Hand Crafted Lab Tube micamp and compressor, Blind test against 1176,v72,ADL and more

[powerestudio]

great sound

why don´t you record some samples with possessed ?

I´d like to listen it

regards

[HCL Trading]

Hi Powerestudio,

thank you very much for listening to our tests.
We´ll record some files with Possessed soon.

Stay tuned.

[powerestudio]

thanks hcl

I´m looking for DI for warm my the sound keyboards and drums machine.

2 buss mix too... and maybe possessed it´s a good choice

[HCL Trading]

Yes,

it´s probably the machine you´re looking for.

[scoob]

Originally Posted by HandCrafted Lab

...and present new updated opto leveller "Solution s2"


XXL Photo

XXLPhoto 1 XXL Photo 2

XXL Photo 1 XXL Photo 2

how much us currency for one of these shipped to chicago.

[HandCrafted Lab]

Delivery ~ 50$ per box.

MSRP Price on today -

Leveller Solution s2 - 1099,0-$
Preamp Affinity a2 - 995,0-$
Di-Box Possessed p2 - 695,0-$

[HandCrafted Lab]

Newest FAUST ,on nuvistor

XXL Photo

[HandCrafted Lab]

Faust inside

XXL Photo

XXL Photo

XXL Photo

[HandCrafted Lab]

We are preparing for assembly new gear - channel strip "Violent Force"

-Low-z input+Hi-Z input - working simulataneosly and independently
-2 mode optoleveller, hard/soft,
-4 band passiv bell EQ
-2 independent transformer output - for DAW and other next devices-mixer, etc to avoid of lanetcy
-3 transformer in all
-3 U Rack

Breadboard model, pics coming soon



if you have suggestions about technical side and improvements/options-please,proposethumbsup

[HandCrafted Lab]

Violent Force
Coming soon...

XXL photo

[WARangelx2]

bump for the ukraine. i spent 8 years in romania next door. great technical people. cheers to entrepreurism, ingenuity and value.

p.s. you may actually want to ask the low end guys to check out the samples as the pricing puts in as offering great value at low end - medium end pricing.

[Gie-Sound]

Originally Posted by HandCrafted Lab

,
-4 band passiv bell EQ

Wich frequencies? (and at what Q?)

[HandCrafted Lab]

As it RC - passive bell EQ - Q can be calculated from the following-

Freq:
Low - 20-100Hz,
Low Mid - 100hz-1Khz,
High Mid - 1-8Khz,
Hi-8-20Khz,

and depth of adjustment - Low and Hi - +/-3 dB, Low Mid/High Mid - +/-6 dB.
Adjustment occurs by 21 pattern switches on each band (ceramic military switches).

Probably, depth of adjustment will seem to someone insufficient - but it would be desirable to notice, that the more depth of adjustment - the more than phase distortions. Usually it try to compensate a feedback - but we do not use feedbacks, the whole, in all our devices - as the doubtful decision for hi-end.
Certainly, the feedback allows to have limits down to +/-20dB - but we do not see in it any sense, also owing to the big phase distortions in a result - that deprives with sense an invention).

Thus - we have passive bell RC EQ - and and all cascades in full A class, without a feedback. And main switch for it all - Bypass

[scoob]

Originally Posted by HandCrafted Lab

As it RC - passive bell EQ - Q can be calculated from the following-

Freq:
Low - 20-100Hz,
Low Mid - 100hz-1Khz,
High Mid - 1-8Khz,
Hi-8-20Khz,

and depth of adjustment - Low and Hi - +/-3 dB, Low Mid/High Mid - +/-6 dB.
Adjustment occurs by 21 pattern switches on each band (ceramic military switches).

Probably, depth of adjustment will seem to someone insufficient - but it would be desirable to notice, that the more depth of adjustment - the more than phase distortions. Usually it try to compensate a feedback - but we do not use feedbacks, the whole, in all our devices - as the doubtful decision for hi-end.
Certainly, the feedback allows to have limits down to +/-20dB - but we do not see in it any sense, also owing to the big phase distortions in a result - that deprives with sense an invention).

