Studio Applications:
The compressor is the feature attraction of the 1960. Because of the soft knee characteristic, which applies more compression as the signal rises above the threshold, there is no ratio control. The amount of compression is set using the Threshold control with signals below the threshold receiving no gain reduction, and signals well above threshold receiving a greater amount of gain reduction. The Gain control of the compressor section makes up for the gain reduction to bring the average compressed signal level back to normal. The Threshold and Gain controls are interactive. Set the Threshold first so that you hear the desired amount of compression, then set the Gain for the proper output level.

The input source for each channel of the compressor is selectable between mic, line or the Auxiliary (DI) input. Each compressor channel has its own dedicated mic and line inputs while the single Auxiliary input can be selected for either or both compressor channels. The input selection switch also serves as the phantom power switch for the channel's mic input.

Attack time is set with a three position (fast, medium and slow) switch. Typically a slow attack is appropriate for sources like drums where you wish to preserve initial transients, while faster attacks are appropriate for sources which vary over a wide range of volume but without sharp transients, such as a vocal. The Release time is set with a six position switch with the first four positions being fixed rates from 400 ms to 4 seconds, and the last two being program dependent, 200 ms - 4 seconds or 400 ms to 20 seconds. This is a compressor which you should adjust by ear, not by eye or by rote. Because of its attack and release characteristic curves, the 1960 is particularly well suited for compressing kick drums, bass, and drum room mics for obtaining that very open drum sound.

The two channels can be linked for stereo operation with a switch. In this mode, both sets of controls affect the operation of the compressor, but the settings combine, applying the same gain reduction, attack, and release rates to both channels.

A side chain insert jack provides a patch point for connecting an equalizer into the compressor's detector path, allowing frequency dependent gain reduction. Typically a high frequency boost here is used to reduce sibilance (de-essing). Similarly, a low frequency cut will raise the compressor's threshold at low frequencies, allowing the "whomp" of a bass drum to pass through without reducing the level of the rest of the program material. These are useful techniques when the 1960 is used as a "bus compressor", to smooth out a final stereo mix.

The Output switch has two positions other than Normal. In the Bypass position, the gain reduction function is disabled, but the tube signal path remains, allowing you to overdrive the compressor's tube stages to add "grunge" without changing the dynamics. In the S/C Listen position, the compressor's side chain, rather than its output, is sent to the Output jack, allowing you to fine tune an equalizer inserted in the side chain. In the S/C Listen position, you can zero in on the offending sibilant frequencies, then switch back to Normal to hear what you've accomplished.

The Microphone preamps are fairly conventional. Phantom power is switched on or off using the Input Selector switch in the compressor section. A Clip LED adjacent to each gain control indicates the onset of clipping in the mic preamp stage. A good rule of thumb is to raise the gain control until you see the Clip indicator flash occasionally, then back it off a few dB.

The Auxiliary instrument input is suitable for both active and passive instrument pickups as well as electronic keyboards. A Low/High sensitivity switch sets the input attenuation to accommodate either pickups or line level outputs without exceeding the range of the Gain control. This input has a tube stage at its output, so raising the Aux input gain serves to overdrive the tube for the desired amount of tube distortion. The Bass and Treble controls are similar to the tone controls on an instrument amplifier while the Bright switch provides the treble boost typically associated with electric guitars.

Live Sound:
Because of its simplicity of operation and classic sound, the 1960 makes a great vocal front end for a singer where some color and control is required to make the voice really stand out. Since there is often little time in a live sound situation for making fine adjustments, the fixed compressor attack and release times are quicker to set than continuously adjustable controls. A good starting point is with the attack time set to the fast or medium position, with release time set to Position 5, moderate program dependent release time. Set the mic preamp gain as described above, then adjust the Threshold for an eyeball average of about 6 dB of gain reduction. Bring the level back to normal using the compressor's Gain control and you're set to go. The compressor also works well on a kick drum. Use the Attack control to allow the initial attack through if you desire an explosive sound or slow it down with a faster attack and drive the compressor heavily for a more extended thunderous roll.

