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DIYRE G Bus pre-orders

First batch planned for December 2022

DIY Recording Equipment build your own SSL G series bus compressor kit

DIYRE (DIY Recording Equipment) have announced that they are now taking pre-orders for their latest DIY kit, the G Bus VCA Compressor.

The kit will include all of the parts needed for users to build their own VCA compressor based on the famous bus compressor found in SSL’s G-series consoles. DIYRE say that they have referred to the original schematics to ensure that the G Bus offers an authentic sound, but have also made the most popular modifications available at the press of a button or turn of a knob.

The company state that users will be able to build the kit without any prior knowledge of electronics or how compressors work. The build is split up into functional circuit blocks, each of which will be detailed in a step-by-step guide, which will provide explanations of what each block does and how its key components work. There will also be a component sorting sheet supplied with the kit, along with an interactive build map on the DIYRE website.

Compressor & Mods

The G Bus features an authentic circuit based on the design from the original console equipped with the original attack, release, and ratio settings, as well as a true stereo side-chain that employs four THAT 2181C VCAs. 25dB of make-up gain is available, and both the threshold and make-up gain pots are continuously variable to allow for fine tuning of their settings.

A wide range of popular modifications are also included, but can be switched out to provide a completely authentic experience if desired. The compressor’s side-chain benefits from a summed-mono setting, as well as a high-pass filter to prevent the device from pumping when processing signals with a large amount of low-frequency content. Wet/dry mix controls have been included for easy access to parallel compression, and transformers can be engaged to introduce some subtle saturation to sources, which can also be used with the compressor itself bypassed.

Even more modifications are available under the hood, with users able to adjust almost any setting including threshold sensitivity, attack and release times, ratio, make-up gain, filter frequencies and drive amounts. It is also possible to configure the G Bus to operate as a feed-forward compressor, or to opt for using vintage DBX VCAs. A detailed breakdown of all of the modifications can be found on the Design Notes section of the G Bus page on the DIYRE website.

In terms of connectivity, line-level inputs are provided on a pair of XLR/TRS combo sockets, whilst the line-level outputs are present on individual pairs of XLR and TRS connectors. An external side-chain input is available on another XLR/TRS combo socket, and power is delivered via an external PSU which connects to the G Bus with a 5-pin XLR connector.

Pricing & Availability

The G-Bus VCA Compressor kit is available to pre-order now via the DIYRE website, with the first batch planned to ship in December 2022. The kit is priced at $850, and an option to purchase a preassembled unit will become available in 2023, priced at $1500.

https://www.diyrecordingequipment.com/products/g-bus-compressor-kit

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