Waves Audio PuigChild Hardware Compressor User Guide

WAVES

COMPRESSOR / LIMITER

Los Angeles, CA

November 2011

It’s just fantastic that one of my favorite pieces of gear has been resurrected
in a 21st century incarnation: the classic Fairchild 670!
The PuigChild compressor truly captures the vibe of the original, and as a
piece of hardware, it allows us to have the same tactile experience with the
same unique sound. The new unit also has excellent high denition input
and output converters that deliver the maximum representation of the
remarkable modeling of the 670. It’s like a dream come true. I hope you all
enjoy it as much as I do; it’s quickly become one of my go-to compressors.


My Best,
Jack Joseph Puig

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Table of Contents

IMPORTANT SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS 5

Package Contents 6

Introduction 7

Internal Processing 8

Controls Overview 9

Connecting the PuigChild 11

Input/Output Calibration Controls 13

Rear Panel Sync & Word Clock Connections 13

Front Panel Controls – In Depth 14

Connection Examples 17

Technical Specifications 18

Troubleshooting & Frequently Asked Questions 19

Contact Waves Sales and Technical Support 20

One Year Limited Warranty 20

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IMPORTANT SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS

Securely mount the Waves PuigChild in a 19” studio rack away from rain, moisture, liquids,
heat sources or re using the four supplied mounting bolts. (Plastic washers are provided to
prevent scratching). Apply the rubber feet for desktop use.
In case of damage to the Waves PuigChild due to spilled liquids or physical damage from
knocks or dropping, repairs should be performed by qualied service personnel only.
Read all operating instructions.
Do not allow children to use the PuigChild without adult supervision.
Do not overload audio inputs or outputs. Waves will not be responsible for damage caused to
other equipment (such as speakers) through misuse.
Do not block the ventilation grills that are located on the sides of the unit.

PLEASE NOTE: THE POWER SUPPLY IS NOT AUTO-SWITCHING!

You must check to make sure the voltage rating shown directly on the back panel of your
Waves PuigChild is appropriate for your power connection. Please see the diagram below. To
change voltage, gently pull out the fuse holder. It can be pried out by inserting a screwdriver
under the edge by the IEC plug and pulling out gently. Insert it back with the desired voltage
positioned according to the 4 diagrams below. Make sure that the desired voltage marking is
at the top of the compartment.

Please read, complete and return by mail the Warranty Registration Form entitling you to
technical support and service under warranty.

WARNING: CLASS 1 LASER PRODUCT (SINGLE-MODE)

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Package Contents

• 1x Waves PuigChild compressor

• 110 v USA power cable

• 220 v European power cable

• Three (3) sets of four (4) mounting bolts each

• Spare fuse

• Four (4) rubber “feet”

• Four (4) plastic washers

• User manual

Unpacking the Waves PuigChild

After unpacking the PuigChild unit, please check it carefully for any damage. If any damage is
found, immediately notify the carrier that brought you the package. You, the consignee, must
initiate any claim. Please retain all packaging in case of future re-shipment.

Mounting the PuigChild

Before connecting the PuigChild, be sure to securely mount it in a standard 19” studio rack­mount away from heat and moisture. We recommend using the supplied plastic washers
between the PuigChild and the mounting bolts to protect the PuigChild’s front panel from
scratches. Alternatively, for desktop use, attach the four rubber feet to the bottom of the
PuigChild.

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Introduction

Thank you for choosing the Waves PuigChild. Be sure to read the safety considerations before
you plug in and switch on the PuigChild’s power. Please spend some time reading through this
manual so that you obtain the best possible performance from the unit. For more information
about our products, please visit www.waves.com.

Features

• Full 48-bit internal processing

• Supports sampling rates up to 96kHz

• A wide variety of analog and digital connectors for compatibility with all popular formats

• 16/24-bit digital I/O

• Outstanding AD/DA conversion using 24-bit converters and transformer-based analog

input/output stages

About the PuigChild

Among gear acionados, the stereo Fairchild 670 is considered the most coveted of all
compressors, not only because of its pristine sound, but also its rarity and price: 670s routinely
go for tens of thousands of dollars on the vintage market. (They originally cost less than $1000).
With 20 vacuum tubes and 11 hand-wired transformers in a hefty 6 rack-space chassis, these
hard-to-nd units weigh in at a robust 65 lbs.
Designed by Estonian-born Rein Narma in the early 1950s, both the stereo 670 and its mono
counterpart the Fairchild 660 use single push-pull amplication stages with extremely high
control voltages. Both variable-mu limiters are unique in that they use tubes for gain reduction
as well as amplication. Compression takes place directly in the audio path, rather than being
routed to a separate circuit.
Prior to the 660 and 670, Narma’s Gotham Audio Developments had built consoles and
components for such luminaries as Rudy Van Gelder and Les Paul. Shortly after Paul asked
Narma to build a limiter, Sherman Fairchild caught wind of the project, licensed the design,
and hired Narma to come onboard as the company’s chief engineer. After his stint at Fairchild,
Narma relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area and became vice president of Ampex, pioneers
of multitrack recording equipment.

About the Modeling

Many dierent elements contribute to the unique sonic characteristics of analog gear such
as the Fairchild 670. Waves painstakingly modeled and incorporated these elements into the
PuigChild in order to fully capture and replicate the sound and performance of the original
equipment.

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These are some of the most important elements of analog behavior:

• Total Harmonic Distortion

Perhaps the most important analog behavior is Total Harmonic Distortion or THD, which
is dened as the ratio of the sum of the powers of all harmonic components to the power
of the fundamental frequency. THD is usually caused by amplication, and changes signal
shape and content by adding odd and even harmonics of the fundamental frequencies,
which can change the overall tonal balance. THD can also change peak output gain, usually
by no more than +/- 0.2-0.3 dB.

• Transformers

Some hardware uses transformers to stabilize or change Input/Output loads and signal levels.
In earlier days, transformers did not have a at frequency response, and often introduced
low and super-high frequency roll os. The original Fairchild has four transformers, so if you
encounter a low or extremely high frequency loss, this is due to the modeled transformers.

• Long Release Times

The Fairchild includes settings which use long time constants of several seconds. This might
cause short looped passages to sound dierent during successive playbacks, because the
Release never returns to unity. This is identical to the original hardware performance, and
should not be a cause for concern.

• Hum

Waves modeled both 50Hz power current and 60Hz power current. If you listen closely,
you will hear that there is a dierence in hum level between 50Hz and 60Hz. Since hum is
unique to each region and dependent upon the local electrical conditions, you may nd
that the modeled hum is dierent than the hum already present in your studio, and may not
be suitable for your particular use.

Internal Processing

The PuigChild performs all digital processes with 48-bit internal precision (double precision).
The internal processing is followed by re-quantization (wordlength reduction) from the
internal 48-bit data to 16 or 24-bit output wordlengths. (Analog output always used the full
24-bit wordlength). The system can also be used to re-quantize 24-bit input signals to 16-bit
(via the digital outputs only).

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