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Introduction
Thank you for choosing the Waves PuigChild. Be sure to read the safety considerations before
you plug in and switch on the PuigChild’s power. Please spend some time reading through this
manual so that you obtain the best possible performance from the unit. For more information
about our products, please visit www.waves.com.
Features
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Full 48-bit internal processing
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Supports sampling rates up to 96kHz
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A wide variety of analog and digital connectors for compatibility with all popular formats
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16/24-bit digital I/O
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Outstanding AD/DA conversion using 24-bit converters and transformer-based analog
input/output stages
About the PuigChild
Among gear aficionados, the stereo Fairchild 670 is considered the most coveted of all
compressors, not only because of its pristine sound, but also its rarity and price: 670s routinely
go for tens of thousands of dollars on the vintage market. (They originally cost less than $1000).
With 20 vacuum tubes and 11 hand-wired transformers in a hefty 6 rack-space chassis, these
hard-to-find units weigh in at a robust 65 lbs.
Designed by Estonian-born Rein Narma in the early 1950s, both the stereo 670 and its mono
counterpart the Fairchild 660 use single push-pull amplification stages with extremely high
control voltages. Both variable-mu limiters are unique in that they use tubes for gain reduction
as well as amplification. Compression takes place directly in the audio path, rather than being
routed to a separate circuit.
Prior to the 660 and 670, Narma’s Gotham Audio Developments had built consoles and
components for such luminaries as Rudy Van Gelder and Les Paul. Shortly after Paul asked
Narma to build a limiter, Sherman Fairchild caught wind of the project, licensed the design,
and hired Narma to come onboard as the company’s chief engineer. After his stint at Fairchild,
Narma relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area and became vice president of Ampex, pioneers
of multitrack recording equipment.
About the Modeling
Many different elements contribute to the unique sonic characteristics of analog gear such
as the Fairchild 670. Waves painstakingly modeled and incorporated these elements into the
PuigChild in order to fully capture and replicate the sound and performance of the original
equipment.
