Chameleon Labs 7720 Stereo Compressor - Page 2

warhead · 22nd September 2007, 03:52 AM

Eh, roughly. Chameleon sets a very low "list" price for the most part so $500 to low $500 range is correct.

War

BenJah · 23rd September 2007, 11:50 AM

Any word on pre-orders at this stage? I would be very keen...

lozion · 23rd September 2007, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by warhead

Eh, roughly. Chameleon sets a very low "list" price for the most part so $500 to low $500 range is correct.

War

Yeah and now that the $C is on par with the $US...

macmod · 24th September 2007, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by warhead

The thing I can say about the guys at Chameleon Labs is that they (A) know what people want and (B) do a great job holding the line between build quality, design and low cost (China) and (C) their after the sale service is nothing short of phenomenal. The few issues we've had (these things literally have a steady stream out the door and almost no issues by comparison) those guys are on it and get you back working pronto.

I'm sure the compressor will be the same issue. We are very excited about it to say the least!

War

Well, I have emailed them twice...just to ask where to buy in Europe...never got a reply

Cheers,
Macmod

dlmorley · 24th September 2007, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by macmod

Well, I have emailed them twice...just to ask where to buy in Europe...never got a reply

Cheers,
Macmod

They responded to me straight away. Maybe you were filtered.
In any case, they say buy direct. I think they should really sort out European distribution (Musikhaus Thomann Cyberstore Eingang or Music Store Professional for example)

jonboyrock · 25th September 2007, 01:31 AM

Very interested in hearing this....

Jonathan Starr · 25th September 2007, 04:10 AM

Nice !

No Sifam meter, but at that price, no biggie.

lozion · 28th September 2007, 07:55 PM

iflyinmymind · 29th September 2007, 12:53 PM

Waiting waiting waiting

RACKMAN · 30th September 2007, 02:59 PM

Seems like the same thing as the diy stuff and I mean exactly the same. As far as the components there is nothing much in one of these. Great now I don't have to find the time to build one. Need it now. Dave

kellyd · 30th September 2007, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Seems like the same thing as the diy stuff and I mean exactly the same.

You've seen the inside of the unit?
Just curious, quite a bit of speculation for a unit that's not in production. I'm not saying it isn't but until someone gets hold of one......

I'd be very interested to hear one of these against my C2. Always wanted a couple of more stereo SSL type comps.

yarrick19 · 1st October 2007, 03:03 AM

From their website:

COME SEE THE 7720 FINAL PROTOTYPE AT THE AES CONVENTION IN NY
OCT 5TH - 8TH @ THE JACOB K. JAVITS CONVENTION CENTER
BOOTH #1138

Someone give this thing a listen and report back!

BenJah · 1st October 2007, 03:52 AM

MMMM My creditcard finger is gettin itchy...

Reza · 3rd October 2007, 04:12 PM

I really hope someone can report on this unit after AES... please

lpkyer · 3rd October 2007, 06:38 PM

yes please someone !! it's itching here

andychamp · 3rd October 2007, 07:32 PM

I just visited the CL site and listened to the WAVs of their 7602 preamp as compared to a 1073. And IMHO it sounds lifeless and wimpy in direct comparison.
Sure, you get what you pay for, and I'd never expect an 800$ preamp to sound remotely like a 10-series Neve.
I just hope the difference between the 7720 and the realdeal SSL buscomp won't be as drastic.
Still, I'm sure it will find its niche in the market.

lozion · 5th October 2007, 08:59 PM

is this on display at AES?
Can anyone check it out pls!

yarrick19 · 7th October 2007, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lozion

is this on display at AES?
Can anyone check it out pls!

Bump! Someone had to check this out....

warhead · 8th October 2007, 04:07 AM

Listening on headphones at the show it is very promising. I won't commit to saying much more than that until I can get a unit in and use it in a familiar environment on familiar material. That being said, this unit is NOT shipping until early 2008. More when I hear it.

War

Isle of Weight · 9th October 2007, 01:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by warhead

Listening on headphones at the show it is very promising.

War

Agreed!

AA.

bexarametric · 6th November 2007, 06:37 AM

i heard it at AES as well. I agree with War, very promising. Not much more to report since AES is loud.

lozion · 7th December 2007, 04:39 AM

bumperoo for any updateroo...

