New Elysia Xpressor 500

[LunchBoxHero]

Wow, pretty impressive. What do you think folks... is this a game changer at this price point if it indeed sounds as great as indicated by the demo vids and audio clips (http://www.elysia.com/hardware/xpressor-500/introduction/)?

I am increasingly becoming a fan of having a mix control on all my dynamics modules.

LBH

[Denyle]

Wow.

[pan60]

being the old dog i am, i should have one in here soon: )~

[Wireline]

being the old dog i am, i should have one in here soon: )~

You should always try to get two...and send me one.

[pan60]

i am to broke: (~

[raf]

I am increasingly becoming a fan of having a mix control on all my dynamics modules.

LBH

This is really not such a good idea since you are having to run the straight and compressed signal through resistors to a pot and through yet another reistor, adding excessive impedance to the audio path. If it is an active solution, things get even worse since you then have 2 inversion stages along with all the added resistance.

This blend thing is a gimmick, not feature IMO.

Parallel compression is best done with an external mixer to preserve the integrity of the output devices in the compressor.

You can see this yourself by analyzing a unit without blend and comparing to analysis of the same circuit with blend at the same levels. Headroom and noise performance will suffer pretty dramatically. This will be especially evident in 500 format units because of physical and electrical limitations.

With that out of the way, if it sounds good, who cares??

Roger

[elysia]

This is really not such a good idea since you are having to run the straight and compressed signal through resistors to a pot and through yet another reistor, adding excessive impedance to the audio path. If it is an active solution, things get even worse since you then have 2 inversion stages along with all the added resistance.

Hi everyone,

Dominik from elysia here. Thanks a lot for your interest in the xpressor 500!

Concerning the mix feature, I generally agree to what Roger has said. But because he is correct, this has to be done in another way in order to not degrade the signal quality. The xpressor 500 mixes dry and processed signals not in the way described above, but with a fully discrete VCA - and this one really does sound great (meaning that you won't hear that it is there at all).

If you ask me, this way the gimmick becomes a real feature, making it possible to leave further cables and processing stages out of the signal path if you want to use parallel compression.

Have a great week!
Dominik

[pan60]

thanks for posting Dominik!
pan

[raf]

Dominik

Yes it can be done correctly, good that you have taken the time to do it right. Discrete VCA, eh? You have improved on David Blackmer's gain cell?

A little background about my initial comment:
In the DIY quarter, there is a growing fascination with "blend" controls added after the fact as cheaply as possible, cheaply being the operative term here.

This means cobbling in a pot and resistive mix parts to do the mixing...

Problem is, most if not all, output driver schemes like or require low impedance sources to operate up to spec.

rf

[raf]

I should have added....

That I was not speaking of the Elysia products. I was speaking of the clamor to add this "feature" to existing products and clones.
When you add this particular function to something already in existance, 99% of those additions are passive and therefore suspect. I have also seen daughterboards that add this function to certain units, and those stand a chance at doing it right.

rf

[pan60]

:D

now its time to get this in the rack and possibly chatting with Dominik.
pan

[LunchBoxHero]

I perhaps should have added that my only experience recenlty with a "blend" feature is on my Potion, which I presume was also done right because it sure sounds right :D

That unit alone has made me desire this feature in my future dynamics modules.

Previously I had heard it on some focusrite box (a modern one ISA 220 maybe??)) but the blend did not matter to me because I did not care much for the unit itself and it went back promptly.

[raf]

Wow, nice looking stuff! Is the Class A rail 32V? Or do you bump it down to 24?

LBH,
Nah, I wouldn't worry about that, my main thing was the tacked on variety.
Didn't come across right, sorry. Obviously not an issue with the Elysia.

Cool knobs too.

rf

[elysia]

Wow, nice looking stuff! Is the Class A rail 32V? Or do you bump it down to 24?

LBH,
Nah, I wouldn't worry about that, my main thing was the tacked on variety.
Didn't come across right, sorry. Obviously not an issue with the Elysia.

Cool knobs too.

rf

Don't worry, no offense taken at all ;-) On the contrary, I agree that if this is not done right it can degrade the audio quality easily indeed.
It took us quite a while to come up with a cool solution for this...

The class-A rail is 32V, by the way.

If you have further questions, please let me know. I'll try to step in from time to time.

All the best,
Dominik

[raf]

Dominik

Cool then...

I misunderstood what James was saying. I was thinking he meant he wanted to retrofit all his dynamics units. Wrong, sorry James!

Again, nice work Elysia! I would like to hear one of these. Beautiful metalworking too.

rf

[LunchBoxHero]

and raf i still want to hear the P3500, blend or no blend :D

[raf]

Thanks James!

Rock on!
rf

[Marc Alan Goodman]

I don't think I could work if someone took away the Mpressor at Strange Weather

But this looks like it may be a good thing to have around just in case it ever has to leave.

I'm dying to try out the Museq too. Just gotta wait till next year when hopefully I'll have some cash again. Maybe.

[elysia]

I just thought that maybe not everyone here is subscribed to our newsletter...

Just to let you know, we offer 10 % intro discount until August 15th including free shipping to your door, and we'll also pay the import taxes for you.

If this sounds interesting, please let me know (dominik@elysia.com) and I'll send you a coupon code for our online store.

I hope this kind of advertisement does not break the forum rules?

Please let me know,
Dominik

[LunchBoxHero]

I hope this kind of advertisement does not break the forum rules?


No problems here Dominik thanks for letting us know!

James

[pan60]

I just thought that maybe not everyone here is subscribed to our newsletter...

Just to let you know, we offer 10 % intro discount until August 15th including free shipping to your door, and we'll also pay the import taxes for you.

If this sounds interesting, please let me know (dominik@elysia.com) and I'll send you a coupon code for our online store.

I hope this kind of advertisement does not break the forum rules?

Please let me know,
Dominik

:eek:
thats a deal!

[Stephent28]

Dominik,
thanks for the intro discount and email with the codes.
Order went in today!