Fairchild 670

[cbastriani]

Ive seen people go nuts over this compressor, i don't really lose my cool over gear anymore. However, i wanted to know what most people have used this comp for? I haven't used one before, but the examples I've heard with it on drums are just ok, i don't prefer it. I'd assume it would sound good/great on keys and maybe background vocals. Am I in the ballpark? I'm looking for something big and phat but resolute to send keys through, any other ideas?

[raal]

ask del cosmos. he's taking delivery of one any day now, and has plenty of other comp/limiters to compare it to. will be taking my Zener in for a side by side at some point too.

[RoundBadge]

Drum overhead-Coles 4038-V76-670/660-Pultec EQP.Sonic bliss.

[Empire Prod]

Electric guitars!!!!!!

[gainreduction]

Unless you're filthy rich, buying a 670 just for fattening up keys is insane.

If I'm not mistaken, the thing uses no less than eight 6386 tubes (correct me if I'm wrong here) and they are getting close to impossible to find. When the tubes blow and there are no replacements you'll quickly find that the $20-30k could have been better spent.

Then again, if you just gotta have it, then I guess there's no cure.

I guess delcosmos will be gearslut of the year. Again.

[RoundBadge]

Originally Posted by gainreduction

I guess delcosmos will be gearslut of the year. Again.

yep.

[GYang]

Originally Posted by gainreduction

If I'm not mistaken, the thing uses no less than eight 6386 tubes (correct me if I'm wrong here) and they are getting close to impossible to find. Again.

for 30000 box one can still spend 5000 more to make stock of spare tubes, although it's ridiculous. box has full bodied character, but it's definitely not necessary except for collector's purpose

[Fletcher]

A set of those tubes [properly matched] is currently running around $2,000-... but seeing as they ain't makin' anymore and the tubes only have about a 4000 hour life expectancy in that unit [sometimes a bit more, often a bit less] you'll probably want to acquire 3 or 4 sets before they're all gone... but as noted... if you have $30k to drop on a stereo compressor then you have another $8k to drop on spares.

Me... if I were going to do something like that... I'd get a pair of the EAR 660's as I think they sound and work better than any original 670 I ever heard or used [and I've heard and used a LOT of them over the years].

Peace.

[Stitch333]

I used one for vocals on a project. It was like gem-encrusted, golden liquid butter music in your ear.

[Jack P]

Has anyone compared the Mercury 660 to the original ?

[cbastriani]

Well actually I was thinking about trying the ADL 670, NOT the original Fairchild. So SORRY about that. And Jim, you come out of some serious boxes sometimes.....I dunno, i suppose every time i use gear that's so fawned over, i normally end up only slightly impressed. Maybe it'll be the same with this too.

[Dave Peck]

....... have you guys seen THIS? .................


http://www.gearslutz.com/board/new-p...mod-style.html

[vernier]

Geoff Emerik said they recorded everything through that limiter.

[Reptil]

Originally Posted by Dave Peck

....... have you guys seen THIS? .................


http://www.gearslutz.com/board/new-p...mod-style.html

ngg!!

[raal]

Originally Posted by vernier

Geoff Emerik said they recorded everything through that limiter.

so what's the difference between 660 and 670? mono and stereo or is there something else?

[Zuewi]

Originally Posted by cbastriani

Ive seen people go nuts over this compressor, i don't really lose my cool over gear anymore. However, i wanted to know what most people have used this comp for? I haven't used one before, but the examples I've heard with it on drums are just ok, i don't prefer it. I'd assume it would sound good/great on keys and maybe background vocals. Am I in the ballpark? I'm looking for something big and phat but resolute to send keys through, any other ideas?

Where to find these sound examples?

[Tetness]

I did a shootout with a mint 660 and my 670 and did not hear a difference. The 670, in my opinion, is outstanding. I use them on acoustic guitars, vocals, drum overheads, bass, you name it. If I could afford two, I would grab another. it's not the magic bullet compressor; but that doesn't exist anyway. Do yourself a favor and rent one for a weekend. But make sure it's up to par. Can't tell you what a difference it made when I had a top tech go thru mine. Night and day.

