I know this guy in Canada who will modify your ART levelar and turn it into a kick ass compressor.
Here is some info he sent me. He knows his stuff and you should give this some serious thought.
I had originaly asked him to modify some things for me as well as an ART preamp.
as well as Schematics for several things.
Here was his reply.
Quote
LEVELAR (cant give this out, but can
suggest using this unit with black plate 5751..)
i have
LA2a custom units, and 1176, and others, and i STILL
track with my modded levelars..bypass all 8 electrolitic signal path caps,
change the 5532 vactrol driver to a high current chip, and R32 to 50k.
this opens up the " air " in the unit, speeds up the fast setting,
and changes the UNUSABLE 6:1 limiter setting to 4:1, and sounds GREAT.
these things are the best buy in transparent compression..
i know the " expensive toys" guys are going to think i am crazy,
but i have enough " expensive toys" to hear what is really going on here.
when tracking, i like to use between 3 and 6db of compression max..
these things aRE great for the money..two of them, modded, a pair of my mic
preamps, a couple of
RODE NTV, and a couple of ROYER ribbons, and you are set.
the ART MIC pre, on the other hand, sucks bad.....I also dont think
its worth buying the PRO LEVELAR...they are good for ONE THING, all those extra
settings on the big boy will just be vaRIOUS permutations of useless.
i charge $140 US to do a LEVELAR. ( thats selected military black plate
tube, bypass caps, and military VACTROL driver chip.)
I also change the Limiter ratio to a usefull 4: 1 from 6: 1, which is not
really very transparent.
this is a GREAT sounding unit when its finished..very transparant gain
control.
(not a special effects type device..more for keeping the tracks in the
pocket while live recording...i tend to only use about 6db of compression
normally..this is a GREAT unit for that)
you cant really DO too much with the mic preamp..its using oP AMPS for gain..
if you want a nice mic preamp, i can haPPILY build you one, or check out my
millennia media class A jfet kit.
its in use at REAL WORLD studios, and considered the best in the house by a
long shot.
End of quote
If you want his email just email me.
Shailat