The Class A is always on..........

Same for me, I haven't found a reason to switch it off yet.

And while I'm here, in the last couple of days I've just 'got' feedback mode, having used FF pretty much exclusively since getting the P3S ME. This is something Twerk picked up on way back in this sizeable thread, and I have to agree: for me it really works with small amounts of gain reduction doing a nice levelling/old school thing. That with the Class A colour is a combination I think I'll be coming back to in the future.

OT (in case he's reading this): Jules, very good to meet and chat at the MPS yesterday, please keep doing what you're doing with GS.

Greetings all. So after about two months of researching and soul searching I settled on the Foote Control Systems newest model of compressor, the "P3S Class A Precision Bus compressor". After chit chatting with Roger, at the right time mind you, he mentioned that he was just finishing up the first production unit in a new line of comps. It's identical to the Class A Mastering comp but has additional ratio's which will give it a little more flexibility on the mix buss.

It should be arriving this coming Tuesday 1/7 and I have an 8 song project I'm ready to run through it followed by a different project which I will be using the FCS strictly for mastering duties. Will post before and after samples when I am finished.

Thought I'd share the good news regarding the new line of FCS compressors.

- Regards,
David
https://soundcloud.com/dwpsounds
@DWPSounds

Seems like you've made a very nice piece of kit Roger. I'd love to try one out if there's anywhere I can audition one in the UK

I am also very interested in the P3S ME. The only place in the EU that seems to distribute FCS is Magic Mastering in France and the website leaves a lot to be desired. I think one of the photos used for the P3S ME is an API2500 for a start.

Anyway, the price is very good for this comp and users seems to love it and find it very flexible,

Definitely interested to see the modifications used on the latest run. More ratios are always welcome!

Cheers

Conundra

You certainly looked bad, this is the FCS!

2R

Hello Conundra

I'm sorry that you don't like the website. The fact is that it is optimized in french and not well allways updated in english except of course for the P3S ME pages in which we put a lot of attention.
Btw, you should be more careful, yes those are P3S ME pictures. If you look more in this long thread you will see that our service is top class. All our customers are satisfied by the service. We have sold many P3S ME in UK.
Please note that from now, there is a new color scheme
For P3SME CLASS A board: faceplate are red
For P3S ME: faceplate are black
Don't hesitate to get in touch with me

Hi there Frédéric

Please don't get me wrong, It's not that I don't like the website, just that some of the content would benefit from some edits! Text not split into paragraphs and as I said wrong photos (see link below).

I think it's great that someone is selling such a nice range of gear this close to home so don't take it too harshly!

foote, p3S, P3S ME, mastering, compressor, VCA, API 2500

I will definitely be in touch when I have accumulated more funds. I just got a Hilo so a few more mastering jobs needed before I can satisfy more gear lust. I have my sights set on a Dangerous BAX and the P3S ME!

Cheers

Conundra

Yeah, it looks as if you have mixed up some of the FCS gear with your API section on the English part of your site. If you click on the UK icon at the top right hand side and then select API under "Brands" you will see what I mean. It seems fine on the French one though.

Maybe you should check it out and correct that.

Cheers

Conundra

Thank you very much Conundra. It's not the P3S ME page which is wrong but the APi 2500 one. I'm correcting all these mistakes. I'm so sorry

Regards

Hi again

Phew, I thought it was just me for a minute until I double checked!

All the best

Conundra

I cannot speak for all, but I can confirm personally (happy P3S ME class A unit owner for almost a year). Great service and responsiveness.

Art

Not bought anything from Magic Mastering, but have had a few very nice and friendly email exchanges with Frederic, and wouldn't hesitate to order something. I am about to move from Milan to Paris, so will undoubtedly be ordering something from him soon!

Hello Gregg

Thank you! Wellcome to France!!!

I'm wondering if I should sell my varimu for one of these?

My answer would be no, do not sell your Vari-Mu. I have both units and they sound completely different and are equally as useful when needed. my $0.02.

