Ultimate PRO VLA II COMPARISON (Stock v. Carnhill Mod v. Cinemag Mod) "PART 4 The END"
Vložit
- čas přidán 25. 08. 2024
- In parts 1-3 we listened to a variety of sources pushed through 3 different versions of this bang-for-buck-legend... In part 4, I briefly talk my experiences/thoughts on each.
LINKS:
Part 1 • Ultimate ART PRO VLA I...
Part 2 • Ultimate Pro VLA Compa...
Part 3 • ULTIMATE PRO VLA II CO...
I have no affiliation with ART, REVIVE AUDIO or anybody else. I bought and paid for these with my own money.
Art Pro Audio artproaudio.co...
Revive Audio www.reviveaudi...
Hope you got something out of this.
Thanks for the support,
MARTY
Amen brother, I use the Pro Vla II as two separate opto style compressors. The right side is connect with a 1073 style preamp that goes into the 1176 style compressor and into the pro vla which set to slow, just like a la2a compressor and I was shocked of how gentle the combination sounds! Great video!
Thanks!! Thanks for watching and the awesome comment! -Marty
This channel and your comparison videos are highly underrated. You just made my mod order 20x easier. Subbed!
Wow, awesome to hear! Thanks so much for the kind support!
My experience has been 100% awesome with the modded stuff. I'm always looking for used modded stuff for sale because that's an even better deal... but have zero regrets about paying full price for a unit to be modded. Still worth it.
Thanks again for watching and the compliment, I'm trying to make stuff I'D be interested in, I hate self-promotion, so just have been doing what is fun and interesting to me.. hoping it's interesting to other people! So cool to hear back from somebody that dug it! THANK YOU.
Happy New Year!
-Marty
This probably one of the best reviews.
Ok, these are what I ended up ordering. Work fine. Decided that they were too big for the attack/release knobs though. The ones that came on the other Revive modded one are slightly smaller circumference. If I could find those Id have gotten them instead. GOOD LUCK and thanks for watching the vid!-Marty
www.amazon.com/dp/B01F6XUMR6?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share&th=1
Thanks for the comparison! I don't actually think it's important to use physical knobs over plugin, and actually kind of prefer digital because I can type in the value I want instead of trying to bump a knob to just the right spot. I learned everything in the box before ever buying hardware. BUT the "imperfections" of analog circuitry do things for audio that are pleasing in a way digital can never touch. These are great compressors with lots of opportunities for mods and customization, and are the perfect unit to plug keyboards into! ✌️
Thanks for watching and commenting!
I find it's significantly easier to set compressors with my eyes closed when it's a knob and not a mouse involved! Haha.
It's the sweeping of the knob without looking at it, that FORCES the brain/ears to hear a range, and so many times what ends up being the best sounding is NOWHERE near where I thought I would/should set it... Basically, I find the mouse and entering numbers is the last thing to foster listening in my own world. But to each their own, for sure! Thanks for watching and commenting! -MARTY
I got a stock VLA along with a Warm Audio WA12 with the intent of improving my vocals. Plugged both in and instantly got crackling popping and buzzing. After further isolating I determined the issue was the VLA. Checked all connections and changed cables but it still buzzed constantly. After I shipped it back I saw a few vids regarding electrical interference and recommending a conditioner. Unfortunately I forgot to check my room lighting as a possibility prior to returning it. But I really like the stereo option so I ordered another one to give it a 2nd chance...fingers crossed.
I can't tell you how many times I've been convinced a piece of gear was broken... only to discover it was something like a cable or power supply, or whatever! LOL..
However, I also have lost count of how many times I've been convinced a cable or power supply HAD to be the issue... and it ended up being the piece of gear! You can't when when you start plugging in a bunch of analog stuff. You've just got to accept that once in a while the "real" stuff will give you problems that that plug ins don't. But, I also have lots of OLD gear that is fixable and going to run after I'm gone... and old computers full of obsolete plug ins/etc... so.... 6 of one.... etc... etc....
Good luck hope your new VLA worked out. If not, there are tons of other similarly priced comps out there that are awesome! If my VLA's didn't have the nice transformers in them, I probably wouldn't have VLA's in my rack at this point!
-Marty
@@SHUTUPANDRECORD Well...since you mentioned it, the second VLA also did not work. Tried two...returned two. Speaking of turning your life upside down in a panic...I was considering rewiring my house over this! I say considering, but after I got the Warm Audio units to work I good to go. Think I'll shut up and Record now!
I feel like I understand exactly based on your careful word selection and detailed description of the tone differences. You used terms to describe them that I hear no one else using while avoiding most overused buzzwords ppl lazily throw around, and I appreciate that. 😅
THANKS SO MUCH! I appreciate the views and the comment and it's nice to know somebody else out there knows wtf Im trying to say!! -Marty
Have you encountered output imballance in any of your units?
No, Not when fed the same source. I can check and see if I can find an imbalance the next time I'm using them... I'll report back.Thanks for watching and the question!-Marty
I think the only transformer in the PRO VLII is the power supply transformer. Which is nowhere even near the signal path. Im not sure why anyone would switch out the power transformer....?
Lol..
You have the entire internet at your fingertips to KNOW if what you "think" is correct or not. Check back in when you find out for sure?
Thanks for watching and commenting!
-Marty
I put mine through plugin doctor and even when linked in stereo, the left channel compressed different amounts than the right channel. Not very happy with this unit.
Yeah, I've never had problems like that, but I also have not done a deep dive test of them either.
My philosophy on that sort of stuff, when it comes to budget gear, is that super precise matching is one of those things that you are paying for with more expensive gear. I figure if it's bad enough to keep me from using the gear for it's intended purpose, I'll move it along... or just alter my expectations/use of the thing.
Can totally say it would be a bummer if I could not use the piece to get a usable stereo process out of it... but, If I couldn't make that happen, I would chalk it up to the specific unit... not the design of the circuit or normal build quality. That's just my experience over about 20 years of messing with VLA's.
THANKS for watching and commenting! Much appreciated. I do think I'll do an episode where I precisely test all three units I have against each other, and just see what sort of results I get.
Nerdy but exactly the kind of stuff I enjoy doing! haha. -Marty
There are trim pots near the tubes that allow you to adjust the output (tube) gain stage. Maybe you're just getting different L/R output levels? That said, even with output levels balanced, I am also getting different compression behavior on L/R channels, and I believe it is because one channel has a significant offset bias (the waveform is asymmetrical). This causes the optical compressor to see signals as louder than they really are, and thus compress them more. Of course, one way to compensate for this is to reduce the input signal of the channel with more gain reduction, and then apply a DC offset filter to the output, but that's bootleg. I am going to try replacing the TL072 op amps on the in/out circuit board, because google tells me op amps all have some amount of DC bias. Like Marty said, when you pay more, they probably QC and match components more closely. I'm pretty sure op amps get replaced in the Revive mod, so a modded unit shouldn't have this issue if Revive QCs their work properly
It has gain trim inside for both channels so you can match them
Thank you everyone. Yes I sold it and got a Drawmer 1973 instead.
Any chance we can get a link to the knobs?
These are what I ended up ordering. Work fine. Decided that they were too big for the attack/release knobs though. The ones that came on the other Revive modded one are slightly smaller circumference. If I could find those Id have gotten them instead. GOOD LUCK and thanks for watching the vid!-Marty
www.amazon.com/dp/B01F6XUMR6?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share&th=1