Safe Sound P1 Channel Strip.

[Mr Funk]

Anyone seen the latest SOS? It features a review of a new product from new British company Safe Sound Audio. The P1 received high praise and from reading the white paper on their website, I believe it is well worth checking out and could be a real gem?

Check out the white paper and specs etc.

http://www.safesoundaudio.com/

The max input level of 11dBu (mic and instrument) may be of concern to some, but I still think the designers deserve a pat on the back for their clever and thoughtful design. It sounds like they have really attempted to create something new and iron out some of the flaws of other designs. They admirably admit that their efforts have not resulted in perfection, but that they have gone a long way to eliminate those undesirable effects of other designs.

For £270, I think this has to be worth checking out. I have emailed they to find out if a 2-channel version is on the cards and will let you lot know if and when I receive a reply.

Kane

 

[Mr Funk]

Has anyone read the white paper? Does it sound good to you? What about the components used, are they respectable?

 

[Mr Funk]

I had a reply from Safe Sound Audio and thought I'd show it to you guys to try to get some interest in this little unit. I kind of feel like this it is what a RNC/RNP combination unit would be like, only with transparent limiting thrown in! Of course it is only a single channel, but it has an internal PSU!!

I hope a few other people take a look at Safe Sound, as I assume that the company won't last long without a few sales as none of these small 'boutique' companies do. They are a British company too, so I guess I'm feeling a little patriotoic?

Here is the email:

Our technical white paper at www.safesoundaudio.com details the P1 stages in some detail. The P1 mic amp is actually two stages. Stage 1 uses the Burr-Brown INA217 chip which is probably the best available today. EIN is -128dB so its really quiet (the new dual mic pre from FMR is 8 db noisier) and distortion from the INA217 is very very low). Frequency response is extended up to around 50kHz. Stage 2 uses the 5532 op amp, simply fantastic, low noise, very low distortion and good drive performance for the insert send point in the chain.

So you will find the front end very smooth and quiet, free from unwanted colouration.

I take your point about the mic input headroom and yes there are a few mics which can produce higher levels than +11dbu albeit at very high levels of distortion (around 0.5%). Yes the FMR design offers more headroom but you pay the penalty in poor noise performance. On the whole you should look at the P1 as a complete front end package.

One of main design objectives of the P1 was to be able to protect the front end of hard disk recording systems from overload. You probably know all about the downsides of digital overload so I won't repeat them here, suffice to say that the P1 limiter is, we believe, the best single band limiter on the market today. To call it single band is a bit of a disservice! and if you have a read of the white paper you'll see what I mean! Our early users of the P1 describe the limiter as invisible which was the whole idea!

The compressor was designed for smoothness. It is almost totally devoid of the ripple distortion so common in many designs today. It's also very easy to set up. Very nice for smoothing and moderate warming of vocals.

So I hope you'll take the plunge and invest in the P1. It's a very good price for such a high quality unit, built like a brick and of course just about the only mains powered half rack unit on the market.

Technical questions are always welcomed and will be answered in full.

Best regards

Robert Campbell
Safe Sound Audio

 

[Mr Funk]

This unit will be reviewed at MojoPie in the not too distant future. This will be the 1st and only unit in the USA, but I'm sure Robert would produce more 110v units if anyone wanted to buy one? He tells me the current PSU is capable of 110v 60Hz use, but would probably be replaced by a dedicated US PSU for sale there.

 

[ozraves]

This unit will be reviewed at MojoPie in the not too distant future. This will be the 1st and only unit in the USA, but I'm sure Robert would produce more 110v units if anyone wanted to buy one? He tells me the current PSU is capable of 110v 60Hz use, but would probably be replaced by a dedicated US PSU for sale there.

I'm really stoked that Mojo Pie is going to be reviewing this unit. The main gentleman at Safe Sound Audio used to work at Neve and Calrec. It looks like a great product and at a great price point.

--Steve
www.mojopie.com

 

[Mr Funk]

Steve

When you get the unit, would you do me a favour and try to compare it with the Buzz Audio SSA1.1 (if you have one to hand)? I know this is a bit of a mismatch, as the P1 is more than just a pre amp and the Buzz Audio should be in a different league (price would suggest), but I am torn between getting a 'B Stock' SSA1.1 to use with my RNC or two P1's!

I don't expect you to publish the comparison (unless you want to), but if you could PM me or something?

If the pre amp section of the P1 is 90% as good as the Buzz, then with the P1's other facilities and a £200 saving over even the 'B Stock' SSA1.1's, I would grab the p1's in a heart beat!

Can you do this for me???

Cheers

Kane D williams

 

[ozraves]

I'm not going to be reviewing it. Warren Dent aka Warhead at Studio Forums will be. However, he will get to compare it to a Sytek and a Speck perhaps.

I'm going to look at it after he writes the review for my own personal curiosity.

I would really like to review some Buzz gear. Tim Farrant of Buzz Audio has been very kind of Mojo Pie by linking to us and granting an interview. We'll see about some reviews.

Steve
www.mojopie.com