[cbastriani]

Originally Posted by Zuewi

Where to find these sound examples?

Not online.

[lespaul666]

Originally Posted by vernier

Geoff Emerik said they recorded everything through that limiter.

That and the EMI-modded Altec limiters.

[gregohb]

Originally Posted by vernier

Geoff Emerik said they recorded everything through that limiter.

I was just reading RTB (Recording the Beatles), and they said it came out in 1964 I think, so the early Beatles were not recorded with it, but after that, all the vocals were. Its main value was to be used on vocals - where it added a 'presence' and a bit of distortion. I believe it was also used on more or less everything except bass, but again vocals was where it shined.

Probably a lot of the inflated value of this unit is directly due to the fact that the beatles used it.

I tried out the UAudio demo a few years ago, and maybe I wasn't using it right (its not that simple) but I found it very subtle and doing very little actually.

[RoundBadge]

Originally Posted by gregohb

I tried out the UAudio demo a few years ago, and maybe I wasn't using it right (its not that simple) but I found it very subtle and doing very little actually.

The UA cartoon version has nothing to do with the sound of a real one

[baikonour]

Originally Posted by RoundBadge

The UA cartoon version has nothing to do with the sound of a real one

Still a great plug though

[narcoman]

Originally Posted by baikonour

Still a great plug though

and definitely not subtle!!

[magooamps]

[Tube World]

I think people make more out of things like a Fairchild, or Neumann U47 like they came from the gods. Sure they sound great, but they don't sound better than the other high end gear out there, it's just a different flavor. You compare the Fairchild to a Manley Mu with high pass option, Pendulum ES8 & OCL-2, Shadow Hills, Thermionic Culture, and DW Fearn compressors. I would be very surprised if most people said the Fairchild sounds better on all 2 bus examples as well as drum busses, compared to the rest in a blind test.
Now you may prefer a certain character of one compessor has over another, but that is just your personal preference. It's not like Fairchild is king and everyone else's compressor must bow down. I won't even get into a fan who hears a song on the radio, who won't care what compressor is used, they care about the artist voice or guitar playing..not the compressor or mic that was used.

[jjblair]

Originally Posted by magooamps

It's wrong. Different shaped mica. No halo getter. Tube is the wrong size. Etc.

[fuddfar]

Originally Posted by Fletcher

A set of those tubes [properly matched] is currently running around $2,000-... but seeing as they ain't makin' anymore and the tubes only have about a 4000 hour life expectancy in that unit [sometimes a bit more, often a bit less] you'll probably want to acquire 3 or 4 sets before they're all gone... but as noted... if you have $30k to drop on a stereo compressor then you have another $8k to drop on spares.

Me... if I were going to do something like that... I'd get a pair of the EAR 660's as I think they sound and work better than any original 670 I ever heard or used [and I've heard and used a LOT of them over the years].

Peace.

JJ's remaking 6386s. If the Fairchild is prefaced by a constant voltage (117V) power transformer the tubes will last a long time. The heater voltage drops back to where is should be in 1959.

[CorkyTart]

Originally Posted by RoundBadge

The UA cartoon version has nothing to do with the sound of a real one

LOL

[fuddfar]

Originally Posted by cbastriani

Ive seen people go nuts over this compressor, i don't really lose my cool over gear anymore. However, i wanted to know what most people have used this comp for? I haven't used one before, but the examples I've heard with it on drums are just ok, i don't prefer it. I'd assume it would sound good/great on keys and maybe background vocals. Am I in the ballpark? I'm looking for something big and phat but resolute to send keys through, any other ideas?

Not great for bass. When you hear it on vocals, you know the sound right away. My first impression was "Oh, so that's how they've been doing that on all of these great records." I use it on the 2 bus most of the time. The AnaMod 660 is really close if you can demo one. You can hear the AnaMod on vocals and the 670 on the buss at salem-music.com. The song Northward, however, was mixed by John Frye at Stankonia.

[timtoonz]

Is the Chandler TG1 supposed to be in the "Fairchild" ballpark, or is it referenced on some other classic piece of Abbey Road gear?