E. H. NY2A please give me the low down.

Coco · Post by **Coco** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 2:10 pm

I have read every post in this forum, Tape Op archives, Gearsluts, PSW ect on the NY2A. Lots of love and hate towards this thing. I am looking for an optical comp and am unable to try things out where I live so anything I order I had better love. I have been looking at the NY2A, 2ch ADL LA2A ish kind of thing and a Pendulum OCL-2. The NY2A is definitely the cheaper way to go for me at around $2700 Canadian, the Pendulum is closer to $3200 Canadian and I can't remember the price of the ADL unit. Although not optical, I have been loking at the Drawmer 1968 as well. Currently I have only a 2-1176 and a Distressor for compressors. Anyway, if anyone has comments on the NY2A and the other units I have mentioned please help me out with some info of why you either love, hate or have opinions on the comps I have listed. Thanks to all who reply.

Quest Poetics · Post by **Quest Poetics** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 2:21 pm

Do a user search for Joel Hamilton...He runs Studio G in Brooklyn and he uses the NY2a and has done some reviews of the unit....Hope that helps...

Peace

joel hamilton · Post by **joel hamilton** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 2:24 pm

I think i have talked myself blue in the face about how good this compressor is. I have come up against people who havent tried the thing for more than two seconds, and decided they hate the fact that the threshold changes with the light source, and a few other quirks as far as gain structure and general operation. I frikkin LOVE the NY2A. When it works, it works like nothing else works on a given source. You can do SOOOOO much with the NY2A. Because it does not "act" like any other compressor known to man when you are getting it set for some source, it has freaked people out. the fact that you can change the opto, and therefore change the response altogether freaks people out: again, I love that.

If you want to actually learn how to use it, it will pay you back with great sounding action taken on any given source.

I think the more I use it, the more I find settings I LOVE. Ask Heylow about what it did to a mono overhead on a few of the songs on his record. Totally amazing on the ELOP setting, with "smash" engaged. "smash" in the EL mode, makes the EL MORE sensitive to HF information, so it kind of ducked the cymbals and brought out the toms like CRAZY.

I have like a zillion compressor choices in my mix room, and in that case, the NY2A was the ONLY thing in the room that really flattered the drums.

I have used it with great success on : drums, vocals, horns, piano, wurli, rhodes, looped drums, tuba, strings... strings are AMAZING through this thing with the LED setting.... Also accordion, flute, completely killed room mic, front kick mic, drum buss, guitar buss, .... so many things. Even the snare sounds really good when a more ringo/floppy splat sound is appropriate....

The NY2A does a LOT of things that other stuff I have does, but differently. Sometimes better for a given source than a GATES sta level or 6144, sometimes worse. Sometimes awesome on something that the 1176 wasnt cool for, sometims more grinding than the distressor, sometimes lame... just like any great compressor.

Coco · Post by **Coco** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 3:03 pm

Thanks Joel. I have read your reviews of the thing, but like I said, it's not like I can just try one out. If I order it I am committed. I obviously assumed that once you change the optical settings one would have to adjust the thereshold ect. Don't know why people would bitch about that. I am a bit of a novice with compression so if I have to work to achieve a sound, all the better to learn to actually hear what the box is doing.

joel hamilton · Post by **joel hamilton** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 4:03 pm

Coco wrote:Thanks Joel. I have read your reviews of the thing, but like I said, it's not like I can just try one out. If I order it I am committed. I obviously assumed that once you change the optical settings one would have to adjust the thereshold ect. Don't know why people would bitch about that. I am a bit of a novice with compression so if I have to work to achieve a sound, all the better to learn to actually hear what the box is doing.

Part of the reason I even bothered to try to get into doing reviews is because I wanted to help ANYONE that may not have the access I do. I get to try this stuff out, and I really try to spare people the agony of being totally bummed that they paid all this money, and nothing fun, or good, or loud, or whatever happens.

I wish that I had someone that had helped me and spared me buying some of the goofy crap I bought in the early 90's thinking it was a REALLY good idea. Someone that actually really does not care about the advertising claims, or the "current trends " in recording.

Conversely, something that seems like it will give years of good service, and make our lives easier, or more fun, or inspire creative use of the unit should be recognized as such.

IMO, the NY2A is one of those boxes that inspires an approach unique to the box. Much like something simpler like a STA level, where it inspires a set and forget type maneuver, because it sounds good no matter what the vocal does to it.

