Summit TLA100/Distressor

[chumusic]

Anyone own these TLA100's?

I'm considering to get a pair of these or Distressors!!
Dunno if someone have both, and can tell me what u think

[Dave Martin]

Originally posted by chumusic
Anyone own these TLA100's?

If you don't have many compressors, go for the Distressors - they're more useable in more applications than the TLA100's.

[chumusic]

British mode?


mmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[Jan Folkson]

I've got a pair of TLA100s and a pair of distressors. While I like the Summits quite a bit, the distressors are certainly more flexible.

[oudplayer]

Agreed - distressors are much more flexible. But the Summits are great for bass and vocal compression...

[Jay Kahrs]

Why not get one of each? I own neither one of these but when I have them around I hardly ever use them in stereo pairs. I like the TLA100 on a lot of things, it's pretty much set & go. Maybe look at a Manley El-Op too. Same principle...

[Dave Martin]

Originally posted by Jay Kahrs
Maybe look at a Manley El-Op too. Same principle...

Well, I like the sound of he Manley ELOP a lot more than the TLA100...

[Musiclab]

Originally posted by Dave Martin
Well, I like the sound of he Manley ELOP a lot more than the TLA100...

To say the least, just listen to what the elop does to the audio without compression versus what the TLA 100 does. If you do that kind of A/B between the elop and the TLA 100 and also the distressor and the TLA 100.
I think you'll find you won't want to run very much audio thru it. The elop detector takes a little getting used to but I think it is a very nice compressor.
As is the distressor.

[chumusic]

Thnx fella's for all the great advice!!

From each one won't be a bad idea...i'll consider that for sure..
Butha the difference from the british mode won't be such a big deal or is it?...let's say if i buy the distressor!!!


??

[jpaudio]

Originally posted by Dave Martin
Well, I like the sound of he Manley ELOP a lot more than the TLA100...

Very much agreed... I used a pair of TLA100s and thought of buying them for myself til I heard the ElOp. I also tried the DeMaria 2-ch tube opto but preferred the ElOp to it as well. I'd like to try the Pendulum someday, but for now i'm more than happy with my Manley. Couldn't recommend it more for tube opto duties.

[Jay Kahrs]

What's with all the TLA-100 bashing? Shit, if anyone dislikes their's that much I'll be more then happy to give it a good home. I'll even pay for the shipping!

I threw the El-Op out there because it's the same principle, two knob opto based compression. I can substitute them for each other in my work and don't have too much of a preference for one over the other and while the Summit is noisier the noise has never bothered me. YMMV.

[Jan Folkson]

I like the Summits quite a bit as well, and use them frequently. In my other post, I just said that the Distressors were more flexible.

[subspace]

I don't believe the TLA is actually an opto unit, just designed to resemble one.
It's not really a tube unit either, but a tube/ 990 opamp hybrid. And it's transformerless. But it does indeed have two knobs like the El-op.

[Shelton]

What about the differences between a DCL200 and the TLA100?

[jpaudio]

Originally posted by Shelton
What about the differences between a DCL200 and the TLA100?

Totally different beasts... DCL can be the bomb for a drum bus or sometimes program material. Lots of control but a certain degree of program dependency at the same time. As for everyday useful compression, i'd take a DCL over a pair of TLA100s in a heartbeat, but they are almost too different to compare IMHO.

[Sofa King]

Originally posted by Musiclab
If you do that kind of A/B between the elop and the TLA 100 and also the distressor and the TLA 100.
I think you'll find you won't want to run very much audio thru it..

WOW, pretty harsh comments!
id like to disagree.
The summit is a nice comp, used by lots of folks,
I own both the Summit and the ELI stuff, and the are waaaaaay different beasts. the distressor, is much more flexable, but I find the TLA100 nice on most anything I put through it, esp. vocals and bass.
It is noisy, but I do mainly rock records so its a non issue.
The ELOP is cool too. I just prefer what the Summit does.

best

[chb]

guess it totally depends what you're looking for, what sound you're going for and what the compressor's mainly gonna get used for.
for me personally the distressor is too rough & edgy for the type of vocals i'm dealing with, if i'd be into rock it might just be the thäng to use. i am very happy with my elop, it gives me the smooth and clean compression i'm looking for, and i once was similarly satisfied with a tla-100 used in a different studio...

