Bellari LA120

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Student

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Hi all,

I just bought a Bellari LA120 compressor from the US, I am in Europe: Ireland.

So when it arrived I replaced the power supply with a 220V one. Then I tried it out, both as an insert in my desk, and also between the preamp and the mixer.
I played a recorded vocal through it, and I tried with a mic. In both cases I get a weak and distorted sound in the bypass mode, like when you run a signal with the wrong impedance. When I press the engage button the signal is still weak and distorted but the compression does seem to work.

I have the impression that I do something wrong, or that the cabling may have to be changed. Before I do that, can anyone confirm that? Maybe there is something simple that I am forgetting.

Or would the unit be faulty?

Thanks for helping out.

Jack
 
bummer dude... an easy first thing to try would be the tube...
 
Thanks, sorry, forgot to say, I already did. Made no change though.
I presume it is plug in and play, but could it be different because it is an older unit?
 
I connected it this time using XLR cables, directly between preamp and desk, and the sound is better although still not great. I ran a bass guitar through it and it fattens it up nicely, this is what I bought it for, so at least I can work with it.

Anybody an idea what I can can do to improve the sound? I think it should be clearer. when the compressor is in bypass mode it sounds wrong and distorted. When engaged it sounds better, but signal is too weak.

Thanks,
Jack
 
Maybe try cleaning the switch, and check for cold joints or loose wires.
 
I think I found the problem: the US power supply for 110V was plugged in to 220V for a second or 2. This may have fed the unit with a higher voltage than the 12V needed just long enough to burn something on the board. If I knew what, I could replace it.

In the meantime I can use it as an effect, adding it through a different channel on the mixer.

Thanks for your help.
 
Hi Student, If possible let us know what your opinion of the LA120 when it's working properly. Thanks, Don
 
La120

Hi Beatbug,

Yes, I got it working: I bought a USA power supply converter, that did the trick.

I use the Bellari sometimes to run a vocal through it and return it on the mixer through s different channel and mix it in with the rest of the mix. It helps the vocal to come through better without losing the original sound. It looks good too.

Jack
 
I too got a Bellari LA-120 quite a few years ago. I plugged it in using a 240 volt power adaptor at 12v, 300mA but it still seemed to blow the unit, considering at was using 240v when it neede 110v. Is my unit totally blown now? Student, where did you get the correct US voltage adaptor from? Hopefully i can get this unit operational again....
 
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