The Sherlock: A Level-Loc clone for $69

[AstroDan]

Yeah, are you going to make more? Looks as if these are going to go fast. Like racecar.

[cgarges]

why do I need a level-loc?

You don't need a Level Loc.

But you just might want one because nothing else does what it does and for $69 and a little soldering, you've got another color in your palette. It doesn't sound like an 1176 in brit mode, but it can be cool to just totally mess up a drum kit, much like an 1176, sort of in the same way that a Silvertone can make something really rock and so can a Les Paul.

They're cool boxes. I recommend checking out what they're about. But I don't recommend buying one if you have no idea what you're getting. A lot of people have this misconception that a Level Loc will get you huge, Bonham-esque drum sounds. That's not it at all. To paraphrase Tchad Blake, "It's a total fuck up. It's compression and distortion at the same time." If you want to hear a Level Loc in action, listen to the very end of the fadeout on Suzanne Vega's "Birthday" from "Nine Objects Of Desire." The sound of the drumkit that almost creates a backwards effect--that's a Level Loc. If you're interested, it's only $69 and you're buying from a really nice guy with good sensibilities.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

[honkytonk]

i'm really interested in the kit, but a little confused: in your FAQ it mentions
that the level loc will not love a +4 signal but needs mic preamplification;
does that mean my signal chain would run: mic->level loc->preamp?
and if so how could i use it with a condenser? sorry if this seems stupid, but i just got mixed reading the FAQ. thanks, and i think i'm agonna order me one!

[Shawn Simmons]

Yes, the LL needs to be in front of the pre-amp. You'll need a stand alone phantom power box to make it work with a condenser (I think). I've never done it. cgarges should know, he's the LL guru.

If you want to hear the LL in action, go to www.explone.com go to "Tracks" and click on the first song "The Highest Time". The weird backwards hi-hat sound on the left is the level-loc on the drum kit. This is just a rough mix of the song so forgive the rest of it. My client loves to post rough mixes, I'm kind of against it but it's his music.

I'm definitely a convert after getting a LL. Tchad Blake better watch out.

Shawn

[cgarges]

does that mean my signal chain would run: mic->level loc->preamp?
and if so how could i use it with a condenser?

Yep. That's how the original works. You can use a condenser with an outboard phantom power supply in front of the Level Loc.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

[heylow]

Yeah...I got 2 of coming. This should be a blast and hope Drew makes a few bucks in the end....it's stuff like this that makes this place worth while sometimes.


A) So...LL before pre, huh? Interesting...so you get the sound or the amount of MurderDeathKill you want with the LL and then use the pre to bring it to the level? D'ya ever find yourself having to pad on the way into the pre???

B) Also...how does it get used in mixing? What's the general chain?
I haven't even gotten it yet and I have myself MIXING with it already....sheesh.

C) I wonder if there's an easy way to mod in a Phantom circuit...shouldn't that be easy and fairly cheap?




D) So what color are you guys going with?


heylow

[cgarges]

D'ya ever find yourself having to pad on the way into the pre???

Nope. It's mic level.

One more thing about it. I haven't gotten Drew's yet, but the originals are noisy as shit. Deal.

B) Also...how does it get used in mixing? What's the general chain?

You set it up on an aux send and send very low-level stuff that you might be curious to hear through it. Then you post your results so everyone can know exactly how to use it without trying anything for themselves.

heh heh heh

C) I wonder if there's an easy way to mod in a Phantom circuit...shouldn't that be easy and fairly cheap?

Drew and I talked about this, but I think he decided to keep it closer to the original. Doing so also helps keep the cost down a bit. Adding an on/off and polarity switch is one thing... Drew would remember the details about that better than I would.

D) So what color are you guys going with?
heylow

I recommend the orange one. It's quite striking and a good attention-getter. Clients WILL ask you about it.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

[heylow]

You set it up on an aux send and send very low-level stuff that you might be curious to hear through it. Then you post your results so everyone can know exactly how to use it without trying anything for themselves.

Well you sarcastic sum-a-na-bitch, I audda.....

C) I wonder if there's an easy way to mod in a Phantom circuit...shouldn't that be easy and fairly cheap?

Drew and I talked about this, but I think he decided to keep it closer to the original. Doing so also helps keep the cost down a bit. Adding an on/off and polarity switch is one thing... Drew would remember the details about that better than I would.

Yeah I was thinking more along the lines of something user done...I mean, not everyone would want it anyways.

I recommend the orange one. It's quite striking and a good attention-getter. Clients WILL ask you about it.

My girl says silver....what about metal flake green and naming it Ice Cube? Everytime you use it you could refer to having to peel that track's cap. Hell, yeah you could. Be-atch.



heylow

[thenumber]

shit man, my birthday is next month and yr prolly gonna be sold out by then. i might be able to scrape up enough.. payday is tommorow......

im all about the drum uberfuckery

[toothpastefordinner]

You could rig up a phantom supply yourself (there are schematics on the web), but I haven't included one as an option because of the hum problem with putting a power supply in the case. Phantom power is +48V, and the Sherlock runs off 9V from the power adapter, so you would need a second power supply if you were to make your own phantom power option.

As an alternative, I bet you could hook up 5 9v batteries in seriesto give +45v, and feed it through resistors just like standard phantom power (it doesn't use much current) if you just wanna try some condensers out to see how they sound.... that way you could see if building or buying a separate phantom supply was worth the trouble (to you.)


drew
www.toothpastefordinner.com

[wing]

If you want to hear the LL in action, go to www.explone.com go to "Tracks" and click on the first song "The Highest Time". The weird backwards hi-hat sound on the left is the level-loc on the drum kit. This is just a rough mix of the song so forgive the rest of it. My client loves to post rough mixes, I'm kind of against it but it's his music.

yea, i can't say i'm a fan of this type of music, but i did want to comment on the bass guitar sound... i like it. you got a really good sound out of the bass!

[wing]

according to my pal john vanderslice, he used a Level Loc all over his song "you were my fiji" on the album "time travel is lonely".

here's what he says about it...

"you were my fiji
a cheap PA compressor called the Shure LevelLoc was used on all tracks. its slow release time and ungodly noise floor have an unmistakable and (to me) heavenly sound. I sang on three tracks, played four acoustic tracks (one is distorted heavily through an ampex mx10), moog source, mellotron strings."

--

yea, i have to say, the guitars on that track sound awesome. they have that awesome sharp distorted weird sound to them. and he's right... it does have an insane noise floor! haha! does the sherlock? it'd be a shame if it didn't

i think it's funny john calls it a "cheap PA compressor"... haha, cheap, maybe to him!

[soundguy]

Then you post your results so everyone can know exactly how to use it without trying anything for themselves.

morning coffee out the nose.

now I need to change my pants.

dave

[cgarges]

morning coffee out the nose.

now I need to change my pants.

dave

Glad to finally reciprocate.

Chris

[joel hamilton]

Where is your nose?