In my constant search for everything Neve, I ran across this red hot piece of rack candy. The Black Lion Audio AGB Compressor. This is the latest in hardware from this impressive company. I’ve got a feeling this company is gonna become even more well known than it already is, especially given the price of this. When I first saw the rumors of this compressor, my initial thought was EXPENSIVE, but somehow through the grace of some cosmic miracle, these guys are selling this at the introductory rate of $895!!!!!! Simply amazing. I’ll be honest with you, if I made a TWO channel compressor modeled after a Neve 33609 series, I would make you name you first born son Rupert (in honor of the great Rupert Neve) then you would have to compete in a local dance off to save a rec center from being torn down by some evil big business man who wants to make a strip mall. AND that’s just for the interview to let me determine IF I would sell this to you. Then I would charge you well into the $2,000 range and then after you leave, swim around in my huge pile of cash. But then again, these people are upstanding citizens who want the best possible sound for you in your recordings and I’m just some dude who has no life and sweats when he eats.
Introducing another member of the BLA product line: the AGB Compressor. An homage to the venerable Neve 33609, the AGB is a two-channel diode compressor and limiter housed in a 2U rack mount chassis. Imagine a quick, responsive, low-noise compressor with powerful control features. It does everything from smooth and easy compression to weird rhythmic clicks to funky envelope tricks. It’s insanely fast and doesn’t choke when you really push it. Strap it across your drum bus and smash away. Give your snare a nice, dense crack. Use it for program material. The slower attack mode is great for vocals. Whatever you use it on, you’ll find it does the job well, and without raising the noise floor.
So where does our design differ from the original? For one, the signal path is a fully balanced, opamp-based circuit. While we’re using rotary potentiometers instead of stepped potentiometers, we’ve given you more control over things like input level and attack time. Like the original, the AGB uses input, interstage, and output transformers.
Features:
COMPRESSOR SECTION
Threshold: -20dB to about +10dB.
Ratio:1.5:1 to 6:1.
Release:100ms to 1.5 seconds.
Slow Attack:Standard setting is fastest and is designed to catch transient spikes. When pushed in, the attack response time slows down by a factor of about 10 to compensate for slower moving parts like vocals.
Key In: When pushed in it switches the detector’s sample signal from the standard input signal to the “key input” jack on the back of the unit.
Compress In: Engages the compressor.
LIMITER SECTION
Threshold: +4 to +15dB. This is post makeup gain, so raising the makeup gain can raise the level of the output signal enough trigger the limiter.
Release: 50ms to 600ms.
Fast Attack: Cuts the attack response time for the limiter in half.
Limit In– Engages the limiter section. The limiter is triggered from the output, so the compressor section’s signal reduction will reduce the signal’s triggering of the limiter. The limiter could also work without the compressor engaged just as the compressor can still work without the limiter engaged.
Stereo Link: Puts the unit into stereo mode. This runs both channels of compression and limiting from the detector in Channel 1. In link mode, Channel 1’s compressor and limiter settings control both channels. Input trim and makeup gain settings for each channel remain independent of each other.
Makeup Gain: Compensates for the signal reduction from compression. Bypassing the compressor bypasses the makeup gain stage.
Gain Reduction Meters: Monitors the amount of signal reduction by both the compression stage and the limiter stage. In stereo mode, both meters will track the same because both are triggering from Channel 1’s detector circuit.
Pricing
Although we will be offering the AGB Compressor for $995, for a very limited time you can pick one up for our introductory price of just $895!!
(+ $30/$35 shipping within the continental United States; for International orders, shipping prices will vary).
Ordering Your New Black Lion Audio AGB Comp
Please contact them directly at 773-549-1885 or email them to order yours now.
