RUPERT NEVE DESIGNS 5254 Dual Diode Bridge Compressor

1U rack dual diode bridge compressor Since the early '70s, the first Rupert Neve Designs diode bridge compressors have been loved for how they were able to blend and punch batteries, instruments and mix buss. However, these features were unfortunately accompanied by inflexible controls and limited versatility. The Dual Diode Bridge Compressor has been designed to evoke the soul of these vintage compressors, while accompanying them with modern features such as advanced timing control, decidedly lower background noise, step controls, high voltage power supply, parallel internal processing and more. Unlike VCA compressors, designed to achieve accurate sound clarity, the rich harmonic content of the Dual Diode Bridge Compressor is designed to produce a wide range of sound colors. Based on the circuits of the famous Shelford Channel, the 5254 can work either in dual mono or in stereo together with custom Rupert Neve Designs transformers and class A electronics, all tailored to a 1U 19” body. Five years after Mr. Rupert Neve's first compressor project, the Dual Diode Bridge Compressor reinvents the personality of these classic circuits with new levels of precision and control, exalted creative power and improved punch for tracks, mixes and masters.The diode bridgeWhile the VCA compressor present in the Portico II Channel and the Master Buss Processor offers an extremely clear sound, diode bridge compression is characterized by harmonically rich tones that can play an essential role in improving and bring out important sources such as vocals, electric guitars, basses and drums from the mix. Understanding the limitations of the topologies of vintage units, RND's effort was to be able to reproduce the unique tone of these classic units while improving background noise, expanding inflexible time constants, adding a full-wave sidechain detection to improve dynamic response and expanding threshold and ratio controls. The Dual Diode Bridge Compressor, which offers the powerful sound of these vintage units with controls tailored to modern needs, is a dynamic instrument that can have its say on any type of mix or track. Timing is allThe unified TIMING controls consist of six selectable settings, carefully chosen for different applications, starting from the fixed and slow attack times of the vintage units. The FAST and MF settings are designed to keep signals with many transients such as drums, plucked string instruments, and fast vocals at bay. MED and MS have slightly slower attack and release times that allow for more transient “passes” with slightly longer recovery times. Finally, SLOW and AUTO are both very slow and have complex, non-linear release times, with smoother and less audible level controls. FAST mode increases the speed of both attack and release times for each of the settings listed, effectively doubling the number of time constants from 6 to 12. The FAST mode also allows a significant increase in speed compared to vintage units, allowing greater versatility both from a sound and operational point of view. Faster TIMING settings will generally lead to a greater ripple of the peak-to-peak control voltage, thus introducing a greater harmonic content that translates into greater coloring in the signal path. Slower TIMING settings will significantly soften voltage control, reducing the production of harmonic content and thus achieving more transparent compression. It is interesting to note that, due to the nature of the topology, these time constants adapt according to various factors: ratio, threshold and source material. These timing shifts and dynamically generated harmonic contents are precisely the factors that characterize the sound personality of the Dual Diode Bridge Compressor. The right blend Given the colorful sound character of the 5254 diode bridge, this integrated parallel compression proves to be particularly useful. The BLEND control allows the user to introduce small amounts of extreme compression into another clean signal, creating an emphasized but natural sound that maintains a dynamic range with an adjustable color and “punch”. Take control. In addition to the TIMING control, the diode bridge compressor can be further manipulated with the RATIO, THRESHOLD, GAIN, S/C HPF, S/C INSERT and LINK controls. The RATIO control has six selectable positions and allows the user to choose the slope of the compressor curve with values ranging from 1. 5:1 to 8:1. The THRESHOLD control allows the user to adjust the point where the compression starts, going from -25dBu to +20dBu. The GAIN control adds a make-up gain ranging from -6dB to +20dB. The S/C HPF is 12dB per octave with continuous sequence control from 20Hz to 250Hz. This feature can be immensely useful for making the compressor respond to a smaller extent to the powerful (and often with a lot of sustain) low frequencies of a mix or instrument, which could otherwise make the compressor respond with a “mushy” sound. The SC INSERT has an always-active send/return for the compressor side-chain, which can be used to insert a more adjustable EQ in order to further sculpt the compressor's response, or as a way to insert a key signal into the return, controlling the compression through a separate source to intervene on the signal when the “key” signal goes beyond the threshold. LINK connects the control voltage of the two channels, so that when one channel is activated the other will also behave the same way. This often helps to maintain a solid central image in a stereo source.Note: for stereo sources, it is always better to listen to the “slinked” signal anyway, since the vaulted link can reduce the stereo amplitude when the compressors are “triggered” only on one side.FeaturesClassic diode bridge sound: evokes the sound used in many hits of the last 50 years.Advanced timing controls: customize the envelope of your compression with unified timing controls, which enable a wide range of responses sound compared to clones or vintage units.Custom transformers and Class A line amplifiers: vintage warmth meets the precision and improved headroom of line stages with a pair of Rupert Neve transformers. 31 position controls: recall and accurately match your settings with speed and precision.Integrated parallel compression: the internal blend control allows you to work with up to full-wave Sidechain Detection interventions: an improvement compared to the design of vintage half-wave units. The new sidechain detector is much more accurate. Stereo Linking: uses the compressor in stereo or dual mono configuration.Universal internal power supply: EIC connection for a worldwide compatible AC power supply, 90-240V in a 1U chassis