Hey there,
Just wondering if anyone had any experience with this processor. I know it's a fairly rare unit from the early 1980's. I've got the opportunity to pick one up for about $350.
Thanks for your thoughts.
Jed
Comments
Hey Moonbaby, Thanks so much for the info. In the end I was ab
Hey Moonbaby,
Thanks so much for the info. In the end I was able to pick it up for $250. I agree with you - the sound is hot. I particularly dig the gates on snare and kick. I don't know why, but plugin gates never sound right, at least to me. Glad to have an alternative!
Thanks again.
Jed
Glad you got a deal! The gate IS great, eh, mate? Sorry... They
Glad you got a deal! The gate IS great, eh, mate? Sorry...
They are much more "subtle" than the other "heavy-handed" (i.e., on/off) types on the market these days.
And if you want something decent for a solo instrument (guitar, voice,etc) try to find either a Valley 401(I think that's the #), which was also called the Front End One. It's voice processor originally designed for broadcasting, but it works great in all types of recording applications.
Nice downward expander,compressor, de-esser, and detailed EQ. Very cool.
The Dynamite is a real gem. I currently have just one, have owne
The Dynamite is a real gem. I currently have just one, have owned several in the past. It may LOOK like your typical comp/limiter/gate, but it sounds much better than the typical dbx-type boxes on the market these days. Part of the reason is that it uses a "feed-forward" type of detection circuit, as opposed to "rms" detection. Also, I believe that the VCA is their own design, but I'm not 100% sure of that. You might also look into their voice processor, which used to be called, "The Air Force One". Have one of those, too.
OK, now for the "bad news"...are you using it for live work? Great. Are you using it for recording? Well, mine isn't the quietest of boxes for that.
But your applications may be different from mine. Lately, I've gravitated towards more acoustic material, and the Valley, while it isn't noisey, per se, is not as quiet or transparent as, say, a Safesound P1 or an FMR RNC.
You might contact Galaxy Audio. They support ALL of the Valley gear and might be able to suggest an opamp upgrade that will help that. I keep meaning to do that, but at 50, I keep forgetting to do that!
Also, the price...$350.00...seems a bit steep. I bought all of mine for less than $300.00. But the market will dictate the $$ in the long-run, and this little "sleeper" is a real joy...especially the "downward expander" application of the gate section...ENJOY!!!!