A301? I'm not at the studio right now, but it seems like there are 6 or 8 of them. Left to Right, which should be removed?
Thanks.
---Ben

Bassmankr · 9th May 2008, 07:21 PM

There are 8 cards on a Dolby A301 (4 for each channel). The four left side cards (but to the right of the huge power supply/meter module) are for one channel, the four right cards are for the other channel. The four cards are made up of a control card - an amp card - and two compressor cards. Of the two compressor cards there are two bands of compression that each card handles; one card handles bass and lowmid compression - the other card handles highmid and treble compression. You will end up pulling the bass lowmid compression card for each channel (disabling those bands of compression). It should be going from left to right, cards 3 and 7. To pull a card, simply take out it's two front screws and pull the card handle straight to you till you feel the card come out of it's edge connector (like PCI cards in a computer). You can leave the card in the A301, it will just be sticking forward an inch not making contact with the back edge connector. By the way, all the cards have a label on their sides (Amp/Control/Compressor) however the compressor cards don't say if they are set for the high two bands or the low two bands. I think if someone wanted to put the time into it, the pulled compressor cards could be modded/adjusted and put back into the unit for selective 4 band compression instead of 2. The Dolby Cat 22 card mod does basically the same thing as pulling the card on the A301, as when you clip the two resistors you are taking the bass and low mid compressors out of the circuit. Let us know how it works for you.

pulse_divider · 15th May 2008, 06:46 PM

Thanks for the info, it worked great.

31st March 2006, 06:56 AM	#1
Dmitry Chuvelev Gear interested Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 6	Dolby stretch mod Hi! Anybody knows what mod should be done to Dolby 360/361 unit to get that "dolby stretch" sound with Dolby A card? Thanks, Dmitry.

26th April 2006, 05:26 PM	#4
obarkov Gear interested Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 4	?? I just purchased a Cat 43A with a Cat 22 card. What is this trick? And what does it do? Also is there such thing as a CAT 43 card? I saw a post on ebay about someone selling a CAT 43 dialog card and a 361 and a remote. Thanks, ollie

28th April 2006, 09:03 AM	#5
Mixermend Gear Head Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Exeter UK Posts: 49	Dolby A modification I have now found the information about the modification to the Dolby Cat 22 noise reduction module - to allow its use for a vocal effect. The purpose of the modification is to prevent processing in Bands 1 and 2 - allowing a normal signal to pass through in these bands. Noise reduction processing is allowed in Bands 3 and 4 however. The modification involves lifting one end of 2 resistors on the card and fitting 2 short link wires. If anyone is interested in this - please send me a PM and I will prepare a diagram and photo of the Cat 22 board to show what needs to be done!

18th September 2006, 12:47 AM	#8
msrecprod Gear addict Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 386	Great info Mixermend! Could you please send me the mod file as well. msrecprod@hotmail.com Thanks! __________________ www.myspace.com/bandybros "It was the 80's! People spent half their record budget on Cocaine and lit their big fat joints with $100 bills."

3rd December 2006, 08:53 AM	#10
FreaQuency Gear Head Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: @ the faders Posts: 36	Too Late? Mixermend, Is this file still available or am I too late? I would love to get my hands on this file. Thanks

1st April 2006, 05:07 PM	#2
Mixermend Gear Head Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Exeter UK Posts: 49	I have this information in my files. From memory it only involves removing 2 or 3 resistors on the Dolby CAT 22 card. These cards are often available quite cheaply on eBay - so you could get a couple for modification and keep your own standard. I will check tomorrow when I go into my workshop. JG

3rd April 2006, 03:30 PM	#3
Dmitry Chuvelev Gear interested Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 6	Thanks for your reply. Can't wait to try this trick.