The 1960 is equally at home in the processing rack of the guitarist or bassist. The Aux Input is a good match for almost any pickup while it's tube stage provides controllable distortion obtained by setting the input volume of a conventional guitar amplifier high. Effects can be patched in through the Insert jacks prior to the compressor if compression of the effect is desired. Note that the 1960 has two sets of insert jacks, one for devices operating at the pro level of +4 dBu, the other operating at instrument or semi-pro level of -10 dBV, thus both pro studio effects as well as stomp boxes can be accommodated easily.

Installed Sound Applications:
While the strength of the 1960 lies in its ability to add subtle coloration that is often lost in installed sound systems, it still has some useful applications. With the compressor set for medium attack (2) and long program dependent release (6), it makes an excellent leveler for background music fed to the Line input. When it's necessary to interrupt the music for paging, the input can easily be switched to a microphone. Since there are two channels available, a simple dual zone system, for example, a storefront and warehouse, can be set up by paralleling the two line inputs and feeding them from a mono background music source. Connect a microphone to the channel which feeds the warehouse and pages to the warehouse will not interrupt the music in the store.

Studio Applications:
The 1961 can be used anywhere you need an equalizer. While we think it's a great companion to the 1960 compress/preamp, if you're using a really clean solid state microphone preamp, the 1961's tube electronics can be effective in warming up the sound, either in line with the preamp's output when tracking or inserted into the processing chain during mixdown. Give the kick drum a massive boost at around 100 Hz. The 1961 has plenty of headroom and can take it. Sweep the mid-range bands around to reduce annoying nasal qualities in a voice or add presence, and try boosting the 25 kHz range with a wide bandwidth to add air to a vocal sound.

For mastering, the switched center frequencies are valuable because you can easily annotate your work and repeat settings.

Live Sound Applications:
Just as in the studio, the 1961 can be used to add tube warmth to sterile console mic preamps. Its switchable center frequencies make setting up a breeze, and the high and low pass filters are handy for reducing stage rumble and high frequency cymbal leakage. A quick way to locate problem frequencies is to set the equalizer for 0.5 octave bandwidth and maximum boost, then switch the center frequency until the problem stands out. Then cut at that frequency, adjusting the amount of cut and the bandwidth until the problem is solved. Watch out for feedback, though, and keep a hand on the master fader.

Installed Sound Applications:
Because the 1961 is a sweet sounding equalizer that's capable of enhancing a voice, it can be used with good effect on a podium microphone to remove the hollowness when an inexperienced speaker is too far away from the mic, or to reduce the boominess when they're too close.

Studio Applications:
While the 1962 is perfectly suited for minimalist recording techniques using a pair of mics directly into a stereo recorder, it is much more flexible than other mic preamps. Its tube circuitry and sweetening equalizer can add warmth to microphones noted for their accuracy and transparency, or by bypassing the built-in processing, the 1962 adds nothing but pure, transparent gain to your favorite microphone. Tube drive, Enhance, and the equalizer's effects are all highly subjective and should be set by careful listening rather than by using an instructional procedure, so we won't tell you how to use it. Turn the knobs until you hear something that pleases you. The limiter and tube drive circuit interact somewhat. When used together, with enough input gain to activate the limiter, this combination can be effective in getting that controlled "screaming at the top of your lungs" often used in popular music.

When the Limiter is switched in, gain reduction will take place when necessary to prevent clipping when something unexpected happens and the input signal becomes louder than your gain setting can accommodate. The limiter is at the end of the chain, so it takes into account the effect of any boost. It kicks in at +18 dBu analog or -2 dBFS digital. Of course you can use the limiter as an effect by increasing the input gain or Tube Drive to the point where gain reduction is taking place most of the time.

The line input can be used to add the 1962's coloration to an outboard mic preamp, or connect the 1962 in the channel insert/return loop to add a tube sound and harmonic enhancement to a console's built-in preamps. The 1962 can also be patched between the recorder output and console input to warm up a sterile sounding track at mixdown time.

As an instrument DI, the 1962 provides a warm sounding tube input. The gain structure set by adjusting the input gain and Tube Drive controls, can provide a wide range of amplifier sounds from clean and punchy to dirty and overdriven. With the input switch set to Aux, the gain control is adjustable to cover a range of -25 to +15 dBu, generally sufficient for keyboards, active pickups, and other electronic instruments. A Gain switch adds 20 dB of additional gain to match the output level of passive instrument pickups. A Bright switch switches in approximately 10 dB of boost at 2 kHz, simulating the response typical of a instrument amplifier.