Thus - we have passive bell RC EQ - and and all cascades in full A class, without a feedback. And main switch for it all - Bypass

how much?

[HandCrafted Lab]

On today Violent Force cost - 1.549,0-$,and deivery cost to USA ~60,0$

[HandCrafted Lab]

Meanwhile, Solution s2 multicolour set for multichannel applications


XXL photo 1 XXL photo 2 XXL photo 3 XXL photo 4 XXL photo 5

[HandCrafted Lab]

And now again Violent Force. It`s ready already.


XXL photo 1 XXL photo 2 XXL photo 3

Let's remind features:
-Preamp (Input Gain-multipattern switch(attenuator),Phatnom power,Phase,Pop-filter),and Hi-Z input - which work independently and simultaneolsly with mic pre,separate cascade apply for it,
-Optoleveller(Hard/Soft mode,cut filter for compressing),
-4 band passive bell RC EQ, 21 pattern switches instead of poti,
-2 balanced transformer outputs - which work simultaneosly and independently,for plugging in DAW and Mixer,for ex,to avoidance of latency,
-2 modes of output cascades - usual or cascode,
-3 transformers,4 tubes,

We have recorded Gendel live concert(male/female vocal,), with orchestra, please look and listen...
Violent Force page/
in construction meanwhile,but fully info will be coming soon
Violent Force testing page

[macmod]

again: beau-ti-full!
cheers,
Macmod

[TornadoTed]

Originally Posted by HandCrafted Lab

Meanwhile, Solution s2 multicolour set for multichannel applications


XXL photo 1 XXL photo 2 XXL photo 3 XXL photo 4 XXL photo 5

These are in the post to me as we speak, I can't wait

[HCL Trading]

Hi Guys,

lots of you tried to download our audio tests with no success, sorry for this !
We´ve had some internet problems.
But now, everything is cool again, and you can listen to the tests again !
Check out:
www.superaudio.ru.tc

Man, I love these domain endings nowadays !

Cheers

[TornadoTed]

Well I've had my 4 Solutions for a couple of weeks now and I have to say I'm seriously impressed. I really liked the clips on here which led me to buy them. I have run drums, vocals, bass and guitars through it so far and it sounds fantastic on everything. In the hard knee mode it can really pump and in soft knee they sounds so smooth and controlled.

I've tried them against the TLA C1 and it's no contest, my 2 C1's are on eBay as we speak!

They absolutely look the buisness inside and out, the workmanship is excellent. Albert is a really nice guy, helped me out with decisions for the extra features and we had great communication all the way through from quoting to the delivery.

I can't recommend them highly enough and I may just have to check their mic pre's next once I've had a few more clients through. I think the HCL stuff is one of the best bargains around at the moment. My Solutions worked out about £600 ($1047) each.

The only problem I have encountered is that they run extremely hot so I've had to increase the ventillation on my racks to compensate.

[HandCrafted Lab]

Thanx Ed. We are glad, that these 8 channels have pleased you in such degree.

I think, it will be good idea to upload here audiosamples from your different instrument/vocal takes with Solutions, and thus to continue that the beginnings topic starter of this top - Guy Sternberg which has made a line of audiotests with old version of Solution.

It would be desirable to note, that Tornado Ted is independent user, not consisting in any relations with HCL, except for client.

Concerning temperature of rack case - filament rectifier are placed on the case bottom, and case was used how radiator, therefore rectifier/case temperature is +50-60C. Filament current is ~1,5A, nominal current which can pass via rectifier is 6A.Tubes temperature is ~150C.

[beechstudio]

Any more of you guys out there tried these? Very interested in your opinions!

[pulse_divider]

Is there a current price list for these anywhere?

[beechstudio]

Originally Posted by pulse_divider

Is there a current price list for these anywhere?

You have to email the company to get the pricelist. Most items were priced very reasonable. The dual opto tube compressor (which was the piece I was most interested in) was less than $1200. I was hoping to get some feedback from end users before I pursued these any further.

[Mike Derrick]

Any observations on how quiet these are?

[Mike Derrick]

Lowswing,

I've looked through this thread for settings used for your comparison tests and couldn't find any. Just wondering about settings for all the compressers used.
???

in a blind listening test,...

