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 lifeforce. The Dangerous COMPRESSOR points the way to the future of dynamics.
TRANSPARENTLY BEAUTIFUL
Compressors fall into two categories: “color boxes” capable of drastically changing the sonics, of which hundreds exist, and the far more challenging to design “transparent units” that control dynamics without introducing obvious audio artifacts. The Dangerous COMPRESSOR is decidedly in the latter category, delivering crystal clear compression that allows you to easily alter and control dynamics without drastically changing the original sound. But don’t let the word ‘transparency’ trick you into thinking The COMPRESSOR doesn’t sound gorgeous – like all Dangerous gear, the low end is big and powerful, the mids maintain texture and detail, and the top-end is open and deeply engaging, even during very active gain reduction. When pushed to its outer limits, the patina is classic 1980’s FM radio. This level of open musicality is unique even among the small field of transparent compressors, putting The COMPRESSOR in a class of its own where sounding transparent and beautiful is no longer a paradox.
BEYOND VERSATILITY
The Dangerous COMPRESSOR is so transparent and simple to operate, it works on any source (vocals, drums, mix buss…), style (Jazz, Hip Hop, Pop, Metal, R&B…) and can handle an array of tasks often left to automation and EQ during tracking, mixing and mastering. Few compressors are as versatile. Tedious vocal level rides can be handed over to The Dangerous COMPRESSOR’s VCA as if it were a trusted assistant intuitively riding a fader. Use the internal sidechain EQ curves to tame a sibilant vocal or to let deep bass punch through untouched, or both simultaneously. Effortlessly peak-limit a master in the analog realm and dispense with your digital limiter using the unique Smart Dynamics feature. Patch an EQ into the external side chain for dynamic EQ across the midrange, or use the two channels as independent mono units, or in series to achieve ultra-transparent “cascaded compression.” Beyond versatility, The Dangerous COMPRESSOR invites you to creatively solve sonic problems without worrying about unwanted artifacts.
Hand assembled in the USA, at the heart of The Dangerous COMPRESSOR is a unique and unparalleled audiophile-grade circuit by legendary designer Chris Muth. In typical Dangerous fashion, nothing is sacrificed, and The COMPRESSOR delivers intelligent, innovative, easy-to-use features with unsurpassed sound.
DUAL DETECTORS
When linked in stereo, most compressors take the left and right signals, combine them to mono and send that to their detector circuit. This causes the loudest elements in the center to dominate information in the sides and worse yet, any out of phase information will either be ignored or exaggerated.
The COMPRESSOR utilizes two totally independent RMS detectors with a nuanced and sophisticated circuit that governs how the left and right channels work together in stereo. This allows The COMPRESSOR to deliver crystal clear and rock solid stereo imaging when processing 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 – great on kick and snare, for example – or you can “cascade” the two channels into each other for ultra-transparent compression with peak limiting – a great technique for automatically riding a vocal, a spiky lead instrument, or anywhere that powerful and transparent control is demanded.
SMART DYNAMICS
By engaging “SmartDyn,” you turn on The COMPRESSOR’s unique “dual slope” detector circuits, allowing you to control fast transient peaks without causing average volume levels to drop. This lets you maintain higher average volume levels while avoiding the pumping artifacts commonly incurred when pushing toward the expectations of modern loudness. Smart Dynamics is equally helpful when tracking a dynamic singer or mixing a snappy drum kit, and most users end up leaving the “SmartDyn” button engaged at all times. With its dual detector working in conjunction with Smart Dynamics, The COMPRESSOR’s circuit design is so agile that it seems to possess artificial intelligence.
AUTO ATTACK & RELEASE
And if it wasn’t already easy enough to get powerful and transparent compression, The COMPRESSOR also includes an automatic attack and release setting that allows you dial in your sound simply using the threshold and make-up gain knobs. If you need more precise settings for attack and release, simply press the “Manual Att/Rel” button and start tweaking.
ON-BOARD SIDE CHAIN FILTERS
The COMPRESSOR includes two instantly bypassable audiophile-grade side-chain EQs that feed the detector circuit…no complex patching necessary. Bass Cut turns down low-end below 60Hz, so it will not overreact to low frequency content or create “pumping” along with the beat. The Sibilance Boost utilizes the BAX EQ’s ultra-linear high-end shelf to push more treble content into the detector, which causes The COMPRESSOR to dynamically attenuate sibilance and other unwanted spikes of high-end like harsh cymbals, blaring loops or erratic acoustic guitar strums – great on vocals during tracking or mixing, or on a whole mix during mastering.
VU AND LED METERING
The dual VU meters can show you gain reduction, input or output levels. There is a -6dB offset button so that loud material is always hovering in a usable range, perfect for visually monitoring average levels. What VUs can’t show you are the lightning transients. So nuanced, even a single transient crossing the threshold will register. Together, the VU and LED meters provide critical insights into the intricate inner workings of the COMPRESSOR in action.
AUDIOPHILE COMPONENTS THROUGHOUT
Chris Muth’s fastidious designs call for only the highest quality components even in areas of the circuit that don’t pass audio. Detector and control voltage circuits (which lie at the heart of any compressor but are not in the audio path) are often built from substandard components in order to cut costs. However, these detector components dictate how well any compressor behaves, and if you seek nuance and intelligence you’ll adore the COMPRESSOR.