The 1962 is an excellent front end to a location recording system, going straight into a DAT, CD recorder, or workstation from a pair of microphones. A Stereo link switch averages the two channels so that the same amount of gain reduction is applied by both limiters and the same harmonic enhancement is applied to both channels. This is to prevent the stereo center from wandering if there's a dynamic change in once channel that isn't duplicated in the other channel. In the Stereo mode, EQ, Tube Drive, and bandpass filters should be set similarly, and if used, should be enabled on both channels.

A channel insert send/return jack is provided to allow patching a more sophisticated equalizer such as the Drawmer 1961 into the signal path. The insert points are wired such that the inserted device is bypassed together with the Fine EQ bypass switch on the front panel.

When fitted with the digital output option, the 1962 can bypass the low quality A/D converters usually found in DAT and stand-alone CD recorders, and provide a digital output, dithered to reduce word length to 16-bit if recording directly to a 16-bit device, record 24-bit non-dithered directly into a workstation or high resolution digital recorder. Several options for dither probability function and noise shaping are available to provide the most suitable word length reduction method for the program material recorded.

Live Sound Applications:
The 1962 makes an excellent front end for a featured vocalist. Adding Tube Drive to the clean microphone preamp gives a lot of flexibility in defining the singer's tone, and it can be adjusted in real time to suit the song. In addition, the Enhance circuitry can increase the clarity of the vocal in the mix without reducing system headroom by simply raising the vocal level with the fader or a "presence" boost from an equalizer. The limiter should not normally operate, but it's there to protect the system and the audience from unexpected pops, dropping a mic, or a really enthusiastic singer.

The Auxiliary instrument input makes the 1962 at home in the rack of a guitarist or bassist. The high impedance input doesn't load the pickup, and the tube circuitry and Bright switch provides similar tone characteristics to classic instrument amplifiers. The Enhance circuit adds a degree of control and clarity not available in a standard instrument amplifier. Since the stereo output is independent of the main line outputs, the line output can be sent directly to the house console for the main mix while the stereo output, with its independent level control, can be used through an on-stage power amplifier and speaker for monitoring, controlled acoustic feedback, and the all important feeling that you're actually playing an amplified instrument loud.

A vocalist who accompanies himself with a guitar or keyboard can use the two channels of the 1962 for a microphone and instrument, mixing them to a PA system using the stereo mix output. This can be extended further when a MIDI sequencer or prerecorded tracks are part of the accompaniment. Connect the accompaniment source to the stereo mixer inputs and mix it along with the voice and guitar. In this application, consider using the Insert send/return jacks to add a reverb in the vocal channel and perhaps a reverb/chorus/delay unit in the guitar channel to complete your rack.

Installed Sound Applications:
While the 1962 can't replace a full blown mixer, it can be used effectively when there's a requirement for a limited number of microphones. The stereo mixer can be used to combine up to three other 1962s or other stereo sources such as a CD player or VCR. This makes a simple setup for a lecture with recorded music or video supplementing the speaker's microphone.

Studio Applications:

Insert it on the recording console's main L/R buss or a stereo group, such as guitars, vocals, or drums.

Inserted after the mic preamps, it will do wonders for digital audio workstation users.

Wired across the 2-buss, the 1968ME is ideal for broadcast applications, too.

Live Sound Applications:

Use it on the console stereo buss or on lead vocals. Use the big switch for heavier compression without "pumping."

Studio Applications:
The Microphone preamps on the 1969 are a new design with a contemporary smooth and silky sound. A Clip LED adjacent to each gain control indicates the onset of clipping in the mic preamp stage. A good rule of thumb is to raise the gain control until you see the Clip indicator flash occasionally, then back it off a few dB. Phantom power is selected with the channel input source switch.

While normally, everything from the microphone to the final output should retain original polarity, sometimes a miswired cable or microphone will creep into the system. A polarity ("phase") reverse switch on each channel provides a quick way of determining and correcting this problem. Also, certain situations call for intentionally inverting polarity of one mic of a related pair because it sounds better - for example when microphones are placed both on the top and bottom heads of a drum, or a microphone is combined with the sound of a pickup on an instrument. Select the polarity setting that sounds best. Use the low cut switch if necessary to reduce rumble.

