Quick Start Guide

RNLAQuickstartV050 Page 1 of 12
www.fmraudio.com FMR Audio, [phone]
I NTRODUCTION
This is the Really Nice Levelling Amplifier (RNLA) Quick Start Guide. The purpose of this document is to:
• Describe the history and overall features of the FMR Audio RNLA
• Summarize the general features of the RNLA
• Describe the basic connection of the RNLA into your system
• Describe the front and rear panel controls/connections
• Present the RNLA’s specifications
F UNCTIONAL D ESCRIPTION
RNLA Overview
The Really Nice Levelling Amplifier (RNLA) is a compressor, of sorts, with a character that works well
with vocals, bass guitar, acoustic guitars and two-mix sources. The sonic performance of the RNLA hark-
ens back to the Really Nice Compressor’s (RNC’s) origins. The original RNC was, in fact, based upon an
optical gain element (you can read the details as expressed in the 1984 US patent #04459557). This
approach was ultimately rejected (and tucked away) due to its imparting of a sonic signature (i.e., “color”),
not wanted in the final, sonically-neutral compressor. However, just like trying to throw away a ball of
adhesive tape, this one has also stuck with (to?) us! What’s the old saying? What’s old, is new again? The
implementation is a little different from the 1984 version (Ooooooo, VINTAGE! Yeah, right.), but the final
sound is eerily similar (a friend describes it as “thick and gooey”). This one is also eminently more manu-
facturable and cost-effective...
What’s a Levelling Amp?
Clearly, we’ve decided to distinguish our RNLA from our RNC by calling it a “levelling amplifier” instead
of “Son of RNC” or “RNC II” or some such thing. Without being too geeky about it, we decided to call it
“RNLA” for two reasons:
1) The RNLA has a sonic signature similar to many compressors that we’ve used
over the years, many of which have been referred to as “levelling amps”(e.g.,
LA2A, LA3A, etc.). (DISCLAIMER: Please don’t confuse this with us saying that
the RNLA sounds just like such-and-such , ‘cause it doesn’t and that’s NOT what
we’re saying!) There are some sonic similarities—a “classic” character, if you
will—between the RNLA and some of the more preferred, sought-after levelling
amps and opto compressors. Some well-outfitted RNLA users report that even
with a full complement of expensive, vintage levelling amps/compressors, the
RNLA still fills a niche that the others don’t!