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Transformer design and use is an art, and there are always trade-offs. How-
ever, it has been widely known that a good audio transformer circuit can do
wonderful things to an audio signal. This was the goal of the Tranny circuit.
The hardware designers tried to emulate the desirable characteristics of the
good old input/output transformers in a consistent musical way, and in a se-
lectable fashion. The addition of harmonics and peak saturation along with
frequency and phase changes on the low frequencies occurs. They found that
they could capture the low frequency effects of large and now expensive
older output transformers in a weird, internally buffered switchable design.
To sum up the musical results of the Tranny circuit, there will be a little more
edge in the midrange, and the super low frequencies will have been harmon-
ically altered in a way that allows them to sound louder, even though the
peaks are less than the original. Playback on small speakers will show an im-
proved audibility of low end from the result of the psycho-acoustically-pleas-
ing distortion the Tranny adds.
Compression
Classic Knee Compression, Empirical Labs Style
Processor
These are your typical automatic leveling devices that you find used on just
about every instrument and vocal track, as well as on the overall buss. Only
it's Empirical Labs compression – smooth and sweet, but in your face!
There are essentially four discrete compressors in the FATSO: Buss, General
Purpose (G.P.), Tracking, and Spank. Switching modes simultaneously sets
the compressor threshold, ratio, attack, and decay. This was done to provide
an easy-to-set, yet versatile group of curves. The release curve of all types is
logarithmic, meaning it lets off quickly at first and then slows. This release
curve is a big part of the FATSO's compressor sound.
Note:
Buss
Buss mode (green LED) is a very gentle 2:1 type ratio with slow attack, fast re-
lease, and very soft knee. One to four dB of gain reduction is typical for this
compressor type. Five or more dB of Buss compression is hitting it hard!
G.P.
General Purpose mode (yellow LED) is medium attack slow release type that
sounds pretty invisible while able to maintain a consistent RMS level. The slow
release will not pull things into your face unnaturally.
UAD Powered Plug-Ins Manual
Threshold, attack, and decay values can be modified in the FATSO Sr.
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Chapter 18: Empirical Labs EL7 FATSO
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