I go back to using my ears with the NY2A (as always) and then I go over to the thing and tweak around, and feel like I can get something really EXCITING to happen! Rather than just "compressing," the box actually inspires me to hunt for something cool, or it just works on whatever setting was left from the last mix and it is fun that way too.

I think you would be pleased to have this box in your arsenal, along with having a unique and very well made piece of gear in your rack.

BE SURE TO LEAVE AT LEAST 1U above and below this unit. It will MELT other gear. Believe me, I know....

This picture is ONE of the racks of compressors in the studio, there are three racks...
Notice there are two NY2A's, and they are really far apart...(thanks heylow for the picture)

luckybastard · Post by **luckybastard** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 4:17 pm

joel a pretty big rack you got there...

soundguy · Post by **soundguy** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 4:17 pm

coco-

havent used the eh thing.

the pendulum ocl-2 is the best tube optical limiter I have ever used in my life and its far far better than anything I could compare it to. Its really a deal if you asked me.

the ADL limiter I used to have was really horrible, the transformers in it were totally the wrong ratio and stepped the input up way to much, the unit basically needed a pad in order for it to work at line level. I have no clue if he's changed the design but if you are buying used, that would be one thing to look out for. I think if you wanted a la2a type of thing, youd be better off getting the UA thing compared to the ADL. Your money is definitley safer in the UA also.

dave

joel hamilton · Post by **joel hamilton** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 4:26 pm

luckybastard wrote:joel a pretty big rack you got there...

All the fellas tell me that...

luckybastard · Post by **luckybastard** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 4:40 pm

seriously though, what is that wood-paneled thingy third from the top on the left- i'm guessing a compressor... is that a diy job?

joel hamilton · Post by **joel hamilton** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 6:45 pm

luckybastard wrote:seriously though, what is that wood-paneled thingy third from the top on the left- i'm guessing a compressor... is that a diy job?

It is a DaviSound TB2 custom.
Compressor yes.

The picture on their website is that same one.

http://www.davisound.com/ToolBoxes.html

s00p3rm4n · Post by **s00p3rm4n** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 9:54 pm

I want your rack, Joel.

And that's not a fat joke.

Coco · Post by **Coco** » Fri Nov 04, 2005 6:54 am

Thanks for the info. I have read a lot on the ADL lately and there are not too many kind words about it. Fuzz box is what most have commented. So it is down to the Pendulum and the E.H. unit. Joel, looks like you don't have to heat your room in the winter, all those tube comps must make it nice and toasty in there.

joel hamilton · Post by **joel hamilton** » Fri Nov 04, 2005 7:10 am

If I personally was going to get something from pendulum, it would be the 6386.
If you want an LA2A type of sound, get an LA2A!

The NY2A will really do a lot more than any of the other options you mentioned, especially the ADL thingy.

I have used all the comps you mention, and of them, I own two NY2A's for whatever that is worth.

The pendulum may hold its value better, as dave said.

soundguy · Post by **soundguy** » Fri Nov 04, 2005 10:28 am

the 6386 thing from pendulum is discontinued. It uses a chip output stage anyhow. Sounds real good but has all the wierdness you get from a 6386 circuit.

The ocl-2 doesnt sound anything at all like an LA2a, it uses an ldr for the gain control element so its kind of a lot smoother. The ocl-2 is really kind of its own thing.

dave

joel hamilton · Post by **joel hamilton** » Fri Nov 04, 2005 11:22 am

soundguy wrote:the 6386 thing from pendulum is discontinued. It uses a chip output stage anyhow. Sounds real good but has all the wierdness you get from a 6386 circuit.

The ocl-2 doesnt sound anything at all like an LA2a, it uses an ldr for the gain control element so its kind of a lot smoother. The ocl-2 is really kind of its own thing.

dave

Dave stop stomping on my dreams!!!

Amazing that anyone would make a 6386 based comp and have an IC driven output stage!?!??? Whutt? Weird.

All tube Vari mu goodness!!!! (**** with IC's after it...) Whatever... That box sounds great to me (not saying you said it sounds poopy, but i am surprised to hear it has IC's in it..)

The NY2A is super simple inside.

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E. H. NY2A please give me the low down.

E. H. NY2A please give me the low down.

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