Up for sale is the Alta Moda Audio Hippo, a high-performance stereo VCA bus compressor that takes the classic 1980s "British Console" sound and supercharges it with modern features. If you love the snap and glue of an SSL-style compressor but want more flexibility and character, the Hippo is an absolute sleeper hit.

The Hippo is famous for its "Warmth" circuit, which adds rich harmonic distortion to fatten up tracks, making it much more than just a dynamics processor. It’s equally at home on the mix bus, drum groups, or even during tracking thanks to its unique dual-mono capability.

Key Features:

• Classic VCA Topology: Delivers the legendary "glue" and punch associated with the world's most famous mix bus compressors.
• Warmth Control: A 6-position switch that adds varying degrees of harmonic saturation to add "vibe" and weight to your mix.
• Blend Control: Integrated wet/dry knob for instant parallel compression without complex routing.
• Enhanced Sidechain Filter: 6-position high-pass filter (60Hz to 300Hz) to keep your low end from pumping the compressor.
• Dual/Stereo Detectors: A unique feature that allows you to unlink the detectors (Dual mode) for better stereo imaging or use them as two matched mono compressors.
• Extended Control Ranges: Offers a wider range of attack, release, and ratio settings than standard bus compressors.
• High-Resolution Metering: Dual 20-segment gain reduction meters for precise monitoring of both channels.

Condition: This unit has been part of a high-end, professionally maintained studio in Los Angeles. It is in Excellent / Mint condition, having been protected in a high-current 500-series rack. It functions perfectly and sounds fantastic.

Note on Format: The Alta Moda Hippo occupies 2 slots in a standard 500-series rack.

Technical Specs

• Format: 2-Slot 500 Series
• Bypass: Hard-wire relay bypass (gold-contact)
• Metering: 20-segment LED
• Sidechain HPF: 60, 90, 120, 200, 300 Hz
• Warmth Settings: 6-position harmonic distortion