So I decided to start my own little company...

[atticus]

Originally Posted by Brad McGowan

That's the one I had! With "custom" faceplate.

Brad

Yep!

[Coyoteous]

Nice! Can you describe the functions (again)? I'm guess lower settings with attenuation, unity in the middle, and gain above that - and all positions are buffered?

[atticus]

Originally Posted by Coyoteous

Nice! Can you describe the functions (again)? I'm guess lower settings with attenuation, unity in the middle, and gain above that - and all positions are buffered?

Exactly. Basically the concept of the Audio Throttle is to allow more versatility from a given selection of mic preamps. For example, most preamps that have a gain structure that is more suited to ribbon mics tend to be towards the "clean" variety, while a lot of the more "color" preamps have a lower overall output. Obviously there are exceptions to this. What the Audio Throttle allows you to do is use a lower gain preamp that may have a certain tonal characteristic in a situation where it may have not been usable ago. The Audio Throttle was designed with transparency in mind, so that it allows the sound of the preamp to remain, just at a higher level.

The Audio Throttle's pad also adds versatility to the signal path by allowing more control over a preamp's output. For example one may like the sound of a certain mic preamp as it is on the threshold of clipping, but the output of the preamp in that scenario may be too much for the recorder it is being fed into. The pad would allow you to have a couple different attenuation settings so that the proper gain structure can be achieved.

If any has any more questions please let me know. Thanks.

[Brad McGowan]

Did you actually put a unity gain setting on the thing David? Personally I think that would be a waste of a switch position. Unity gain should equate to removing the Audio Throttle from the signal path.

Brad

[Pfhuck]

A couple of questions:

How is this better than a passive attenuator??

Does it sound better than adding gain (aka bits) in my DAW??



Some idea's:

Sometimes I run dynamic mics straight into my interface via XLR/TRS adapters. Stupid silly little transformers! Don't scoff. TRY IT!

Do tube mics with an external power supply really NEED a preamp??

How about a DI with a couple different loading options?? Transformer or not?? High Z or not?? One or the other/both?? Switch it up??


To summarize:

This product would be AWESOME with a of couple different input options and some clean gain on the backside!! Mmmm....

LOTS of 500 series products out there....

Please and thank you,
Pfhuck

[Eric Greedy]

Very cool to hear David!!!

long time no see btw.

Cheers,

Eric

[pan60]

updates?

[Brad McGowan]

I'd like to know the status on this as well.

Brad

[atticus]

Well I am waiting patiently for some help doing the metalwork. That's the main holdup...

[pan60]

Originally Posted by atticus

Well I am waiting patiently for some help doing the metalwork. That's the main holdup...

metal work seems to be a issues for several of the guy i have been working with.
plus double check it when you get it done, as i have beta-ed several units ( nothing major, and no i can not say, but they will be awesome when seen ), and found issues with the metal work even though the metal guys were given all the correct specks, just a heads up: )~

[Brad McGowan]

It's not a surprise to me that people have problems with metal work. Unless the fabricators are being given a proper engineering drawing with proper geometric dimensioning and tolerancing, you are leaving the form and fit to chance. You can't simply take a ruler and measure your spacing between holes and then tell them to drill a 1/4" hole. It's not that simple. You are better off hiring a mechanical engineer to do the CAD drawings and getting it right the first time. Then when the part is made the shop can do a real QC check against the drawing and not some random notes jotted down on a napkin.

This is coming from a mechanical engineer by the way...

Brad

[pan60]

Originally Posted by Brad McGowan

It's not a surprise to me that people have problems with metal work. Unless the fabricators are being given a proper engineering drawing with proper geometric dimensioning and tolerancing, you are leaving the form and fit to chance. You can't simply take a ruler and measure your spacing between holes and then tell them to drill a 1/4" hole. It's not that simple. You are better off hiring a mechanical engineer to do the CAD drawings and getting it right the first time. Then when the part is made the shop can do a real QC check against the drawing and not some random notes jotted down on a napkin.

This is coming from a mechanical engineer by the way...

Brad

i agree, 100%, but i have seen some metal work, were the metal shops were give the correct info and drawings ( this is not confined just to the 500 formats or audio gear ), yet still, the metal comes out, out of tolerance.
the assembly house, or individuals, are not always aware of issues that may be present, as every thing looks fine, and maybe at first they are?
i think their are far to many shop that are just not doing the jobs as they are paid to.
that is just my opinion, i am sure as in any field, their are those that do not get their mechanical drawings correct and it dose cause issue down stream.
thankfully some issues have been, and do, get caught and corrections made well before the given product is made available.