[Musiclab]

Originally posted by Sofa King
WOW, pretty harsh comments!
id like to disagree.
The summit is a nice comp, used by lots of folks,
I own both the Summit and the ELI stuff, and the are waaaaaay different beasts. the distressor, is much more flexable, but I find the TLA100 nice on most anything I put through it, esp. vocals and bass.
It is noisy, but I do mainly rock records so its a non issue.
The ELOP is cool too. I just prefer what the Summit does.
best

Like I said, try just running audio through it in bypass, and check it with the source. Do the same with the Elop. Do the same with the distressor. I think
the elop and the distressor screw with the audio much less than the TLA 100 and the ADL compressors. I'm not saying don't use TLA 100's and ADL 1000's
but when you know what they really are doing, you have a better handle on their uses. fwiw I own all of these suckers. I wish I had the DCL 200 rather than the TLA 100. but I really would like to get a Trakker

[superburtm]

I've had a TLA 100 for 10 years and it's been darn good to me. I find it very smooth and nice. Up to 10 or so db of reduction it;s pretty damn good. Above that maybe not the best

[proxy]

I have the DCL-200 and absolutely love it. Granted it's the most "premium" (for lack of a better word) compressor I own, but I feel it was worth every penny.

- proxy

[thethrillfactor]

My 2 cents:

1) Original TLA-100(Dave Hill)-cool sounding when vocals are barely touching it but a litte noisy.

2) TLA-100 after Dave Hill-boring magic is gone.

3) Manley Elop-cooler when bypassed than when engaged.

4) Tubetech CL1B with different tubes- still my all around favorite when tracking vocals.

5) UA La2a remake-sounds better in limit mode for tracking vocals


6)Distressor on vocals- still not crazy about it. Only really works for me with the input cranked almost to the top and output brought down.

7)Summit DCL-200-boring and lame. Would never let it touch a vocal.

8)Demaria limiter-not much headroom, vocals have to barely touch it for its to do its thing the best.

[Screws]

Hey thrill,

Have you ever had an opportunity to compare the CL1b and the two channel CL2a? Close, same animal or different from one another?

[thethrillfactor]

Originally Posted by Screws

Hey thrill,

Have you ever had an opportunity to compare the CL1b and the two channel CL2a? Close, same animal or different from one another?

Not at the same time.

I know the CL2a is supposed to be 2 CL1B's in a rack but the sound is not close.

Its not bad but not a CL1B.

[superburtm]

Hey Thrill at what point did Dave Hill bail? If my TLA 100 is over 10yrs. old is that post Dave Hill?

[WildCowboys]

Originally Posted by superburtm

Hey Thrill at what point did Dave Hill bail? If my TLA 100 is over 10yrs. old is that post Dave Hill?

bringing this back up....how do we know a tla-100 is an old one? I am about to buy one....but this scares me a bit.....
enlighten me!!!

thanks & rock on!
Pat

[SteamVent]

Dave Hill left Summit and started CRANE SONG.
You could call CraneSong and ask what year Dave started the Co. and then call Summit to see if they know what year your serial # was manufactured.

If that doesn't get you there, post a pic of the inside.
I know the guts of the Dave Hill era TLA-100

[WildCowboys]

thanks! I asked the seller how old the unit is, it is no more than 5 years old. Dave Hill left Summit 1994, so no chance it is an old one. ;-(
How drastic are the changes in the new ones? Construction and tone-wise....would be interesting. I guess SUmmit would say they sound the same...they always say that, don´t they?

Rock on!
Pat

[futur2]

Originally Posted by WildCowboys

thanks! I asked the seller how old the unit is, it is no more than 5 years old. Dave Hill left Summit 1994, so no chance it is an old one. ;-(
How drastic are the changes in the new ones? Construction and tone-wise....would be interesting. I guess SUmmit would say they sound the same...they always say that, don´t they?

Rock on!
Pat

bump

[Iain Hutch]

FWIW I demo-d the TLA-100, alongside the Tube Tech CL1b and I have no knowledge of new vs old TLA, but all I know is that in my studio, on my stuff there was no competition, the CL1b had so much 'more' to it while the summit was a bit lifeless... it just didn't make me smile, where the CL1b had me grinning pretty quick after I plugged it in and started playing with it... I would strongly suggest checking it out before buying a TLA 100... obviously YMMV!

Iain

[futur2]

Originally Posted by Iain Hutch

FWIW I demo-d the TLA-100, alongside the Tube Tech CL1b and I have no knowledge of new vs old TLA, but all I know is that in my studio, on my stuff there was no competition, the CL1b had so much 'more' to it while the summit was a bit lifeless... it just didn't make me smile, where the CL1b had me grinning pretty quick after I plugged it in and started playing with it... I would strongly suggest checking it out before buying a TLA 100... obviously YMMV!

Iain

that's what you hear often here and then the old you get what you pay for comes into mind. but there are also a lot of people who really like the summit. maybe they just didn't do the direct comparison?