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When Dangerous set out to design the Dangerous Music COMPRESSOR, they 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. Dangerous makes gear that helps you deliver the impact, punch and clarity that brings music to life, and when it comes to compression and limiting Dangerous's 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.
Compressors fall into two basic categories: so-called “color boxes” capable of drastically changing sound, of which there are hundreds available, and the much more difficult to design “transparent units” that control dynamics without introducing obvious sonic 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 beautiful – 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. 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.
Because The Dangerous COMPRESSOR is so transparent and simple to operate, it can handle a wide range 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 sonic 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 – 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 needed.
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 audiophile-grade side-chain EQs that you can turn on and off at the push of a button…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’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 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 fast transient leaps past threshold, and that’s where the dual LED meters come in. Together, the VU and LED meters provide two important insights into the nuanced inner workings of The COMPRESSOR in action.
Audiophile Components Throughout – Chris Muth’s fastidious designs call for only the highest quality components in areas of the circuit that don’t even 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 have a major impact on how any compressor performs, especially with the high standards Dangerous set for achieving the nuanced and intelligent compression you’ll get out of The COMPRESSOR.
Whether you’re tracking, mixing or mastering, The Dangerous COMPRESSOR works beautifully with vintage analog gear or patched into today’s cutting-edge digital systems, allowing you to achieve truly modern levels without the undesired artifacts that plague so many modern productions. Combine it with the ultra-transparent BAX EQ for one of the most open EQ/Compressor combinations possible, perfect for mastering or mixing. Place The Dangerous COMPRESSOR after any “color box” — a console, a vintage tube compressor, a funky EQ, or all three together — and you can dial in the exact dynamics you want without having to rely on the often unruly controls of yesteryear’s gear.
With its sophisticated dual detector circuit, unique Smart Dynamics section, automatic attack and release function, unmatched versatility and incredibly transparent, audiophile-grade sound, The COMPRESSOR from Dangerous Music is today’s most intelligent analog compressor. Taking modern loudness seriously while prioritizing clear, open sound, The COMPRESSOR is pioneering a new and innovative approach to modern compression for today’s most discriminating tracking, mixing and mastering engineers.
It's essentially transparent; you need good sources as this won't by itself make a mediocre recording sound better. If you understand the difference between compression effects and coloration then you'll know how special this unit is for mixing and mastering. Use the sidechain and it becomes spectacularly versatile and effective. Can make other compressors you love for their sound seem more like one trick ponies when it comes to effective use of compression. You may have to work hard to get something like a spectacular drum sound out of it (at least I had to). But beyond that it can do most everything else.
Really loved this compressor. I was using my Gbus SSL comp on my master and now added this which gives me exactly what the SSL doesn’t. Super clear and clean compression. And you can push it really hard without losing dynamics
What an amazing piece of gear to own! This is such a transparent compressor and is definitely helping to GLUE my mixes together. I use it primarily as a master bus compressor, and LOVE IT! Thank you Vintage King and Dangerous Music!
Strapped on every mix. Not going anywhere anytime soon. Thank you Jacob!
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 Dangerous Music COMPRESSOR Stereo Bus Compressor . Once you submit your review, please check your email and verify your address to have it posted.
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