Albro Swift · 7th December 2007, 11:10 PM

Hey all,

I was lucky enough to play with the 7720 for a week -- and I love it. At this price, I think they'll sell a ton. I'm not a techie-run tones-AB-scientific-test kind of guy, but here's a few random impressions:

Pros:

- it doesn't seem to change the sound at all by being in the chain

- it feels really heavy duty and solid. the switches and knobs feel beefy.

- I love the side chain filter, it is really useful and it is something that an actual SSL doesn't have. It opens up a whole new way of using bus compression. I'm finding that I can compress the mix a bit harder without it pumping or closing down. I was surprised to see that it went all the way up to 400hz, but I tended to gravitate towards that setting after a while....

- I also love the 1.5 ratio. I liked using it with a low threshold so that it was averaging 6db or so of compression, it was pretty transparent yet it still did the glue-y SSL thing....

- I did AB it to the quad compressor in a 4kG and it seemed comparable. I could get them to sound almost exactly the same, although with slightly different settings. It was hard to totally match because the threshold and output gain are not stepped and the ssl goes +-15db and the 7720 is +-20db.

- I tried really abusing it (high ratio, low threshold, fast attack and release) and it really pumps and pops in a cool way. I could totally see using the compressor while tracking to smash some drum mics. I could also see buying a second unit to use as an FX compressor.

Cons:

- I don't really like the knobs...its a minor detail but they seem a little "fisher price" to me. I know that they are the CL standard knobs, but in my humble opinion they make the unit feel cheaper than it is....

- I don't like the meter at all. It's hard to read from any other angle than straight on and even then it is hard to tell what was going on.

I'm definitely going to buy one when they start shipping! I'd be interested to hear others impressions too!

Josh

norman_nomad · 7th December 2007, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Albro Swift

Hey all,

I was lucky enough to play with the 7720 for a week -- and I love it. At this price, I think they'll sell a ton. I'm not a techie-run tones-AB-scientific-test kind of guy, but here's a few random impressions:

Pros:

- it doesn't seem to change the sound at all by being in the chain

- it feels really heavy duty and solid. the switches and knobs feel beefy.

- I love the side chain filter, it is really useful and it is something that an actual SSL doesn't have. It opens up a whole new way of using bus compression. I'm finding that I can compress the mix a bit harder without it pumping or closing down. I was surprised to see that it went all the way up to 400hz, but I tended to gravitate towards that setting after a while....

- I also love the 1.5 ratio. I liked using it with a low threshold so that it was averaging 6db or so of compression, it was pretty transparent yet it still did the glue-y SSL thing....

- I did AB it to the quad compressor in a 4kG and it seemed comparable. I could get them to sound almost exactly the same, although with slightly different settings. It was hard to totally match because the threshold and output gain are not stepped and the ssl goes +-15db and the 7720 is +-20db.

- I tried really abusing it (high ratio, low threshold, fast attack and release) and it really pumps and pops in a cool way. I could totally see using the compressor while tracking to smash some drum mics. I could also see buying a second unit to use as an FX compressor.

Cons:

- I don't really like the knobs...its a minor detail but they seem a little "fisher price" to me. I know that they are the CL standard knobs, but in my humble opinion they make the unit feel cheaper than it is....

- I don't like the meter at all. It's hard to read from any other angle than straight on and even then it is hard to tell what was going on.

- Also, it seemed like it was compressing more than the meter was showing, maybe this unit just isn't calibrated... lots of compressors meter like this though I guess...

I'm definitely going to buy one when they start shipping!

Josh

Nice review! Cheap meters do not track well. For that price they very well weren't going to put a $75 Sifam meter in the thing!

I also agree that the knobs and layout are lame. But they sure beat you over the head with the cheap price.

I'm still interested in listening to one.

lozion · 10th December 2007, 09:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Albro Swift

- I also love the 1.5 ratio. I liked using it with a low threshold so that it was averaging 6db or so of compression, it was pretty transparent yet it still did the glue-y SSL thing....

Ahh, what I wanted to read...

Thanks for the review.

foldback · 10th December 2007, 10:31 PM

I plug an SM-58 into the 7602 and go into the board line-level for my live vocal mic when performing with my blues band. A little 7602 EQ definitely adds beef and fattens the sound much more than using one of the transformerless solid-state mic pre on our mixer.

I'm not a fan of the looks of the new CL compressor, I think it looks cheesy. Looks aside, it appears to have the right operational controls.

Regardless of what it looks like, the thing that matters most is the sound. Will it sound like an SSL or an Alesis 3630?

