Dangerous Music Compressor

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AT WAR WITH THE LOUDNESS WAR

We’re not going to hide our intentions: when we set out to design The Dangerous COMPRESSOR, we spent over two years figuring out how to achieve modern levels of limiting and compression while avoiding the deadening effects of today’s ultra-limited productions. We make gear that helps you deliver the impact, punch and clarity that brings music to life, and when it comes to compression and limiting our answer was not to avoid it like some purists might, but to deliver an audiophile-grade tool that provides powerful compression and limiting without robbing the music of its life force. The Dangerous COMPRESSOR points the way to the future of dynamics.

TRANSPARENTLY BEAUTIFUL

Compressors fall into two basic categories: so-called “colorboxes” capable of drastically changing sound, of which there are hundredsavailable, and the much more difficult to design “transparent units” thatcontrol dynamics without introducing obvious sonic artifacts. The DangerousCOMPRESSOR is decidedly in the latter category, delivering crystal clearcompression that allows you to easily alter and control dynamics withoutdrastically changing the original sound. But don’t let the word ‘transparency’trick you into thinking The COMPRESSOR doesn’t sound beautiful – like allDangerous gear, the low end is big and powerful, the mids maintain texture anddetail, and the top-end is open and deeply engaging, even during very activegain reduction. This level of open musicality is unique even among the smallfield of transparent compressors, putting The COMPRESSOR in a class of its ownwhere sounding transparent and beautiful is no longer a paradox.

BEYOND VERSATILITY

Because The Dangerous COMPRESSOR is so transparent and simple tooperate, it can handle a wide range of tasks often left to automation and eqduring tracking, mixing and mastering. Few compressors are as versatile.Tedious vocal level rides can be handed over to The Dangerous COMPRESSOR’s VCA asif it were a trusted assistant intuitively riding a fader. Use the internalsidechain EQ curves to tame a sibilant vocal or to let deep bass punch throughuntouched, or both simultaneously. Effortlessly peak-limit a master in theanalog realm and dispense with your digital limiter using the unique SmartDynamics feature. Patch an eq into the  external side chain for dynamic eqacross the midrange, or use the two channels as independent mono units, or inseries to achieve ultra-transparent “cascaded compression.” Beyond versatility,The Dangerous COMPRESSOR invites you to creatively solve sonic problems withoutworrying about unwanted sonic artifacts.

A NO COMPROMISE DESIGN WITH UNIQUE FEATURES

Hand assembled in the USA, at the heart of The Dangerous COMPRESSORis a unique and unparalleled audiophile-grade circuit by legendary designerChris Muth. In typical Dangerous fashion, nothing is sacrificed, and TheCOMPRESSOR delivers intelligent, innovative, easy-to-use features withunsurpassed sound.

Dual Detectors – The COMPRESSOR utilizes two totallyindependent RMS detectors with a nuanced and sophisticated circuit that governshow the left and right channels work together in stereo. This allows TheCOMPRESSOR to deliver crystal clear and rock solid stereo imaging whenprocessing a full mix, a drum buss, a finished master or any stereo material.What’s more, you can use each channel as an independent mono compressor – greaton kick and snare, for example – or you can “cascade” the two channels intoeach other for ultra-transparent compression with peak limiting – a greattechnique for automatically riding a vocal, a spiky lead instrument, oranywhere that powerful and transparent control is needed.

Smart Dynamics – By engaging “SmartDyn,” you turn on TheCOMPRESSOR’s unique “dual slope” detector circuits, allowing you to controlfast transient peaks without causing average volume levels to drop. This letsyou maintain higher average volume levels while avoiding the pumping artifactscommonly incurred when pushing toward the expectations of modern loudness.Smart Dynamics is equally helpful when tracking a dynamic singer or mixing asnappy drum kit, and most users end up leaving the “SmartDyn” button engaged atall times. With its dual detector working in conjunction with Smart Dynamics,The COMPRESSOR’s circuit design is so agile that it seems to possess artificialintelligence.

Auto Attack & Release – And if it wasn’t already easyenough to get powerful and transparent compression, The COMPRESSOR alsoincludes an automatic attack and release setting that allows you dial in yoursound simply using the threshold and make-up gain knobs. If you need moreprecise settings for attack and release, simply press the “Manual Att/Rel”button and start tweaking.

On-Board Side Chain Filters – The COMPRESSOR includes twoaudiophile-grade side-chain EQs that you can turn on and off at the push of abutton…no complex patching necessary. Bass Cut turns down low-end below 60Hz,assuring that the detector is not overreacting to low-end content or“breathing” along with the beat. The Sibilance Boost utilizes the BAX EQ’sultra-linear high-end shelf to push more treble content into the detector,which causes The COMPRESSOR to dynamically attenuate sibilance and otherunwanted spikes of high-end like harsh cymbals or erratic acoustic guitarstrums – great on vocals during tracking or mixing, or on a whole mixduring mastering.

VU and LED Metering – The dual VU meters can show you gainreduction, input or output levels.   There is a -6dB offset button sothat loud material is always hovering in a usable range, perfect for visuallymonitoring average levels. What VUs can’t show you are the fast transient leapspast threshold, and that’s where the dual LED meters come in. Together, the VUand LED meters provide two important insights into the nuanced inner workingsof The COMPRESSOR in action.

Audiophile Components Throughout – Chris Muth’s fastidiousdesigns call for only the highest quality components in areas of the circuitthat don’t even pass audio. Detector and control voltage circuits (which lie atthe heart of any compressor but are not in the audio path) are often built fromsubstandard components in order to cut costs. However, these detectorcomponents have a major impact on how any compressor performs, especially withthe high standards we set for achieving the nuanced and intelligent compressionyou’ll get out of The COMPRESSOR.

COMBINE TO TASTE

Whether you’re tracking, mixing or mastering, The DangerousCOMPRESSOR works beautifully with vintage analog gear or patched into today’scutting-edge digital systems, allowing you to achieve truly modern levelswithout the undesired artifacts that plague so many modern productions. Combineit with our ultra-transparent BAX EQ for one of the most open EQ/Compressorcombinations possible, perfect for mastering or mixing. Place The DangerousCOMPRESSOR after any “color box” — a console, a vintage tube compressor, afunky EQ, or all three together — and you can dial in the exact dynamics youwant without having to rely on the often unruly controls of yesteryear’s gear.

THE WORLD’S MOST INTELLIGENT ANALOG COMPRESSOR

With its sophisticated dual detector circuit, unique SmartDynamics section, automatic attack and release function, unmatched versatilityand incredibly transparent, audiophile-grade sound, The COMPRESSOR fromDangerous Music is today’s most intelligent analog compressor. Taking modernloudness seriously while prioritizing clear, open sound, The COMPRESSOR ispioneering a new and innovative approach to modern compression for today’s mostdiscriminating tracking, mixing and mastering engineers.

FEATURES

• Elegant, easy-to-use design with an uncompromising audio circuit by legendary designer Chris Muth.
• Unique Smart Dynamics dual-slope detector handles transient peaks without ducking the average level, making modern compression levels easier to achieve and totally transparent.
• Auto Attack/Release – achieve excellent results with just the threshold and makeup gain settings.
• Two audiophile-grade internal sidechain eq settings.
• Hard and soft knee slope selection.
• External sidechain routing.
• Audiophile-grade VCAs for controlling levels without artifacts.
• Stepped ratio settings from 1:1 to 20:1.
• Multiple meter modes.

AWARDS

• TEC Award (winner)
• Rockit Award (winner)
• Resolution Award (nominated)
• Sound on Sound Awards (nominated)