The Sushi Box FX Secret Society

[letsgethandsome]

Alright, I guess it's not fair to keep everyone in the dark when a handful know already. I'm working on a compressor based on the LA-1A. I have one that I tore down and reverse engineered, changed some bits, and am working on the logistics of putting it into a smaller box. I don't know exactly how much it will cost yet, but it's going to be a bit pricey (compared to my normal stuff, not compared to the original). I'm hoping to have a working prototype done in the next month or so, with the bugs ironed out and a production-ready version by the end of the year, available for sale starting January. Again this is assuming everything works according to plan, which is obviously why I haven't widely announced it, just in case I need more time to have it ready I don't want to have to cancel orders after offering it too soon.

I have a couple more projects that only 1 1/2 people know about, and those will remain a secret until they're ready


Seriously, it is so freaking cool. If the original wasn't so expensive I would already own three, because I want one on my bass board, one on my guitar board, and one on reserve for recording.


That would be absurdly cool. Unfortunately analog cab sims are a bit complicated and generally require several stages, which would mean a tube one would be expensive, large, and power-hungry. I love tubes and I try to use them for anything and everything I can, but these days I use a Torpedo CAB M+ (not affiliated, obviously) because IRs have come a long way and it just makes sense.

super cool! Thanks for sharing. And yes, I’d guess you’ll be able to sell as many of those as you can build! Definitely interested to check it out but I’m keeping my current order locked thanks! Awesome stuff

 

[neonrich]

@

Alright, I guess it's not fair to keep everyone in the dark when a handful know already. I'm working on a compressor based on the LA-1A. I have one that I tore down and reverse engineered, changed some bits, and am working on the logistics of putting it into a smaller box. I don't know exactly how much it will cost yet, but it's going to be a bit pricey (compared to my normal stuff, not compared to the original). I'm hoping to have a working prototype done in the next month or so, with the bugs ironed out and a production-ready version by the end of the year, available for sale starting January. Again this is assuming everything works according to plan, which is obviously why I haven't widely announced it, just in case I need more time to have it ready I don't want to have to cancel orders after offering it too soon.

@Sushi Box FX I really think you're onto something there, as EVERYTHING in @scubaduba 's DI shootout sounded better with the LA-1A included.
I'm sure you've thought of this, but be sorely tempted to read/ask around on TB to see if there anything considered 'missing' from the LA-1A that you might be able to include?

 

[Lowendtech]

I'm sure you've thought of this, but be sorely tempted to read/ask around on TB to see if there anything considered 'missing' from the LA-1A that you might be able to include?

A gain reduction indicator for a start.

 

[Col Pruse]

super cool! Thanks for sharing. And yes, I’d guess you’ll be able to sell as many of those as you can build! Definitely interested to check it out but I’m keeping my current order locked thanks! Awesome stuff

yep, interested!

 

[Sushi Box FX]

Alright, I finally got around to putting up some info on the Robot Butterfly on the website. I included the patches I currently have available, and I have a bunch more that I still need to thoroughly test before I add them to the options.

I also talked to my daughter about her royalties for coming up with the design of the pedal My wife pitched an idea, and my daughter agreed, so effective immediately 5% of the proceeds from all Robot Butterfly sales will be donated to our local children's hospital in my daughter's name. I was just going to give her a few bucks here and there to buy candy and whatnot, my wife is a lot smarter than I am

 

[JKos]

5% of the proceeds

College fund?

 

[Sushi Box FX]

College fund?

I floated the idea, my wife assured me I wouldn't sell enough of them to make a difference in a college fund

 

[Pedalnetics]

I floated the idea, my wife assured me I wouldn't sell enough of them to make a difference in a college fund

Let's see...let's pretend they cost you $60 to make, sell for $150, which would be $4.50 royalties off of net. (I'm positive this is overly generous, but hey, let's pretend!)

21k/year average for an in-state college, thatd only be ~4700 Robot Butterflies to pay for 1 year, and shes got ~12years till heading off to college. To pay for one year based on those factual generous numbers, you'd only have to make and sell 38 RB's a month for the next 12 years.

...I think you need to open up a few more slots each month

 

[Sushi Box FX]

Let's see...let's pretend they cost you $60 to make, sell for $150, which would be $4.50 royalties off of net. (I'm positive this is overly generous, but hey, let's pretend!)

21k/year average for an in-state college, thatd only be ~4700 Robot Butterflies to pay for 1 year, and shes got ~12years till heading off to college. To pay for one year based on those factual generous numbers, you'd only have to make and sell 38 RB's a month for the next 12 years.