I can't greet the THAT VCA with all that much enthusiasm (seems to me there were THAT or DBX VCA's in the 3630). Hopefully, the C.L. engineers have done their homework and it will sound great for the price and raise the bar for entry level gear a bit higher.

But, I can already see the writing on the message board. "I knew SSL, and you're no Jack SSL, C h a m e l e o n !"

Personally, I like that the company has the guts to go for it and market a series of products like this. I hope it sounds good.

lozion · 16th December 2007, 10:57 PM

Here's in idea: Why not set-up a GS group buy for the 7720?
Warren?

yarrick19 · 17th December 2007, 12:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lozion

Here's in idea: Why not set-up a GS group buy for the 7602?
Warren?

I'd be in if that was offered.

not_so_new · 17th December 2007, 01:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yarrick19

I'd be in if that was offered.

Me too. Soulds like a great box for crushing BG vocals (and I usually CRUSH BG vocals).

I would be in on a group buy for sure.

lukejs · 17th December 2007, 01:05 AM

I'm in... group buy for the new Chamelion Labs compressor......

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22nd September 2007, 03:52 AM	#31
warhead Jai guru deva om Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: South Carolina Posts: 7,775	Eh, roughly. Chameleon sets a very low "list" price for the most part so $500 to low $500 range is correct. War __________________ Warren Dent Email: warren (at) frontendaudio (dot) com Front End Audio Sells Gear Tuesday Testers: Hear the Gear Shootouts Product Videos on YouTube: Overviews of Gear

25th September 2007, 04:10 AM	#37
Jonathan Starr Lives for gear Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Wailuku, Maui, Hi Posts: 748	Nice ! No Sifam meter, but at that price, no biggie. __________________ Aloha, Jonathan Starr Big Gorilla Sound Twixt reef & jungle Wailuku, Maui

28th September 2007, 07:55 PM	#38
lozion Lives for gear Join Date: May 2005 Location: Montreal Posts: 1,096	__________________ "The secret in life is to have no fear" Fela Anikulapo Kuti My Page The Furnace

3rd October 2007, 06:38 PM	#45
lpkyer Lives for gear Join Date: May 2006 Location: Montreal, Québec Posts: 1,170	yes please someone !! it's itching here __________________ Lou Kyer & Charlier www.kcstudio.net myspace.com/kyercharlier

23rd September 2007, 11:50 AM	#32
BenJah Gear maniac Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 254	Any word on pre-orders at this stage? I would be very keen...

25th September 2007, 01:31 AM	#36
jonboyrock Gear maniac Join Date: May 2006 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 170	Very interested in hearing this....

29th September 2007, 12:53 PM	#39
iflyinmymind Gear maniac Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 201	Waiting waiting waiting

30th September 2007, 02:59 PM	#40
RACKMAN Gear Head Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: N.Hollywood Posts: 69	Seems like the same thing as the diy stuff and I mean exactly the same. As far as the components there is nothing much in one of these. Great now I don't have to find the time to build one. Need it now. Dave

1st October 2007, 03:03 AM	#42
yarrick19 Gear maniac Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: North Idaho Posts: 185	From their website: COME SEE THE 7720 FINAL PROTOTYPE AT THE AES CONVENTION IN NY OCT 5TH - 8TH @ THE JACOB K. JAVITS CONVENTION CENTER BOOTH #1138 Someone give this thing a listen and report back!

1st October 2007, 03:52 AM	#43
BenJah Gear maniac Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 254	MMMM My creditcard finger is gettin itchy...

3rd October 2007, 04:12 PM	#44
Reza Gear addict Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 409	I really hope someone can report on this unit after AES... please

3rd October 2007, 07:32 PM	#46
andychamp Lives for gear Join Date: May 2005 Location: Basel, Switzerland Posts: 1,144	I just visited the CL site and listened to the WAVs of their 7602 preamp as compared to a 1073. And IMHO it sounds lifeless and wimpy in direct comparison. Sure, you get what you pay for, and I'd never expect an 800$ preamp to sound remotely like a 10-series Neve. I just hope the difference between the 7720 and the realdeal SSL buscomp won't be as drastic. Still, I'm sure it will find its niche in the market. __________________ André ________________________________________ "keep it simple. get it right in tracking. record good drummers in good rooms. cake." mixman499 "no room, no boom!" Michael Wagener "every song is different." Dave Pensado

5th October 2007, 08:59 PM	#47
lozion Lives for gear Join Date: May 2005 Location: Montreal Posts: 1,096	is this on display at AES? Can anyone check it out pls! __________________ "The secret in life is to have no fear" Fela Anikulapo Kuti My Page The Furnace

