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Please fill out the form below and a Vintage King Audio Consultant will contact you with a ship date for the BAE 500C 500 Series FET Compressor.
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The BAE 500C is a 500-series FET compressor inspired by the legendary Universal Audio 1176. Built using a classic transformer coupled design and premium components like BAE’s patented 2520-style op-amps, the BAE 500C captures the classic FET sound heard on countless hit records from the 60s and 70s.
The 500C uses BAE’s proprietary discreet 2520-style op-amps and output transformer to deliver a transparent and warm sound. Just like the original 1176, the BAE 500C features variable controls for attack and release, a “fixed” threshold, and an array of useful compression ratios, making it a go-to choice for a wide range of musical applications—everything from drums to bass to vocals. The 500C is housed in a sturdy, all metal enclosure, so it’s durable enough to last through extensive use.
The BAE 500C features an intuitive design with easy-to-use controls. At the top, input and output controls adjust the amount of signal fed to the gain reduction circuit and output stages, enabling you to dial in the optimal gain stage. The 12-segment LED meter on the left provides visual feedback over your gain reduction up to -20 dB. Easy-to-use attack and release controls offer simple options for “slow” and “fast,” encouraging engineers to fine-tune the unit by ear for extremely musical results.
At the bottom, the ratio knob allows you to select from six different ratios. Unlike the original 1176 which only offers ratios of 4, 8, 12 and 20, the BAE 500C introduces a 2:1 ratio for subtle compression—perfect for the mix bus! Since the BAE500C does not use push-button ratio controls like the 1176, a sixth “ABI” ratio was added to capture the unmistakable sound of “all buttons-in mode”
Three push buttons on the bottom expand the capabilities of the BAE500C well beyond the original 1176, making it one of the most versatile FET compressors available. The bypass button bypasses the unit for quickly A/B-ing EQ compressor effects. The HPF engages a high-pass filter, enabling thick, rich lows with tight, punchy mids and highs. Finally, the GR OFF button disables the gain reduction feature of the BAE500C, giving your signals thick, rich analog tone without any of the compression.
Great! Make my track stand out!
The BAE 500c 500 Series FET Compressor is a EXCELLENT piece of gear! The sound is smooth and rich and just everything passed through it sound fantastic! My only grip is no link options but other then that if you thinking about it , just get it you will love it!. This is just hands down a great piece of gear. I definitely will be buying another one even though they don’t have a link option as of yet 😉just to have two 😂
The best gear advice always comes from those who use it the most. That's where you come in! Let the pro audio world hear your voice with a review of the BAE 500C 500 Series FET Compressor . Once you submit your review, please check your email and verify your address to have it posted.
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