Aphex 651 Compressor (Expressor)

These are rudeboy compressors that dress in sheeps clothing. They are such good compressors, especially for bass, but they are also very transparent. If you drive them a bit you get a beautiful harmonic saturation that's unique to these vintage units. It like the red just a little bit.The Expressor has a bit of a reputation for being one of the most transparent compressors around. It's a side-chain compressor with a lo-shelf and a high frequency restoration processor called HFX. HFX is basically an EQ boost only on the gain-reduced part of the signal. Despite this, the signal can still be crushed to bits if that is your sort of thing

The 651 combines a state of the art compression circuit with a high frequency expansion circuit to maintain sparkling harmonics in your signal, even when applying heavy compression. Included is an exclusive SPR circuit to restore bass clarity and definition, Servo balancing, extensive LED monitoring of every stage in unit, sidechaining, and more.

The 651 is very hard to find in good working condition, but mine has been tested and works flawlessly.

Built like a tank, and perform the same. Hard to find, and a well-kept secret if you ask me.

• Old school analog circuitry delivers clean, fast, natural compression and gain reduction
  
• The SPR feature restores low end definition making this unit a perfect companion to any bass rig
  
• the HFX feature restores the high end, so there's no audible loss of the sparkle, nuances, or articulation in your playing
  
• Ratio and attack controls will add some really usable coloration