8th October 2007, 04:07 AM	#49
warhead Jai guru deva om Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: South Carolina Posts: 7,775	Listening on headphones at the show it is very promising. I won't commit to saying much more than that until I can get a unit in and use it in a familiar environment on familiar material. That being said, this unit is NOT shipping until early 2008. More when I hear it. War __________________ Warren Dent Email: warren (at) frontendaudio (dot) com Front End Audio Sells Gear Tuesday Testers: Hear the Gear Shootouts Product Videos on YouTube: Overviews of Gear

6th November 2007, 06:37 AM	#51
bexarametric Lives for gear Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Dallas Posts: 819	i heard it at AES as well. I agree with War, very promising. Not much more to report since AES is loud. __________________ "60% of the time it works every time." "MacGyver can build an airplane out of gum and paper clips, but Chuck Norris can roundhouse-kick his head through a wall and take it."

7th December 2007, 04:39 AM	#52
lozion Lives for gear Join Date: May 2005 Location: Montreal Posts: 1,096	bumperoo for any updateroo... __________________ "The secret in life is to have no fear" Fela Anikulapo Kuti My Page The Furnace

7th December 2007, 11:10 PM	#53
Albro Swift Gear Head Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Seattle Posts: 43	Hey all, I was lucky enough to play with the 7720 for a week -- and I love it. At this price, I think they'll sell a ton. I'm not a techie-run tones-AB-scientific-test kind of guy, but here's a few random impressions: Pros: - it doesn't seem to change the sound at all by being in the chain - it feels really heavy duty and solid. the switches and knobs feel beefy. - I love the side chain filter, it is really useful and it is something that an actual SSL doesn't have. It opens up a whole new way of using bus compression. I'm finding that I can compress the mix a bit harder without it pumping or closing down. I was surprised to see that it went all the way up to 400hz, but I tended to gravitate towards that setting after a while.... - I also love the 1.5 ratio. I liked using it with a low threshold so that it was averaging 6db or so of compression, it was pretty transparent yet it still did the glue-y SSL thing.... - I did AB it to the quad compressor in a 4kG and it seemed comparable. I could get them to sound almost exactly the same, although with slightly different settings. It was hard to totally match because the threshold and output gain are not stepped and the ssl goes +-15db and the 7720 is +-20db. - I tried really abusing it (high ratio, low threshold, fast attack and release) and it really pumps and pops in a cool way. I could totally see using the compressor while tracking to smash some drum mics. I could also see buying a second unit to use as an FX compressor. Cons: - I don't really like the knobs...its a minor detail but they seem a little "fisher price" to me. I know that they are the CL standard knobs, but in my humble opinion they make the unit feel cheaper than it is.... - I don't like the meter at all. It's hard to read from any other angle than straight on and even then it is hard to tell what was going on. I'm definitely going to buy one when they start shipping! I'd be interested to hear others impressions too! Josh

10th December 2007, 10:31 PM	#56
foldback Lives for gear Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: St. Louis Posts: 676	CL 7602 I plug an SM-58 into the 7602 and go into the board line-level for my live vocal mic when performing with my blues band. A little 7602 EQ definitely adds beef and fattens the sound much more than using one of the transformerless solid-state mic pre on our mixer. I'm not a fan of the looks of the new CL compressor, I think it looks cheesy. Looks aside, it appears to have the right operational controls. Regardless of what it looks like, the thing that matters most is the sound. Will it sound like an SSL or an Alesis 3630? I can't greet the THAT VCA with all that much enthusiasm (seems to me there were THAT or DBX VCA's in the 3630). Hopefully, the C.L. engineers have done their homework and it will sound great for the price and raise the bar for entry level gear a bit higher. But, I can already see the writing on the message board. "I knew SSL, and you're no Jack SSL, C h a m e l e o n !" Personally, I like that the company has the guts to go for it and market a series of products like this. I hope it sounds good.

16th December 2007, 10:57 PM	#57
lozion Lives for gear Join Date: May 2005 Location: Montreal Posts: 1,096	Here's in idea: Why not set-up a GS group buy for the 7720? Warren? __________________ "The secret in life is to have no fear" Fela Anikulapo Kuti My Page The Furnace Last edited by lozion; 17th December 2007 at 10:44 PM. Reason: typo

17th December 2007, 01:05 AM	#60
lukejs Lives for gear Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas Posts: 585	count me in too, War ! I'm in... group buy for the new Chamelion Labs compressor......