...I think you need to open up a few more slots each month

I keep telling my wife that if she starts working for me it will speed everything up and I can open more slots per month. She's actually soldered a few circuit boards in the past, she's just as good as I am, just a little slower as she doesn't have as much practice. I'll bet she would rock the CNC machine and laser if she would let me teach her how to use them

So I ran the numbers by my wife, she agreed that would be great, but still wants to give some to charity, so she decided (pending the approval of my daughter) that the first bit (she didn't want to choose an actual number) of royalties would go to the children's hospital, and after that it will start going into a savings account for my daughter.

 

[Real Soon]

Ok a compact form-factor take on the LA-1A is what I would looove to see. Price notwithstanding, and it's a good investment by all accounts, it's just large, and I've already covered all my big-pedal real estate.

Even if it had to be "medium", that would be an advantage, and given how spoiled I am with the Hyper Luminal's gain reduction reading, that would be a fabulous addition. And worth paying extra for, yes indeed.

 

[Sushi Box FX]

Ok a compact form-factor take on the LA-1A is what I would looove to see. Price notwithstanding, and it's a good investment by all accounts, it's just large, and I've already covered all my big-pedal real estate.

Even if it had to be "medium", that would be an advantage, and given how spoiled I am with the Hyper Luminal's gain reduction reading, that would be a fabulous addition. And worth paying extra for, yes indeed.

Yup, it's safe to expect A LOT of updates on that one in the future. I'm looking into gain reduction indication, that might take some work, but it's definitely something I'm willing to play with. Any other thoughts on places you would like to see the LA-1A improved?

 

[Real Soon]

Yup, it's safe to expect A LOT of updates on that one in the future. I'm looking into gain reduction indication, that might take some work, but it's definitely something I'm willing to play with. Any other thoughts on places you would like to see the LA-1A improved?

The Knee control is a fabulously advanced thing; "soft" knee in studio compressors means at 3dB before the actual threshold is hit, the compressor starts to progressively kick in at lower ratios, then hitting the set ratio when the signal hits the threshold. That vs hard knee, where no compression happens till the signal hits the threshold.

If you needed to make room by, say, converting a pot to a switch, that would be a great candidate. Hard knee, soft knee, and "ultra-soft" knee (6dB) are settings seen in studios, and it could simplify that control for those who haven't freelanced as mixing engineers or even a simple switch/button to engage soft knee, with hard knee when it's disengaged. And I realize there may not be a good way to nail those exact measurements, so maybe considering it in ratios of the original's knob swing could do the trick.

This isn't so much an improvement as an idea for maaaybe simplifying a bit without ditching the things that make the original great. Hopefully thoughts from fellow members on it??

 

[NKBassman]

I love soft knee compressors. Also, as @locisbrelm mentioned below, a threshold indicator led would be the bare minimum. Gain reduction indicator would be preferred.

 

[locisbrelm]

I love compressors that have a light for when the signal reaches threshold

 

[Sushi Box FX]

So I think I figured out how to add the gain reduction indicator, and I found two ways to do it. I could have a single LED that lights up indicating that the threshold has been hit, or I could have a bar led like this. This would light the first LED when the threshold is hit and past that will show the level of gain reduction as you go higher past the threshold.

 

[Pedalnetics]

So I think I figured out how to add the gain reduction indicator, and I found two ways to do it. I could have a single LED that lights up indicating that the threshold has been hit, or I could have a bar led like this. This would light the first LED when the threshold is hit and past that will show the level of gain reduction as you go higher past the threshold.
View attachment 4021053

The Bar style would be awesome, seeing how MUCH its reducing is way more useful than just a single LED

 

[Real Soon]

So I think I figured out how to add the gain reduction indicator, and I found two ways to do it. I could have a single LED that lights up indicating that the threshold has been hit, or I could have a bar led like this. This would light the first LED when the threshold is hit and past that will show the level of gain reduction as you go higher past the threshold.
View attachment 4021053

 

[NKBassman]

So I think I figured out how to add the gain reduction indicator, and I found two ways to do it. I could have a single LED that lights up indicating that the threshold has been hit, or I could have a bar led like this. This would light the first LED when the threshold is hit and past that will show the level of gain reduction as you go higher past the threshold.
View attachment 4021053

that’s the ticket right there.

 

[jbybj]

So I think I figured out how to add the gain reduction indicator, and I found two ways to do it. I could have a single LED that lights up indicating that the threshold has been hit, or I could have a bar led like this. This would light the first LED when the threshold is hit and past that will show the level of gain reduction as you go higher past the threshold.
View attachment 4021053

Only if you can make it a whole row of these, set to blinding brightness.

 

[Sushi Box FX]

Only if you can make it a whole row of these, set to blinding brightness.

Never settle for less than blinding brightness. #youreworthit