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Buzz Audio SOC 1.1

Buzz Audio SOC 1.1 The use of Light Dependent Resistors (LDR) as the control element of an audio compressor was pioneered in the 1960's and we are all aware of the value placed on those famous vintage "LA" units. The Buzz Audio SOC-1.1 was designed not to copy, but to take that signature and improve on it by offering the user more control. With 4 ratio settings, 3 attack options and 6 release times, the SOC-1.1 puts you in command of the dynamics rather than dealing with set parameters.

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€1,608.33 VAT Excluded

€1,608.33 VAT included
Last items in stock
Condition
New
Reference:
SOC11
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Description

The design of the SOC-1.1 back in 1993 lead to the development of our Differential Drive Side Chain circuit which is unique to Buzz Audio and is used in all our optical compressors. This circuit processes the negative and positive portions of the audio wave from separately (attack and release parameters) and along with the "soft knee" characteristic creates a very smooth coherent compression action. The SOC-1.1 is perfect for recording vocals, acoustic instruments and is really cool on bass guitar. On the mix buss the SOC will provide instant glue and will never dig holes in your tracks.

One of the short comings of the LDR is it can be sluggish to respond to changes in light and therefore the response time of an optical compressor can be quite slow. However, our side chain design incorporates a clever little circuit to speed up the attack time to less than 1mS in fast mode and the use of small LDR elements results in a much faster release when required. All this makes the SOC-1.1 a lot more versatile (and cheaper!) than vintage compressors with fixed attack and slow release timings.

Controls
• Drive - turning it clock wise increases compression, which is way more sensible than counter clock wise!
• Output dB - variable pot that adds up to 15dB gain at the output to correct for lost level.
• Attack - toggle switch with FAST (1mS) or SLOW (50mS) selection and an  excellent AUTO mode.
• Ratio - rotary switch with 4 settings for depth of compression, 2:1, 5:1, 10:1, 20:1.
• Release - rotary switch selects recovery time of 100mS, 200mS, 400mS, 800mS, 1600mS and a superb AUTO mode.
• Meter - monitor input or output level or amount of compression on the VU meter.
• Bypass - hard wire unit bypass to compare compressed and uncompressed signals.

There is also a handy power On/Off switch and a channel A/B Link switch which soft links the sidechain circuit which is useful when the SOC-1.1 is used on stereo mixes.

Specifications
• Max Input/Output Level: +23.5dBu (measured with 2k ohm load and 0dB output gain makeup)
• Frequency Response: 4Hz to 250kHz (-3dB points with no gain reduction)|
• Slew Rate 20V/uS
• Harmonic Distortion: less than 0.008% (measured 100Hz to 10kHz with no gain reduction)
• Harmonic Distortion: less than 0.03% (measured 100Hz to 10kHz with 20dB gain reduction, Atk-AUTO, Rel-16)
• Residual Output Noise: typically -90dBu, -100dBu A wtg (0dB output gain makeup, 150R source impedance)
• Channel to Channel Crosstalk: below noise
• Standard Operating Level: +4dBu = 0 VU meter display
• Size: 2 Unit 19" rack mount, (482Wx88Hx250D)
• Power requirements: 230V/115V selectable on rear, IEC detachable power cable

Specifications are typical of a production unit and are subject to change without notice.
0dBu reference = 0.775 volts RMS.

