Thank you for purchasing the
Black Lion Audio B172A 2 channel fet/optical hybrid compressor. The B172A is
a 2 channel compressor, 1 channel a FET compressor based off of Black Lion's own Seventeen compressor
and the other channel is an all new Opto compressor featuring Black Lion's T4BLA optical cell. This unit
combines the two separate ’76 and 2A circuits into a single unit that allows you to route the signal in any order
you like to be able to provide this very useful compression technique.
This product was designed and engineered by Black Lion Audio in Chicago, IL USA. All units are assembled and
tested at our shops in Chicago and New York.
At Black Lion Audio, we believe in putting sound quality first. We strive to offer mind-blowing products at
incredible prices. We are committed to continuously innovating in pursuit of the perfect sound. We live and
breathe gear and can’t imagine doing anything else. We hope you enjoy this product and share in our passion
for all things audio.
Please be sure to follow the safety instructions on the following pages. We want you around to purchase
more gear!
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B172A |
User Manual
INTRODUCTION
ENGINEERING OBJECTIVE
B172A
2 Channel FET/Optical Hybrid Compressor
Every so often, two incredible things, wholly enjoyable on their own, combine to form a pair so sweet and
complementary, that it becomes hard to think of one without the other... Sonny & Cher, Lennon &
McCartney, Snoop Dogg & Dr Dre and perhaps the greatest and most literal “dynamic duo” of all time – the
1176 and LA-2A!
The 1176 and LA-2A when used together, have become a studio stable for decades, often wired in series with
each other so that one catches the audio’s peaks and the other does the heavy compression. Black Lion
Audio, having hit the mark with the widely adored Seventeen compressor, has struck again, combining the
Seventeen’s F.E.T. circuitry with a worthy optical section in the B172A! This unit combines the two separate
’76 and 2A circuits into a single unit that allows you to route the signal in any order you like to be able to
provide this very useful compression technique.
The Seventeen’s success put pressure on BLA to pair the already proven F.E.T. side with an equally
formidable optical mate. The challenge was met on the B172A through the creation of a custom T4B “opto”
element called the “T4BLA”. BLA’s lengthy experience in modifications lent designers the proper patience
and mindset to tweak subtleties in the optical element until it was a supreme asset in the design. With a heavy
attention to detail and design, the T4BLA is designed to be the single best T4B optocell available today.
Flexibility was a main goal of the B172A since its initial concept. While many engineers agree on the benefits
of using both compression types, the order in which to do so is still debated. The AB-BA switch on the B172A
allows for quick internal routing of the signal. The two compressors can also be used completely independent
of each other when utilizing the 3rd position (link off) on the AB-BA switch. Each circuit also has stereo linking
so a pair of B172A’s can be used in stereo.
As always, a painstaking amount of time has been spent on choosing the best possible transformers needed
for the circuit. Featuring a Cinemag input transformer on the LA-2A side, BLA’s own Chicago-wound output
transformers on both circuits, high-grade signal path and decoupling capacitors, the B172A gives studio
owners ultra convenient access to a pair of high quality dynamics processors that have stood the test of time
while also providing a tool never before available in a single box.
Содержание B172A
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