Neve 2254/A Pair #5009/6187 in VK Rack (Vintage)

Rich, fat, gluey. Great for thickening up various tracks.

Limiter
Ratio: more than 100:1
Level: adjustable from +4dbm to +12dbm in increments of 0.5dbm
Attack time: Fixed
Recovery time: 100mS, 200mS, 800mS, Auto

Compressor
Ratio: 1.5:1, 2:1, 3:1, 4:1, 6:1.
Threshold: -20 to +10 dBm
Attack time: fixed 5ms
Recovery time: 400ms, 800ms, 1500ms, Auto


One of the landmark innovations in audio gear. Since its first appearance in 1969, the Neve 2254 Mono Limiter/Compressor has become a legend. With all-discrete Class A circuitry, transformer-coupled inputs, and many innovations - like its bridge-driver design - the 2254 created a totally unique sound that can only be described as 'Neve'.

The famous 2254 series of compressor limiters had its birth in the Neve 2253, which was a limiter designed for broadcast use in accordance with the Experimental and Development Department (EDD) of the Independent Broadcast Authority (IBA), a regulatory body set up in the UK in 1972.

By adding a compression side chain to the original design, the 2254 was born. In its original configuration, the 2254 was used in both broadcast and recording consoles as built-in units, usually as part of the meter bridge.

Unlike many other compressors, the 2254 does not use a FET, opto-attenuator or VCA to create gain reduction, but employs a diode bridge for this purpose, which is biased by the compressor and the limiter. This creates about a 40dB loss at the attenuator and another 20dB at the gain make up stage, thus requiring about 60db of gain, which is accomplished by lowering the attenuation.

Controls include:

• Bypass
• separate Limit and Compress in/out
• Ratio
• Input/Control/Output metering
• Gain Makeup
• Threshold
• Limit Level
• Variable Limit Recovery : 100ms, 200ms, 800ms and Auto
• Variable Compression Recovery : 400ms, 800ms, 1.5s and Auto.