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Product Details
SOC11

Data sheet

Condition
New
Type
Optical Compressor
Application
Tracking, Mixing & Mastering
Channels
Dual Mono
Circuit
Solid State
Inout transformer(s)
None
Output transformer(s)
None
Format
19"
Chassis
2 U
Quantity
1
Reviews(1)
Overall rating
5
1 Review
Quality
(5)
Ease of use
(5)
Quality/price ratio
(5)
The Buzz Audio SOC1.1 stereo optical compressor was reviewed in SOS May 2002, and I recall being impressed with its performance. The latest offering is a dual-channel microphone preamp using fully differential, discrete solid-state Class-A circuitry — the stuff of sonic legends. The MA 2.2 is a fairly conventional 1U rackmounting box, although it extends over 300mm deep and weighs enough to warrant rear support in a rack. The rear panel carries an XLR mic input and two outputs for each channel. One output is on a TRS quarter-inch socket, and the other on an XLR, but both are unbalanced as standard. The designer argues that this arrangement avoids an extra amplifier stage and maintains the shortest possible signal path. In most situations this works perfectly well — indeed my reference GML mic preamps have unbalanced outputs for the same reasons, and I've never had a problem, even when driving long output cables. Nevertheless, should a balanced output be required, it is possible to install line output transformers to balance the XLR output — the Lundahl 1517 transformer is specified and can be retrofitted by the user (if able to solder). Under normal conditions, signal and chassis grounds are linked, but an earth-lift switch on the rear panel can be used to separate them with a 10 ohm resistor to prevent ground loops. The mains inlet is the ubiquitous IEC with an integral fuse, and there is a voltage selector for 110V and 220V working. In Control The front panel is simplicity itself, with a classic look and feel. The controls are recessed, and comprise one red LED, five toggle switches, and a large rotary gain control, the whole set being repeated for the second channel. The first pair of switches activate a polarity reversal and a 20dB pad, and both introduce alarming splats on the output when operated. An overload LED is set to illuminate at +18dBu (6dB below the unit's maximum output level), but can be realigned to other thresholds if required. The large Gain control spans a range of 16-64dB and, although continuously variable, is detented to feel a like a rotary switch. On the opposite side of the gain control are three more toggle switches: Mute, Phantom, and an input impedance selector. The first two are self explanatory, and the last offers a choice of either a relatively high 3k ohm impedance, or a more conventional 1.2k ohm. The unit can also be specified with a 600 ohm (or virtually any other) input impedance option, more suited to vintage ribbon microphones, if required. At the extreme right-hand side of the unit is another toggle switch, this time to power the unit on and off, complete with blue LED. In addition to the output transformer and very low-impedance input impedance options, the unit can also be specified to have a higher maximum gain, or an electronically balanced output stage as an alternative to the transformer option. Internally, the unit is built to the best professional standards, using very high-grade components mounted on three PCBs, one for each channel and a third for the PSU. Daughter cards on the two audio boards carry discrete amplifier stages (two for the input side and one to drive the output) and local power regulation circuitry. The power transformer is mounted at the rear of the chassis behind the PSU circuit board, and steel dividers run the depth of the case between the boards. This not only increases the mechanical strength of the unit, but also minimises stray magnetic and electrical interference — internally, between the cards, and externally. The specifications quote impressive levels of distortion (better than 0.005 percent at 1kHz), common mode rejection (70dB), and bandwidth (20Hz-250kHz at 64dB gain). However, the noise performance seems poor at -74dB (no reference level, but A-weighted and with a shorted input), and the EIN figure is unusually high at -133.5dB (again, no reference and A-weighted, but with a 150(omega) source). Using the MA-2.2 So much for the figures, the important question is: what does the MA 2.2 sound like? Fast is the word that first springs to mind — this is a very dynamic, detailed preamp, with a clean, neutral, and open character. It compared very well against my reference GML8304, especially at the bottom end, which is where most budget mic preamps fall down. The upper end seemed slightly smoother and a tad more extended on the GML (but there was very little in it), and the Buzz seemed to sound a little 'bigger' overall. The MA 2.2 is very quiet (despite the disconcerting specs) and seemed to cope with everything I threw at it very well. Close-miked vocals, acoustic guitar (including the challenging twelve-string test), and percussion were all captured very cleanly, with superb precision and detail, and the preamp gave them all a very slightly 'larger than life' quality. Using it to handle a simple stereo pair of Sennheiser MKH40 cardioids covering a chamber orchestra and small choir, I found it was capable of processing very complex signals accurately without adding any unwanted character of its own. The gain matching between channels also seemed exact. The gain range is more than adequate for any musical application, and the fine resolution between the detents allows precise stereo matching. It is wise to select the mute option before changing the polarity, pad or phantom switches, but the rest of the facilities are pretty much standard fare. However, the switchable input impedance offers the ability to change the character of some microphones in a subtle and often interesting way. I wouldn't like to say which setting is right for any particular mic, and not all seem to show a character change anyway, but it is a fun feature which adds the possibility of a little extra creativity and individuality. As it employs Class-A circuitry, the MA 2.2 tends to run fairly warm, so it would be a sensible precaution to ensure a good flow of air through the unit. Overall, this is a well-thought-out, high-performance product, which provides a very attractive alternative to the almost identically priced Focusrite Red 8 in the UK. It could also be short-listed with a number of other high-end units, including the more expensive GML8302, and the cheaper DACS Micamp and Amek DMA. If 'clean and detailed' is your thing, as opposed to 'thermionic warmth', check out this Buzz unit at your earliest opportunity.
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