Gainlab Audio Dictator - Vari-mu Compressor

I am selling a brand new Gainlab Audio Dictator Vari-mu Compressor officially sourced from the factory. Feel free to contact me for inquiries and to place an order. Below are additional terms in my store and a description of the device.

• All products are officially sourced from the vendor or distributor.
• I provide a minimum 3-year warranty on all products, or longer depending on the type of product.
• Most products are available for testing on demand in the showroom in Warsaw.
• Every customer in Europe is entitled to a 30-day return policy. This option doesn't cover customers outside the EU.

The Gainlab Audio Dictator is a tube-based dynamic compressor designed after classic vari-mu compressors, theoretically similar to the legendary Fairchild 670 and Gates STA-Level, while also employing contemporary solutions in order to have better control over the sound. Founded by the engineers of Gainlab Studios in Budapest, Hungary, Gainlab Audio has quickly garnered a reputation for providing high-quality, forward-thinking rack gear with the modern engineer in mind. The intention behind the Dictator was to create a master bus and mix bus compressor for mixing — but in experienced hands, it can function equally as a tracking compressor, creative saturator, and sound design tool of the highest order.

Key elements of its design:

• True Dual Pentode Vari-mu Topology The Dictator consists of a pair of pentodes that were mass-produced with exceptional quality during the Warsaw Pact era in countries such as Hungary, East Germany, and Poland. The surrounding circuits of the tube amplifier use the latest technical solutions that allow the most precise parallel channel working characteristics, helping to achieve extreme setup conditions. The military-grade tubes used are the 6k4p-EV (6К4П-EB) long-life pentode.
• Mu-Follower Circuit Architecture The bespoke design of the branch circuits is called the "mu-follower." The two channels of the compressor can provide synchronized running throughout the whole range of the transition curve, so excellent gain reduction can be achieved. The time-wise working parameters and the saturation characteristics are very familiar to those of known tube-based compressors.
• Hi-Comp / Lo-Comp Modes In LOCOMP mode, the Dictator offers a soft ratio and smoother knee reminiscent of the Fairchild 670, while the HICOMP setting offers a much higher ratio and a knee that is much more angular. This gives engineers surgical control over the compressor's aggressivity and character, from a gentle mix glue to assertive dynamic shaping.
• Stepped Attack & Release Controls Attack and release times can be set independently, with attack times ranging from Fastest (15 ms) to Slowest (60 ms), and three release times ranging from Fastest (200 ms), Fast (350 ms), and Slowest (600 ms).
• Contemporary Sidechain Design The unit includes a sidechain high-pass filter with a choice of five frequencies ranging between 22 and 200 Hz, reducing the compressor's sensitivity to low frequencies. The threshold control can be unlinked to offer separate compression of the left and right channels.
• Permalloy Transformers & Modern Line Driver The Dictator features Permalloy transformers and a modern line driver, ensuring maximum headroom, signal integrity, and the warm, weighty transformer character that is the hallmark of great vintage hardware.
• Switchable VU Metering The Dictator offers backlit VU metering, switchable between Reduction and Output level, providing a reliable visual reference point with a warm glow that is easy to read even in dimly lit studio environments.
• Versatile Applications The Dictator can pulse on a master bus, produce crispy saturation alongside never-existed transients and dirty breaks, or work as a simple saturator with minimal dynamic control — making it equally at home in mastering suites, mix sessions, and experimental sound design workflows.

Technical specifications:

• Type: Stereo vari-mu tube compressor (GLA-TC1)
• Tube Complement: Dual military-grade 6k4p-EV (6К4П-EB) long-life pentodes
• Circuit Topology: Mu-follower, Class A
• Transformers: Permalloy input/output transformers
• Compression Modes: HI-COMP (high ratio, angular knee) / LO-COMP (soft ratio, smooth knee)
• Attack Times: Fastest (15 ms) / Slowest (60 ms) — stepped
• Release Times: Fastest (200 ms) / Fast (350 ms) / Slowest (600 ms) — stepped
• Sidechain HPF: 5 positions, 22–200 Hz
• Threshold: Linked (stereo) or unlinked (dual mono) operation
• VU Meters: Backlit, switchable between Gain Reduction and Output level
• Maximum Input Level: +22 dBu
• Input Impedance: >10 kΩ
• Maximum Output Level: +26 dBu
• Output Impedance: <65 Ω
• THD+N: <0.3% (0 dBu)
• Frequency Response: 20 Hz – 20 kHz ±1 dB
• Power: 230 V AC (EU) / 110 V AC (US)
• Form Factor: 2U rack-mount
• Dimensions: 483 × 280 × 89 mm
• Weight: 4.2 kg