Rare Sontec compressor on the bay.

[ORC]

Sontec DRC-200 Dynamic Range Controller | eBay

[William Bowden]

Originally Posted by ORC

Sontec DRC-200 Dynamic Range Controller | eBay

Spotted it last night, bit overpriced if you ask me...

The King

[dcollins]

Originally Posted by William Bowden

Spotted it last night, bit overpriced if you ask me...

I've seen them priced in the "come pick it up and it's yours" level before.


DC

[Dave Davis]

yeah, these ain't like the eq's!

[Ruairi]

Originally Posted by dcollins

I've seen them priced in the "come pick it up and it's yours" level before.
DC

Was it Dan Zellmann in New York that had a whole shelf of these units broken and gathering dust?

I think you made the point once Dave that if these were any good we'd have seen them in more racks...

[ORC]

Originally Posted by William Bowden

Spotted it last night, bit overpriced if you ask me...

The King

Seemed a bit steep to me as well.

[thermos]

Originally Posted by Ruairi

Was it Dan Zellmann in New York that had a whole shelf of these units broken and gathering dust?

I think you made the point once Dave that if these were any good we'd have seen them in more racks...

He does have quite a few...

[lowland]

I don't know how closely they are related, but you can buy the non-stepped GML DRC new for just over $6k at Vintage King.

GML | VintageKing.com

And the 'full monty' mastering DRC in that list is $8300, though presumably the price is negotiable as I can buy it for under $8k ex. VAT in the UK. $8k is the 'buy it now' price on the Sontec.

[Laarsø]

I've heard it said that the real reason this didn't take off is that most people didn't know or want to learn how to calibrate these. They require calibration before basically every session. Not for mouse clickers. Also, there are the different controls that have to be learned. Not for YouTube.

Note this is a 4-channel unit made for advance and program stereo processink.

There are RMS and peak operations and there is a crest factor knob, in addition to the attack and releases. I will buy if this doesn't sell quickly. Price is fair. The manufacturer stands behind the sound as representative of the marque. You do the math.



Cheersø,
Laarsø

[lowland]

Originally Posted by Laarsø

Note this is a 4-channel unit made for advance and program stereo processink.

Don't know if you saw this or it's significant for you, but quoting from the description:

"The chassis has connectors for four channels of audio (DRC-400) BUT there are only two audio cards."

[dcollins]

Originally Posted by manman

how does it sound?

Reasonably transparent. Pumpy, but not in a fun way. Needlessly complex to operate, reliability that would make Fiat and Alfa proud. Every mastering studio demoed this unit at one point.............



DC

[chet.d]

Originally Posted by thermos

He does have quite a few...

Ha, and a Fairchild sitting on the floor collecting dirt if I recall a couple weeks ago.

[Ben F]

Originally Posted by dcollins

Reasonably transparent. Pumpy, but not in a fun way. Needlessly complex to operate, reliability that would make Fiat and Alfa proud. Every mastering studio demoed this unit at one point.............



DC

Nice review!

[Greg Reierson]

Originally Posted by dcollins

reliability that would make Fiat and Alfa proud.

DC

I was thinking Lucas...

Eddie Ciletti was over yesterday and mentioned he had just worked on one. Not something he wants to do again. Having just worked on my 250C I can see why these things spend so much time in the shop.

GR

[Laarsø]

Originally Posted by lowland

Don't know if you saw this or it's significant for you, but quoting from the description:

"The chassis has connectors for four channels of audio (DRC-400) BUT there are only two audio cards."

It's quite significant. However, there is a magic number where cards can be ordered. It's in Ripplemead, VA. Cards are routinely ordered for the whole line. The important part is that the switches are quad-ganged. If not, it's a 2-banger. The first Sontec switched parametric eq (MES-430) was a 4-banger, but only with two sets of dual-ganged controls.

Again, these require cal each session. Most ME's who demo'd these and didn't like were never aware of this. It's not a standard comp. It's a predecessor to the 2030, which was eventually made by his classmate.


Cheersø,
Laarsø

[dcollins]

Originally Posted by Laarsø

Again, these require cal each session.

We cal'd. Oh how we cal'd.

There's a name for designs that drift like that.


DC

[lowland]

Originally Posted by dcollins

There's a name for designs that drift like that

A Yorkshire guitarist friend, assessing his own performance (insert accent here): 'I can't work out if it's crap, shite or bollocks'.

'Challenging'?

[tmarra]

I see it's listed again at a lower price

Sontec DRC-200 Dynamic Range Controller | eBay


-Tony

[lowland]

Originally Posted by tmarra

I see it's listed again at a lower price

Sontec DRC-200 Dynamic Range Controller | eBay


-Tony

Maybe the seller saw this thread.

[William Bowden]

I can't believe someone paid that much for it myself. I gave Rick at Turtlerock my pair to fix the understanding being if he got them both working he could keep one. Well I ain't holding my breath...

King Willy

[Laarsø]

Originally Posted by dcollins

We cal'd. Oh how we cal'd.

There's a name for designs that drift like that.


DC

If it drifts more than once per session, it's not in good repair. I touch up the trimpots on all gear before a session - such as bias, bass, azimuth, phasing, and stylus heat. Every 1/10 dB or miliamp is significant at this stage.

The compressor on eBay is not under warranty, so a factory repair will cost extra. However, there's no reason not to send to ITI for repair. Working on it without schematics or intimate knowledge is why it's hard for people like E.C. or C. M...

Notice how it works on RMS as well as peak as well as having a crest factor setting. This isn't your uncle's 670 (plugin). Roger Seibel at SAE Mastering cuts great sides using the 4-banger DRC. He also just took delivery of a new Sontec pickup pre, iiuc.



Cheersø,
Laarsø

[dcollins]

Originally Posted by Laarsø

If it drifts more than once per session, it's not in good repair. I touch up the trimpots on all gear before a session - such as bias, bass, azimuth, phasing, and stylus heat. Every 1/10 dB or miliamp is significant at this stage.

Where do you work?


DC