7th May 2006, 11:36 AM	#6
Mixermend Gear Head Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Exeter UK Posts: 49	The Cat 43 card enables the unit to be used for "post production" noise reduction - with a control unit having slide faders to give control of processing in the 4 noise reduction bands. It can therefore be used on noisy material to clean it up. I would think that these were quite rare. I now have a PDF document detailing the simple modification need to convert a standard Cat 22 card into a form suitable for a vocal effect. Send me a PM with a real e-mail address - and I will send it to you. It is a fairly big file (390K) - as it has a colour photo of the module marked to show what needs to be done.

15th September 2006, 11:39 PM	#7
flooge Gear interested Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brazil Posts: 5	Hi Mixermend, can you send me the Mod file? estudios@mcrrecords.com.br thanks

1st November 2006, 02:41 AM	#9
Purp Gear Head Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: London Posts: 65	Mixermend i would much appreciate those. Thank s

4th December 2006, 07:01 PM	#11
Mixermend Gear Head Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Exeter UK Posts: 49	Please send me a PM with a real e-mail address - to which I can send the PDF document with details of the mod. It is very easy to do (and reverse if you don't like the effect). John

28th May 2007, 07:55 AM	#12
richmix Gear interested Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Los Angeles CA Posts: 3	Dolby Mod [quote=Mixermend;1002712]Please send me a PM with a real e-mail address - to which I can send the PDF document with details of the mod. It is very easy to do (and reverse if you don't like the effect). Dear Mixermend. please send me the mod info, thx richmix@erols.com

9th May 2008, 07:02 AM	#13
rob S Gear addict Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: los angeles Posts: 374	make that a double. send me as well robschnapf@roadrunner.com thanks rob

9th May 2008, 02:16 PM	#14
Bassmankr Gear maniac Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 275	This mod is to recreate the trick used with the old Dolby A301 unit where you pull out two of the compressor cards. Think Journey's lead vocals (Steve Perry's) signature sound. I've got a Dolby A301 and have done the mod to a couple of Cat 22 cards using a Dolby 361 and I can tell you it's not the same thing but it's still a usable effect (especially given how cheap you can get a Dolby unit that takes Cat 22 cards for). Those old Dolby A301 units are 5 rack spaces high so the circuits/parts are a bit different. The way to use the Cat 22 card mod is to set it up as an effect send or have it run on a parallel input strip so that you can BLEND it in with the original. What amazes me is how someone thought about pulling a couple of the cards on the A301 and then running signal through it. Wonder if that was a happy accident or something else. Anyone here ever heard the story of how it came about?

9th May 2008, 04:43 PM	#15
pulse_divider Gear maniac Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Akron, OH Posts: 265	Which cards should be pulled on the A301? I'm not at the studio right now, but it seems like there are 6 or 8 of them. Left to Right, which should be removed? Thanks. ---Ben

9th May 2008, 07:21 PM	#16
Bassmankr Gear maniac Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 275	There are 8 cards on a Dolby A301 (4 for each channel). The four left side cards (but to the right of the huge power supply/meter module) are for one channel, the four right cards are for the other channel. The four cards are made up of a control card - an amp card - and two compressor cards. Of the two compressor cards there are two bands of compression that each card handles; one card handles bass and lowmid compression - the other card handles highmid and treble compression. You will end up pulling the bass lowmid compression card for each channel (disabling those bands of compression). It should be going from left to right, cards 3 and 7. To pull a card, simply take out it's two front screws and pull the card handle straight to you till you feel the card come out of it's edge connector (like PCI cards in a computer). You can leave the card in the A301, it will just be sticking forward an inch not making contact with the back edge connector. By the way, all the cards have a label on their sides (Amp/Control/Compressor) however the compressor cards don't say if they are set for the high two bands or the low two bands. I think if someone wanted to put the time into it, the pulled compressor cards could be modded/adjusted and put back into the unit for selective 4 band compression instead of 2. The Dolby Cat 22 card mod does basically the same thing as pulling the card on the A301, as when you clip the two resistors you are taking the bass and low mid compressors out of the circuit. Let us know how it works for you.

15th May 2008, 06:46 PM	#17
pulse_divider Gear maniac Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Akron, OH Posts: 265	Thanks for the info, it worked great.

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