I've ordered a FCS PS3 ME Class A today from my dealer in Denmark, Cyber Farm.

Any last minute tips or mods before the order is processed? I believe the PS3 ME Class A has a red frontplate by default now (June 2014)?

I think it's going to complement my Crane Song STC-8/M and set of Dave Hill Designs Titans compressors well. Sold my SSL XLogic G Series compressor.

Used the P3S all day yesterday and I never 'heard' it. Cannot see it ever leaving the rack

I think the default faceplate is black now. I have a red one. Both look pretty cool. It's such a versatile compressor; I'm sure you'll love it.

Thanks, I read that black was the default for the ME while red was the default for the ME Class A version, though.

In any case black always looks cool, but red could be fun... hm, what do you other red frontplate owners feel?

I'm looking very much forward to it, and I already know it's going to come in handy.

Really enjoying the Dave Hill Titans as well, but that's another story.

Ah, I could be wrong about that; I just thought I remembered black being the default for all models now.

Mine looks like this, which I do like a lot:



I really dig the colour coded buttons on the newer units, though. Very occasionally I'll press F/B instead of RMS, or similar, by accident, and the coloured buttons would mitigate aginst that a lot.

You guys didn't get the memo?

Red IS the new Black

The only ones that have red panels are the P3S ME Class A and the P3S Class A Precision Bus. Standard (non Class A) models are all black.

But, I will happily provide black panel P3S ME Class A or Precision Bus if desired at no extra cost.

At some point we may go to black only...

@ Hippocratic Mastering

We are using a different switch now that has the "bullet" caps that you see on API stuff. Those caps are in grey, white and black.


In this picture, the grey looks like white but in real life they look distinctly different.
Here the timing buttons are grey and the bypass is white

Anyway, this is the current red version. Black uses the same pushbuttons as pictured here.

Best regards,
Roger

This is still used on almost every master I do. One of the best things I've ever bought. Buy it!!

I keep toying with the Idea of getting a Knif Pure Mu to go with my Soma
but the bottom line is I use the Foote everyday as my only mastering compressor
with great results. The Red looks great in the rack BTW.

Thanks for the info guys

I will order it in Red. I like the contrast it brings.

Roger, can you get the push buttons in stronger colors (i.e. different colors like blue, yellow, etc.)? Just to avoid confusion since they're so tightly spaced and without LEDs (except for the bypass).

An member of my own forum said something along the lines of "you'll have to pry it from my cold, dead hands", so it's pretty much the consensus.

Hi Holger,

The colors we have available for that switch are gray, white and black.
You would think they would do some others, wouldn't you?

Especially considering that they are the same company that does a bunch of other switch caps that DO have other colors of the same injection molding material...

I will say again that the white and grey look very different in person than they do in the picture I posted

Best
Roger

Thanks, it's no biggie though!

I'm looking at the HPF mod... only thing is I don't have enough room for an additional 1RU switch box. Alternatively, could the internal HPF freq be changed on the main board as a custom order?

6 dB/Oct slope @ 80 Hz does sound like a good compromise, though.

i'm always feeding the footes (and my other compressors, if available) sidechain input from my DAW. you save rack space & its much more flexible, since you can filter the sidechain & therefore manipulate the compression behaviour perfectly to your needs. you just need to make sure, that the timing of the audio signal is the same as the sidechain-signal. i'm simply using the different outputs of the same converter to achieve that.

Hi Holger,

The internal filter is 6 dB/Oct slope @ 75 Hz stock, so no mods or external switch needed if that frequency works for you.


I can also provide the bare switch for people who want to put the external HPF in a panel of their own. Otherwise it comes mounted on a 1ru panel.

Best
Roger

Thanks Karumba!

This works well since the current builds have the HPF connectors configured as inserts. Output drive at the send connection is good for 10K nominal loads.
Just do not drive anything below 5K with the insert send and it will be fine.

Best
Roger