31st July 2012
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#1 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Jun 2005 Location: Kingston, Jamaica
Posts: 1,100
Thread Starter  | FCS Pico 502 Red Face Version
Say hello to my two new little friends.
I am mostly an ITB person..I use hardware tools only to get audio into my DAW.
But I want high quality audio going into the box :-)....
I had bought a Pico 500 series from Roger Foote about 2 or 3 years and it then became my only tracking compressor... Love it... clean....simple to use.....etc....
Over the years we have kept in touch, and sometime last year I realised I needed two more Pico 500s... Alas they were no longer made and he had no more of them in stock, or as demos etc....so every month or so I would gently email him to try to persuade him to remake the Pico 500's.....
Earlier this month he said he had news for me..... a Pico 502, that basically took the RMS mode (which quite frankly is the only mode I ever use in my 500 for tracking) and kept the clean path of the Pico 500....
I bought the two first two units (SN 01 and 02).....got them today and installed them and I LOVE THEM......
Haven't really taken them thru all their paces yet, but in an hour or so of testing they do remind me of the Pico 500 a lot......
anyway wanted to share these.... hopefully he will make more in quantities so that everyone can get one or two of their own :-)
rsp
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31st July 2012
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#2 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Jun 2005 Location: Kingston, Jamaica
Posts: 1,100
Thread Starter | if no pictures it doesn't exist
I forgot the mantra here :-)
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31st July 2012
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#3 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Jun 2005 Location: Kingston, Jamaica
Posts: 1,100
Thread Starter |
I also had asked him to describe the goal and intent of design of them: Quote:
I have been seeing more interest in a clean, simple tracking compressor in the API 500 format recently and decided to do a couple of prototype runs. These are basically the same audio path and control circuit from the discontinued Pico 500.
It was streamlined into this form, an RMS responding soft knee compressor with electronic balancing/de-balancing useful for tracking since it doesn’t create a lot of artifacts or make things sound squashed or smaller, important features for tracking situations since once captured you have to live with those results.
They also work great in stereo, they do not link but the results are quite good.
We made changes that eliminate all hand wiring to keep production costs down and gave it a new PCB layout and front panel design to fit the design embodied in this “new” offering from Foote Control Systems.
Roger Foote
Foote Control Systems
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31st July 2012
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#4 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 3,396
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I've used Roger's products for years now..Just as Roger, they are first class..!.. 
__________________
Thanks for your time and ears!
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31st July 2012
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#5 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Jun 2005 Location: Kingston, Jamaica
Posts: 1,100
Thread Starter |
That's been my experience with him and his products as well.
rsp
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31st July 2012
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#6 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,091
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dig the simplicity.
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31st July 2012
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#7 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,437
| Quote:
Originally Posted by otobianki74  dig the simplicity. | Word 
I'd love to have a pair for on site tracking (when usually you don't know
what to expect lol), I meant to set up a portable 500 rig for the longest time
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1st August 2012
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#8 | | Telling it like it is
Joined: May 2010 Location: Queens, NY
Posts: 3,044
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Love the simple layout. RMS mode, threshold, ratio and output. Hard to screw up.
Looks great.
Regards,
Frank
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My equipment: A Commodore 64, 2 1541 Disk Drives, Dr T's Music Studio and a Casiotone CT-460. www.frankperri.com
Never listen to opinions regarding gear. For every 50 nobodies on Gearslutz that say a piece of gear doesn't sound good enough to cut it, I know at least one somebody who is cutting it in NYC with that piece of gear. ... www.diehipster.com | 
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1st August 2012
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#9 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Jun 2005 Location: Kingston, Jamaica
Posts: 1,100
Thread Starter |
sounds great too. and yep so easy to use.
rsp
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1st August 2012
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#10 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 549
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Hi zvenx,
Glad you got them, was worried about the bad weather delaying the shipping...
Enjoy!
Roger
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Foote Control Systems Manufacturer
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1st August 2012
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#11 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Jun 2005 Location: Kingston, Jamaica
Posts: 1,100
Thread Starter |
:-) naw they came all in one piece and on time.. :-)
rsp
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1st August 2012
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#12 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Sep 2004 Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 8,030
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Is there a price? I ask 'cause my friend and sometimes collaborator Nick Anderson owns one of the brown originals in stereo and I have always been jealous.
- c
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www.soundcloud.com/beautypill
www.twitter.com/beautypill | |
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2nd August 2012
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#13 | | 500 series nutjob
Joined: Nov 2004 Location: 500 series Guru SKANK! ; )
Posts: 11,293
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We had one in at one time, I thought it was nice!
was hoping to get an article with Roger but he is about as privet as i am: ) nice comps.
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2nd August 2012
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#14 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Jun 2002 Location: West Coast Central Florida
Posts: 7,676
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Looks great  | |
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2nd August 2012
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#15 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 549
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Thanks all,
I need to get a quote on some of the metalwork before I know what the price will be. But I am still working out the design.
I'd like to thank zvenx for occasionally "kicking the sleeping horse" and keeping this on my radar!
