Gear Hunter

PHOENIX N90-DCR

Description

500 Series, Mono VCA compressor & gate

This product was originally conceived 20 years ago by David Rees but was never fully released. The Phoenix N90-DRC/500 compressor/gate is designed around a VCA control with Class A discrete input and Class A transformer balanced output. The N90-DRC/500 is intended to be driven 'by ear' .

There are no optimum settings that would cover all situations. It is intended to be very musical and smooth and has quite a wide ranging effect. Musically the progressive curves are very kind - there is no sudden change on passing the threshold and audio processing is virtually "seamless". Technically the progressive curves are achieved using linear detection combined with logarithmic attenuation inside a closed control loop.

"Limiter sound" is still provided by the higher ratios and there is a choice of attack times. The gate is more conventional but it's release time is composite with a hold time followed by a fade time. This makes the gate very versatile in that as well as basic noise reduction it can also provide quite subtle changes to ambience or background.

Specifications
API 500 series compatible rack unit:
Class A (DSOP2) Output specs . Frequency response: 20Hz to 20kHz +- 0.5dB,
Maximum Output gain = +15dBu @ 1kHz, Noise = -90dB @ 20Hz to 20kHz, maximum output from unit is +26db.
Input connections: XLR input on rear of API compatible rack
Phoenix Audio's unique Class A, transformer-less, True electronically balanced buffer amp input stage.

Compressor Section Rotary Controls:
Threshold Settings: From +10db to -30db
Ratio Settings: From 2 to 8
Release Settings: Release time of 0.1 seconds to 3 seconds

Compressor Section Switches
Bypass : engages or bypasses compressor section
Fast : Fast or slow release times
Auto : Auto release of compression

Gate Section Rotary Controls:
Threshold Settings: From 0db to -40db
Range Settings: From 40 to 10
Release Settings: Release time of 0.1 seconds to 2 seconds

Gate Section Switches:
Link: Ability to link multiple modules (up to 8).
Key: External input for gate section, connector is a TT Bantam connector
Gate: Switches the Gate in and out
Compression Meter: LED Metering. (Green = -3dbu, -6dbu -10dbu & -14dBu, Red=
-20dBu and doubles as the Gate Active LED)
Typical Max Headroom: +26dB on output stage