Welcome to the Train-wrecked series!

An Artist Offering with Lawrence Trainor

A bold new take on some classic AudioScape offerings, the train-wrecked series with Lawrence Trainor, offers truly unique front panel aging and vintage patina, each front panel is a work of art. Given the nature and process in doing these, each piece we offer here will be extremely limited.

How this happened:

This idea was the brainchild of dr. Bill (aka Bill Pearson) of Louder than Liftoff fame. He has an affinity for relic’d equipment, be it guitars or vintage recording gear, and knew of the perfect artist for this project. Enter Lawrence Trainor: Lawrence is well known for his Steampunk offerings, unique concept art and even adaptations of typical furniture pieces like lamps etc

We will sprinkle these in with our regular Inventory Updates so be on the lookout and sign up for the email updates, each piece is a ‘one of a kind’ artist offering, so pictures are just for basic reference.

These will be extremely limited, good luck to all!

Regular product info below:

“THE” - FABLED OPTICAL TUBE COMPRESSOR - SONICALLY PERIOD-CORRECT & BUILT WITH INTEGRITY

These are custom, hand built with care, one unit at a time. This is not a mass produced unit; true to AudioScape form!

The Opto Comp is our painstaking, high quality take on a famous 60's Optical Tube Compressor known for it’s sonic elegance, extremely musical compression and buttery smooth, hefty “box-tone” just by running audio through it tubes and transformers.

A faithful reproduction (with smart tweaks) of a LEGENDARY COMPRESSOR. This circuit is legendary for good reason and great care was taken to recreate it in true, sonically period-correct vintage tradition.

Utilizing the finest NOS Tubes in the audio path, NOS Carbon Comp resistors for added authenticity and unrivaled box-tone, and our own handmade custom T4B Opto-Attenuator (made just as the craftsman of yesteryear did) that is the HEART of the OPTO COMP.

One important addition is the high frequency control (limiter response) which we added to the front plate; you won’t know how you lived without this control being on the front! This was a control on the back and set from the factory depending on what the application. This potentiometer was factory set for recording as “flat” side-chain response (clockwise). Increasing the resistance of this potentiometer by turning it counter clockwise will result in compression which is increasingly more sensitive to the higher frequencies. It filters out low frequencies to the T4B module so it compresses the lows less and changes the 'focus' of the compression. Very handy indeed to have up front as the demo video below points out! We also hand build our T4B’s here in the vintage tradition using the resistor across the panel true to the vintage schematics) as opposed to the newer JBL era T4B’s used as a model for other manufacturers.

TECH RANT (YOU’LL WANT TO READ THIS):

1/2 watt Carbon comp resistors are used like the original from the 60's. Cornell Dubilier, Panasonic and Nichicon Capacitors are used throughout. NOS vintage tubes in the audio path, Custom-Wound Cinemag transformers.

We also utilize a custom made circuit board designed for lowest noise specs possible. We make our own T4B Opto-Attenuators using the highest grade photocells and replica EL Panels. We have OG Vintage UREI, Kenetek and Drip T4's we use for comparison which use similar components (carefully matched Silonex NSL5910, Replica EL Panels, etc).

The Opto Comp is great for individual inserts or groups as well as mix buss when using a stereo pair!

We hand build these one at a time so get it while you can! If its listed, it's built and ready to ship!
We have built PTP versions with original A-10/A24 transformers and can notice no sonic difference between those and this build (aside from the better noise specs from using our carefully designed, custom circuit board)

P.S. - We have seen some other companies that use a 2U high case with 1/4 watt metal film resistors and internal wiring that looks like it was put together like a tonka toy. This saddens us very deeply. This is not a device to skimp on in those crucial areas. Great components are necessary when building these, yet there are companies that mod these 2U ”‘clones" and change the components out that should have been there to begin with and charge $1299. Some of these clones have things that shouldn't be there - opamps in the metering section, non-original power supply scheme and modify tubes in the side chain all to save cost, not too mention making circuitry fit in the 2U form factor. It's hard to expect detail and sonic accuracy when some major details are missing... (end tech rant)

WHY SHOULD YOU BUY A OPTO COMP?

- Proudly built in small-batches from end to end on site, in the USA by a small team of skilled assemblers. Each assembler is assigned 2 products, making them masters of their craft!
- KNOW where your hard-earned money is going and feel GOOD about ANY purchase made from us! Every dollar spent helps feed a family, fund college tuition and supports NEW product development / R & D!
- Our margins are very tight. BUT, this sacrifice allows us FULL control over EVERY aspect of the manufacturing and assembly process.
- We are able to capitalize on the USA surplus market and use NOS parts where it matters and most importantly, we are able to offer a product that is (in our biased opinions), simply a step above the competition. ;-)

AUDIOSCAPE offers a HASSLE-FREE, 2-YEAR WARRANTY included with EVERY unit we sell!
**FREE PATCHRAT PRO SUBSCRIPTION INCLUDED WITH EVERY PURCHASE!**

FEATURES & SPECS:

• Handcrafted in the USA

• Stylish 3U 19" Rackmount USA Made Case and Front Panel (aesthetically period-correct)

• Premium, NOS Tubes in Audio Section - New Production Tubes Don't Cut it in this Circuit

• AudioScape T4B Opto-Attenuator - Custom, Hand-Built and Sonically Period-Correct (true to vintage tradition).

• Exclusive, Custom-Wound Input Transformer (exacting replica of the original)

• Exclusive, Custom-Wound Output Transformer (exacting replica of the original)

• Cornell Dubilier (CDE) Polypropylene Capacitors

• Panasonic Radial Polyester Capacitors

• NOS Allen-Bradley Carbon Comp Resistors

• Carling (the BEST!) Toggle Switches

• +40dB Make-up Gain

• Analog dB Gain-Reduction Meter Perfectly Calibrated

• Davies Original-Styled Knobs

• Electronically Balanced +4dBu circuitry

• Neutrik XLR Input and Output connectors

• Alpha potentiometers and Rotary Switch

• Stereo Link via Cliff TRS Jack (Located on Back of Unit)

• Custom 120V/240V Power Transformer
  

  **specifications, parts & pricing subject to change because sh*t happens ;-)

What are people saying?

"The Opto compressor is insane! Love this thing. Chris is very approachable and willing to answer any questions you have. Highly recommend."

"Wow, amazing! BETTER lows than our vintage unit- but identical tone otherwise"

"Super super super, I would buy it again for sure. Thank you!"

"Great Product and Service. I couldn't be happier!"

"Already right at home in the rack. love it"

SEE IT IN ACTION!

Below is a video highlighting the sound of this lovely compressor. The main point of the video is to show the advantage of having the high frequency control on the front panel and the limit/compress switch function. I would recommend using headphones or critical monitors as a lot of the examples use subtle compression. It barely scratches the surface of what this compressor can do but should give a decent idea of functionality.

HEAR IT IN ACTION!

DOCUMENTATION:

• OPTO COMP QUICK-START

USER PHOTOS:

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