The compressor follows the mic preamp in the chain. The input source for each compressor channel is selectable between mic, line or the Auxiliary (DI) input. Each compressor channel has its own dedicated mic and line inputs while the single Auxiliary input can be selected for either or both compressor channels. When using a mic on one channel and the Auxiliary input on the other channel, using Channel 1 for the microphone will minimize crosstalk between the two signals.

Six switch selectable attack times from 2 ms to 50 seconds provide a wide range of settings for any program material. Typically a slow attack is appropriate for sources like drums where you wish to preserve initial transients, while faster attacks are appropriate for sources which vary over a wide range of volume but without sharp transients, such as a vocal. The Release time is set with a six position switch with the first three positions being fixed rates from 100 ms to 1 second, and the last three being program dependent, 200 ms - 2 seconds, 500 ms to 5 seconds, or 1 to 10 seconds. Being a soft knee compressor, the compression ratio increases as the signal rises above threshold, therefore there is no ratio control but rather, the Threshold control is used to determine both the amount of gain reduction and the point at which gain reduction begins. A low threshold setting provides the greatest compressor action while a high setting will gently control the loudest parts without affecting lower level material. Regardless of the amount of gain reduction dialed in, the compressor's Gain control is used to bring the level at the output back to normal.

The two compressor channels can be linked for stereo operation with a switch. This function is important both when using the 1969 with a pair of microphones in a minimalist recording setup and when used as a "mastering" or "bus" compressor to process a full program mix. When linked, only the controls for Channel 1 are active, and the same amount of gain reduction is applied to both channels to avoid image shifting. A unique "Big Link" switch reduces the compressor side chain sensitivity at low frequencies when used as a master stereo ("bus") compressor. Since the bass drum is one of the louder components in a contemporary mix, a powerful kick that causes the mix to go over threshold can suck down the entire mix momentarily. Engaging the Big switch reduces this effect by essentially raising the compressor threshold for low frequencies while leaving it at the desired setting for mid-band program material.

A side chain insert jack provides a patch point for connecting an equalizer into the compressor's detector path, allowing frequency dependent gain reduction. Typically a high frequency boost here is used to reduce sibilance (de-essing).

The Output switch has two positions other than Normal. In the Bypass position, the gain reduction function is disabled, but the tube signal path remains, allowing you to overdrive the compressor's tube stages to add "grunge" without changing the dynamics. In the S/C Listen position, the compressor's side chain, rather than its output, is sent to the Output jack, allowing you to fine tune an equalizer inserted in the side chain. In the S/C Listen position, you can zero in on the offending sibilant frequencies, then switch back to Normal to hear what you've accomplished.

The Auxiliary instrument input is suitable for both active and passive instrument pickups as well as electronic keyboards. The extra high impedance (2 MO) means that the Auxiliary input can be used as a preamp for a piezoelectric pickup as well as normal passive magnetic pickups. A Low/High sensitivity switch selects the gain range to accommodate either pickups or line level outputs. The Auxiliary input has its own tube output stage, so raising the Aux input gain serves to overdrive the tube for the desired amount of tube distortion. The Bass and Treble controls are similar to the tone controls on an instrument amplifier while the Bright switch provides the treble boost typically associated with electric guitars, while the Flat/EQ switch allows bypassing the tone controls.

Live Sound Applications:
The 1969 can be used in a concert sound system to put a special touch on a lead vocalist. It can also be effective ahead of the system main power amplifiers to compress the overall mix. In this application, the Big stereo link should be used to prevent modulation of the mix by powerful bass instruments. And of course, the 1969 can be patched into the channel inserts of the PA console to compress individual channels or submixes. In this application, it's well suited for compressing keyboards and background vocals.

The 1969 can be at home in a guitarist or bassist's rack as a DI with tone controls and Bright switch typically found on instrument amplifiers, plus a real tube stage that can be overdriven if desired. A solo performer can take advantage of the two channels, using one as a mic preamp and the other as an instrument DI.

Installed Sound Applications:
OK, I give up. It's really a studio piece.