Custom Audio Electronics
Full-custom tone.
One-of-a-kind gear
From clones to truly bespoke designs, my clients include Grammy winners and bedroom producers alike. Tube or solid state, instrument or line level.
Consulting
I am available for consultation on modifications to existing gear or other electronics-related services like PCB layout.
Case Study 1
8 input, 4 bus Summing Box, “Bouncing Bettie”
I designed this to overcome a limitation of the SSL Matrix: the absence of track busses. I like to be able to combine sources on the way into the box, and this facilitates that via four summing busses. Each bus has an insert with three fixed send levels and a “blend” control on the return. Ideal for combining multiple guitar amp mics and top/bottom pairs on drums. Summing amp blocks are discrete API-style. Overbuilt external power supply. Designed to be expandable with an additional 8 inputs.
Case Study 2
Dual Stereo Loop Switcher/Mixer, “Blend-O-Matic”
This device was designed for a client who wanted something very specific: to be able to switch two stereo loops in and out of his master bus with a “blend” mix option on each loop with the option to operate both loops simultaneously in series or parallel. Carefully-calibrated input and output LED meters allow pre- and post-loop level matching. CMOS logic-driven relay switching.
Case Study 3
Vacuum Tube Microphone Preamplifier and DI, “Tubenstein”
Designed to be versatile and grungy, Tubenstein features include a pre-gain HPF, post-gain Baxandall high and low shelves.
Post-gain “drive” control for deliberate distortion, including triode/pentode “fader” to allow seamless transition between triode and pentode distortion types. A post-drive active, tube, second-order low-pass filter controls “fizz.”
600 Ω output attenuator and meter kill: extreme levels of gain can damage meter indicator needle; this feature protects it.
Case Study 4
JFET Compressor/Limiter, “LFC7”
Originally commissioned by F. Reid Shippen in an effort to replicate a very special Revision B 1176 in his possession. This particular unit sounded different from others, and analysis revealed a handful of component values that differ from other units. The LFC7 is carefully built using period-accurate components, but with several modern additions including a modern regulated power supply, modern stereo sidechain linking, two selectable gain staging options, active second order High- and Low-pass filters, a sidechain “mid scoop” option, and two bypass modes: traditional “sidechain disconnect” and relay true bypass. At left: Vance Powell with his.
