Overview
The Platinum ComPounder™ is a high performance, dual mono compressor/limiter/gate, designed for the quality-conscious audio professional and project studio owner. This highly featured unit is an essential tool for any style of music. The combination of high quality compression with the powerful Bass Expander, make this unit a must-have for any dance music engineer, musician, or club installer.
The compressor in the ComPounder™ features Class A amplification and a custom VCA circuit design derived from the legendary Red 3 Dual Compressor/Limiter, resulting in superb sound and very low distortion. Soft and Hard Knee compression curves and a wide ratio control that takes you beyond infinity for that classic pumping sound, means you have substantial control over compression. With the unique Bass Expander section you can make kick drums and bass riffs far more powerful and effective. The bass expander circuit uses a unique wire-wound inductor to generate extra bass harmonics, fattening up low frequency signals. Add to this the single ‘Huge’ feature and be afraid, be very afraid!
The unique opto circuit featured in the ComPounder’s two Gate/Expander sections ensures quiet operation with no pops or clicks. With a complete set of controls you have accurate control over gating, and the expand switch ensures professional noise reduction on difficult audio tracks such as vocals.
A matched pair of high quality Optos offers improved performance over standard VCA limiter designs which tend to add high levels of distortion, even when they are not limiting. The Limiter features a Class A low distortion design and accurate threshold control to ensure quality precision limiting. The limiter enables you to prevent overload when recording via any A/D converter.
Finally, the link feature enables the ComPounder to act as a true stereo processor, enabling complete stereo control of every parameter. When switched to ‘link’, the left channel becomes the master section and controls both left and right compressor and limiter sections simultaneously. Unlinking allows you to operate the unit as a dual mono device, processing two separate channels independently.
HUGE
With the unique Bass Expander section you can make kick drums and bass riffs far more powerful and effective. The bass expander circuit uses a unique wire-wound inductor to generate extra bass harmonics, fattening up low frequency signals. Add to this the single ‘Huge’ feature and be afraid, be very afraid!
Specifications
Compressor
• Threshold: Range -24dB to 12dB
• Ratio: 1.3:1 through ° (infinity) to over compression
• Slope: select between hard and soft knee
• Attack and Release: Variable or auto (program dependent)
• Attack: 100µs to 100ms
• Release: 100ms to 4s
Limiter
• Threshold Range: 12dBu to 26dBu
• Ratio: (infinity)
• Attack: Fast
Gate
• Threshold Range: -40dB to +10dB
• Gate Range: -20dB or -80dB(full)
• Attack: switched fast or slow
• Release/Hold: variable or fixed 100ms to 4s
• Expander Ratio: 2:1
Inputs
• Electronically balanced, impedance 20kOhm, nominal level +4dBu/-10dBV switchable
Outputs
• Electronically balanced, impedance 50kOhm, nominal level +4dBu
• Unbalanced, ground compensated, impedance 75Ohm, nominal level -10dBV
Headroom
• 22dB
THD
• +6dBr, all sections IN, no gain reduction: < 0.006% (80kHz BW)
• Distortion during gain reduction is determined by the attack and release times set
Noise (22kHz)
• -100dBr (compressor OUT)
• -87dBr (compressor IN)
Frequency Response
• 5Hz - 200kHz +0/-2dB
Weight
• 4.15kg
• 9.1Ibs
Dimensions
• 480mm (W) x 44mm (H) x 254mm (D)
• 19" (W) x 1.7" (H) x 10" (D)
Reviews
EQ Magzine quotes
July 99
"The ComPounder amounts to a very fine combination of features with the sort of performance and quality you take for granted with Focusrite at any price point."
Sound on Sound Magazine quotes
May 99
"The Compounder is a powerful, flexible and well behaved addition to the Platinum range, and its bass enhancer is a genuinely useful bonus."
Your Thoughts
"This is a serious unit. Top quality at a very reasonable price. At under £400 it is the only compressor in its class that really does the job. The bass expand facility is truly amazing."
Nathan McCree, Meode Studios, Creator of Tomb Raider Score
"My first compressor - I cannot imagine that there are better ones than this. A soft killer!"
Eric Schneider, Cologne, Germany
"The Class A compressor sounds perfect – it’s an excellent machine!!"
Arvanitakis Apostolos, Thesaloniki, Greece
"My first compressor - I cannot imagine that there are better ones than this. A soft killer!"
Eric Schneider, Cologne, Germany
"The Class A compressor sounds perfect - it?s an excellent machine!!"
Arvanitakis Apostolos, Thesaloniki, Greece
"Outstanding! The mutt’s nuts! It’s an invaluable tool. On complete mixes it kicks ass."
James Yarde, Beckenham, UK
"Very nice, like the Bass Expander knob!"
Franssen Stanny Productions, Belgium
"It is outrageously good and versatile. You would have to pay more than double to better it."
Nick Blundell, Middlesex, UK
"Good creative tool, very hands on, user friendly."
Michael Wells (GTO /Technohead)
"Great sounding compressor, good quality gate."
Alex Lakey, Virgin Radio, London
"Ace. Sounds cool and looks cool."
Stephen Finn, Bexhill-on-Sea, UK
"Great Sound. I was caught by surprise as to how good it was."
Martin Ramirez, New York
"A versatile, smooth, sounding unit, Great for the Songwriting studio owner."
James L Leech, Gloucestershire
"Top Notch!!!"
Michael Henderson, California
"Clean sound, Really fat, the "huge" is too much!!!"
Geoffrey Bastiaans
"Very Tight, Accurate, Clean and punchy. Well Laid out?What I want!!"
James Hartley, Nottingham
"Kicks Ass! Very clean."
Michael Smith, Bloomfield USA