Roger
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2nd August 2012
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#16 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Jun 2005 Location: Kingston, Jamaica
Posts: 1,100
Thread Starter |
and my audio and tracking signal path thanks you too :-)
rsp
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4th August 2012
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#17 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 549
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Here is the latest proto with black panel, round LEDs... No infill paint on these.
They are also transformer coupled with a specialized high current driver feeding the transformer primary. The transformer is a Jensen JT11 ELCF which I have a pair of. I will be doing one other proto like this so there will be a pair of them available.
These transformer models are running parallel to the clean version, not replacing it. I am not sure we will even put it out commercially yet, where the transformerless version I am more certain about.
I figure we will go to the round LEDs, since the rectangular ones are a lot more work to install, and I want to keep materials and labor costs down on these.
If anybody is interested in obtaining these 2 protos, PM me. I am doing them in twoseys and selling them before moving to the next iteration.
Best
rf
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6th August 2012
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#18 | | Telling it like it is
Joined: May 2010 Location: Queens, NY
Posts: 3,044
| Quote:
Originally Posted by RogerFoote I figure we will go to the round LEDs, since the rectangular ones are a lot more work to install, and I want to keep materials and labor costs down on these. | Shame, as the rectangular lights are definitely more sharp looking. Maybe add them as a modded build to people who order for an additional cost? Also, I love the red face more.
Definitely interested in the transformerless version. If you had one more of the one that zvenx bought, I'd snap it up right now.
Regards,
Frank
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6th August 2012
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#19 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 549
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Hey Frank,
I will put that in the hopper about the LEDs, thanks. I agree they do look good.
This thread is only really about the transformerless version, but wanted to show the variants and LEDs
The transformerless version in red is a given and the whole deal here really.
Sooner than later!
Best
Roger
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6th August 2012
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#20 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Jun 2005 Location: Kingston, Jamaica
Posts: 1,100
Thread Starter |
Just to add, that I actually have an apparent variant of the black face one above, that I bought from Roger last year. I think he made two, he has one and I have the other...... Didn't mention it, because I wasn't sure if he was going to ever make a transformer based version again..... mine is a bit different than the one above, but I love it for sources like electric bass or guitar when I want a more or less dirtier/saturated/thicker etc sound.....if I didn't have that one I probably would have been interested in one of these black face ones.
rsp
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6th August 2012
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#21 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 3,396
| Quote:
Originally Posted by RogerFoote
Here is the latest proto with black panel, round LEDs... No infill paint on these.
They are also transformer coupled with a specialized high current driver feeding the transformer primary. The transformer is a Jensen JT11 ELCF which I have a pair of. I will be doing one other proto like this so there will be a pair of them available.
These transformer models are running parallel to the clean version, not replacing it. I am not sure we will even put it out commercially yet, where the transformerless version I am more certain about.
I figure we will go to the round LEDs, since the rectangular ones are a lot more work to install, and I want to keep materials and labor costs down on these.
If anybody is interested in obtaining these 2 protos, PM me. I am doing them in twoseys and selling them before moving to the next iteration.
Best
rf | Hey Roger.These trannys based ones sorta slipped pass me... ..Great look..!
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6th August 2012
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#22 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 549
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Hi all,
I am revisiting the rectangular LEDs with the red panel.
I will have the next protos of the transformerless red units in about 2 weeks.
Best
Roger
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8th August 2012
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#23 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Nov 2004 Location: Maryland
Posts: 1,429
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I'm kind of partial to the led arrays like you used on the p3.
I miss my pico comps so I'm glad to see these. Those black transformer versions are calling my name too.
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26th August 2012
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#24 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 549
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Well, I have finished the panel design, with rectangular LEDs. 
We plan on doing them both transformer-less and with transformers.
I just took receipt of a large shipment of some wonderful sounding Cinemag output transformers that will be offered on the Pico 502.
Best regards,
Roger
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26th August 2012
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#25 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 549
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And a recall sheet, a 3.0MB BMP file... Recall Sheet | |
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26th August 2012
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#26 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Jun 2005 Location: Kingston, Jamaica
Posts: 1,100
Thread Starter |
Hi roger, looking good.
Did u go with i/o vs bypass for brevity?
And as always good luck.
Rsp
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26th August 2012
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#27 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 549
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Hi zvenx,
Yeah, the I/O... Just trying to balance the text vs panel space on these. I wanted to use smaller text on "Bypass" but you get to a point where that won't fly
Thanks!
Roger
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27th August 2012
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#28 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 3,396
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Hey Roger..Sent you a PM...
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27th August 2012
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#29 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 549
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Hi Snatchman,
Answered your PM.
I have the last transformerless proto available... Other one is shipping out this week.
In 2 weeks, I will have 2 of the transformer versions in prototype form.
I will post pics of those as soon as I get them built.
So, the design work is done, and I am very happy with the results.
I will post info about ship dates on the production units.
Best
Roger
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28th August 2012
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#30 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 739
| Quote:
Originally Posted by RogerFoote We plan on doing them both transformer-less and with transformers.
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Prices please ?
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