VOX PRE
I liked D (HCL) the best with A (CADAC) as a very close second, possibly interchangable. The other 2 just didn't exhibit the same "body" in the character of sound so to me they weren't in the same league.

VOX COMP
B - 1176
C - HCL
A - compex
D - ADL
-both B (1176) and C (HCL) seem to retain the transients the best, whereas A (Compex) and D (ADL) seem to have leanings towards that "too squashed" feel with mushyness in the low end and lack of clarity up top. Both the 1176 and HCL did a very nice job, 1176 felt a touch warmer overall, however HCL seemed to have a bit of edge in the sparkle up top.

GUITAR COMP
B - 1176
A - HCL
C - compex
D - ADL
-interestingly in a blind test with the 2 different sources I picked the comps in the exact same order. Again same thing, top 2 and bottom 2 in separate classes (if all things being equal according to tester's methods) for me again it's all about those transients, don't want them squashed out of existance, want to keep 'em plus pull the presence and body of the sound closer to the listener. Listen to the sibilance off the acoustic strings, very present and shines for 1176 and HCL, somehow the other 2 leave the guitar a little duller and smaller.

Anyhow, all these thoughts could be changed since I wasn't the one doing the comparison and it would be good to know the settings used on each comp in order to step back and evaluate each sound file according to the settings used and then with appropriate view be able to discern reasons for differences.

[lowswing]

Originally Posted by Mike Derrick

Lowswing,

I've looked through this thread for settings used for your comparison tests and couldn't find any. Just wondering about settings for all the compressers used.
???

in a blind listening test,...

VOX PRE
I liked D (HCL) the best with A (CADAC) as a very close second, possibly interchangable. The other 2 just didn't exhibit the same "body" in the character of sound so to me they weren't even in the same league.

VOX COMP
B - 1176
C - HCL
A - compex
D - ADL
-both B (1176) and C (HCL) seem to retain the transients the best, whereas A (Compex) and D (ADL) have that "too squashed" feel with mushyness in the low end and lack of clarity up top. Both the 1176 and HCL did a very nice job, 1176 felt a touch warmer overall, however HCL seemed to have a bit of edge in the sparkle up top.

GUITAR COMP
B - 1176
A - HCL
C - compex
D - ADL
-interestingly in a blind test with the 2 different sources I picked the comps in the exact same order. Again same thing, top 2 and bottom 2 in separate classes (if all things being equal according to tester's methods) for me again it's all about those transients, don't want them squashed out of existance like C and D, want to keep 'em plus pull the presence of the sound closer to the listener. Listen to the sibilance off the acoustic strings, very present and shines for 1176 and HCL, somehow the other 2 leave the guitar dull and smaller.

Anyhow, all these thoughts could be changed since I wasn't the one doing the comparison and it would be good to know the settings used on each comp in order to step back and evaluate each sound file according to the settings used and then with appropriate view be able to discern reasons for differences.

Hi Mike,
I did the test long time a go and i can't remember all details, what i remember is that the mic prer test was quit accurate and we matched level as far as possible, with the compression test we couldn't go that "sienctific" as each compressor has very different controllers and very different response, I just tried to go to a common settings i would use and to get same gain reduction read on all compressors, I matched than the output level with the gain make-up, I figured up that the make up amplifier in those compressors has big influence on "the sound" of each of them.

[Mike Derrick]

Thanks Guy,

Yes I realize with Compressors it would be near impossible to have a completely accurate test. Yeah, I assumed you probably kept all settings on each comp as similar as possible. Good job, thanks for doing the comparisons. I was hoping you might've kept a record of the settings. I was curious as to how much comp was occuring and the rate of the attack time.

Interesting comment about the gain make-up.

[Benmrx]

wow, glad I stumbled onto this thread.

This HCL stuff seems too good to be true. The 2 channel preamp, compressor, and the ch. strip have got me drooling.

I'm just curious if anyone's got any more reviews, especially the compressor.

I know it's not too common to throw an opto on the 2buss, but maybe someones tried it with this piece? Just taking 1-2 db off the top for some glue.