Chameleon Labs 7802 Owner's Manual

Chameleon Labs

Model 7802

Stereo OPTO TUBE Compressor

Owner’s Manual

704 228th Avenue NE, #826

Sammamish, WA 98074

206-264-7602

www.chameleonlabs.com

Revision A, July, 2008

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General Description:

The 7802 is a two channel optical style compressor with a
high voltage 12AX7 tube makeup gain stage. The
compressor is a feedback type design with two ratio
settings, 2:1 and 4:1, and five different attack/release
envelope settings.

The 7802 also makes a very good tube line amp when used
with little or no compression. The tube circuit is designed
to produce primarily even-order harmonic distortion that is
very musically “friendly” to most sources.

Features of the Model 7802:

The 7802 is one of the finest audio compressors available.
The 7802 was designed and constructed with the absolute
best components, assuring a lifetime of quiet, reliable
performance.

The 7802 offers:

• Two channel opto-isolator / tube-based compression

• Stereo linkable channels

• Vactrol optical electronics

• Hand selected 12AX7 tubes

• Five position attack/release selector

• Two position ratio switch (2:1 and 4:1)

• HPF switch for compressor side chain

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• Drive control to adjust the amount of tube overdrive

• Output control to set the overall output level

• LED metering of input and clip levels

• VU metering of compression

• XLR balanced inputs

• XLR transformer balanced outputs

• Internal power supply

• One year warranty

• Designed in the USA

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Front Panel Controls:

The front panel controls are COMPRESSION, ATK/RLS,
DRIVE, OUTPUT controls as well as RATIO, HPF,
BYPASS, LINK and POWER switches.

General Note: When a toggle switch is positioned toward the label, it is

enabling that function.

The COMPRESSION control sets the compressor threshold.
Turning the knob clockwise increases compression. The
RATIO switch selects between 2:1 and 4:1 ratios.

The DRIVE control sets the drive level to the tube gain
stage, and the OUTPUT control sets the overall output level
of the unit.
Operation is similar to that of a guitar amplifier with
preamp and master volume controls, allowing the amount
of tube saturation to be finely controlled.

The ATK/RLS selector changes both the attack and rele ase
time constants of the compressor. The five attack settings
are 10mS, 22mS, 32mS, 47mS and 70mS. Release times
are proportionately longer and largely program dependant.

The HPF switch activates a 6dB/octave roll off in the
compressor sidechain that is 3dB down at 90Hz.

The BYPASS switch activates a hardwired bypass of the
unit.