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STA-LEVEL Technical Information
Specifications
Gain Reduction Threshold: Continuously adjustable from +24dBm to -20dBm
Available Gain Reduction: 40dB
Total System Gain: 35dB (with standard input and output pads)
Distortion: 1 percent or less from 0-30 dB gain reduction
Frequency Response: ± .25dB from 20-20,000 Hz
Noise: -70dB or better referenced to gain reduction threshold
Output Level: Continuously adjustable from -40 dBm to +18 dBm
Input Impedance: Accepts low impedance active or transformer balanced
0-600 Ohms
Output Impedance: 600 Ohm transformer balanced, terminated and
resistive pad coupled
Tube Complement: 2-6BJ6), 1-12AT7, 2-6V6GT, 1-6AL5,
1-OB2, 1-5Y3
Power Requirements: Three prong IEC - Switchable 115-230 VAC - 50/60 Hz
Mounting Requirements: 3U metal rack 5.25" high, 19" wide, 8" deep
The Couple Jack
The coupling jack allows you to couple two or more units gain reduction.
A diode can be used to "reference couple" two or more units. This is useful to send a midrange reference control signal to a bass compressor in a multiband configuration or for sidechain subsonic enhancement or ducking purposes.
Faster Recovery
We now build new units standard with a six position RECOVERY selector which allows the Sta-Level to go from the stock slow recovery to medium, fast and very fast in six steps. We also added a three position MODE switch that captures three different classic tube compression flavors. SINGLE is the provides a single RC time constant for attack, typical of most tube compressors. DOUBLE provides dual time constant which responds very musically. TRIPLE is most agressive, utilizing the dual time constant with fast attack like the famed Fairchild 660 and 670. Many flavors are yours to record with.
Balance Nulling
You can verify the Retro STA-LEVEL circuit performance without test equipment. Listen to the output while holding the BAL. NULL button and adjust the BALANCE control for a null in the hum level. If you are able to find a dip, that means that the parallel class-a amplifier paths in the STA-LEVEL are matched. It prevents "thump" and easily identifies most issues that may arise. It's easy to check whenever you like.
Custom 6386 Board
The original 6386 tube used in the Gates Sta-Level has become difficult to obtain. Fortunately if you have a 6386 that isn't matched well, they can still sound fine in the STA-LEVEL. A decent 6386 performs well in terms of noise and microphonics. If an original Gates STA-LEVEL sounds bad, it is generally due to failure of the original coupling capacitors.
The fairly obtainable 2C51/5670 is a tube that is pin compatible with a 6386. It's performance is radically different and will produce an undesirable compression ratio curve. The 2C51/5670 is also very microphonic in the STA-LEVEL application. We do not recommend using it. For older products that use a 6386, Retro now has a socket adapter that allows you to use some common tubes like the ECC189/6ES8, 6DJ8 and 6BC8 with NO MODIFICATIONS. That will make you very happy if you have a Fairchild 670 that uses eight original 6386 tubes.
The Retro STA-LEVEL improves on the original design by making use of a matched-pair of 6BJ6 tubes to capture the original 6386 performance. These tubes are so easily obtainable that we select only premium specimens that exhibit excellent gain tracking, hum, noise and microphonics in every new STA-LEVEL. The rest get tossed. All the tubes in the Retro STA-LEVEL are generally American military-grade NOS(new-old-stock) with the exception of the 6V6 output pair. There are new production 6V6 models that are quite good.
Sta-Level Service Page
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