[Brad McGowan]

It is true...some people just do crappy work. There's not much you can do about that other than not give them your business.

Brad

[atticus]

I am still working on this, but as of right now I have three days jobs (don't ask...) so it is hard to get it all done. I think that I have some great and unusual ideas for cool modules so I am really hoping I can make a go of it. Thanks for the interest!

[De chromium cob]

Good luck with the business, David.

[atticus]

I just wanted to let you all know that I am still hard at work on this. I have just gone through some pretty severe health problems that sidelined me for quite a bit, but I am back at work and have graciously been offered a lot of help by a well known equipment designer (who I will name later if he is ok with it) to help me bring this and other products to the market. Thanks for your time!

[pan60]

keep us posted!
hope you are feeing better!

[atticus]

Just in case anyone is curious, this is the other product I have been working on:

[pan60]

Originally Posted by atticus

Just in case anyone is curious, this is the other product I have been working on:

how many watts?

[atticus]

Originally Posted by pan60

how many watts?

Four. It had good tubes, is all hand wired in the US, has Mercury Magnetics transformers, and sounds amazing. They will be shipping this month.

PS - I am selling them for $599...

[pan60]

looks very sweet!

[atticus]

Originally Posted by pan60

looks very sweet!

Yeah I am very proud of it. It is designed to be a very versatile studio amp that has very good tone but low noise. With this company I want to release products that have amazing value, and I think with the first two products I will be able to do just that.

[Tim Farrant]

Looks like you need reliable woodworkers rather than metalworkers!



Tim

[atticus]

Originally Posted by Tim Farrant

Looks like you need reliable woodworkers rather than metalworkers!



Tim

Tim,

I have a great guy who is doing all of the woodwork for me. I'm pretty excited about all this and it makes me feel good to help employ individual craftsmen to hand build these little amps!

[Max_Power]

Originally Posted by atticus

Just in case anyone is curious, this is the other product I have been working on:

Originally Posted by atticus

Four. It had good tubes, is all hand wired in the US, has Mercury Magnetics transformers, and sounds amazing. They will be shipping this month.

PS - I am selling them for $599...

Interesting amp at an interesting price!
Soundclips please!

[atticus]

Originally Posted by Max_Power

Interesting amp at an interesting price!
Soundclips please!

I am going to be recording some sound clips tonight. Since it is being sold as a head only for right now the speaker selection will make a huge impact on the sound. The samples will be recorded through my brand new Avatar (great company!) Contemporary cabinet with one each of the Celestion Heritage G12H and the Alnico Blue. It is such an amazing cabinet and really does the amp justice! I am planning on close micing each of the speakers as well as putting up a mono room mic so that people can put them into a daw and see how they blend together. The amp itself will drive two 4 ohm cabinets and honestly it got louder then I thought it would for 4 watts. Here are some of the features of the amp:

*4 watts, Class A (single output tube)
*All Hand Wired
*High and low gain inputs
*Two 4 ohm Speaker outputs
*Line level output, tapped off of the output transformer so you get the speakers's response in the direct signal
*Hand made solid cherry (pictured) or maple cabinet
*Mercury Magnetics Transformers
*Tung-Sol tubes
*Tube or Solid State Rectifier. I am going to ship the amp with either a tube rectifier or a Weber Copper Cap Rectifier of the customer's choosing. The Copper Cap simply fits into the tube socket so it can be switched out at any time.

I will be posting more pics and sound samples as I get them. Thanks for the interest!

[TAVD]

Any chance of getting the cabinet done in another hardwood? How about an 8 ohm tap?

[atticus]

Originally Posted by TAVD

Any chance of getting the cabinet done in another hardwood? How about an 8 ohm tap?

The hardwood is no problem at all, and I am planning on releasing a version with switchable output impedance. What kind of wood do you suggest?

[TAVD]

Originally Posted by atticus

The hardwood is no problem at all, and I am planning on releasing a version with switchable output impedance. What kind of wood do you suggest?

I didn't have anything specific in mind. I was only wondering and thinking in advanced about what I might order. Maybe claro walnut or some kind of burl. I'll look through the Cook Wood's stock list for some ideas too.

[atticus]

Originally Posted by TAVD

I didn't have anything specific in mind. I was only wondering and thinking in advanced about what I might order. Maybe claro walnut or some kind of burl. I'll look through the Cook Wood's stock list for some ideas too.

I'm really trying to use locally harvested, sustainable wood sources as much as possible. I know guitar amps aren't the most planet friendly devices out there but I want to try to make it as "green" as possible. Do you know of a wood supplier that practices sustainable wood harvesting?