ProAudio Review - December 2008 - (Page 33)

The clean/dirty switch allows the unit to be neutral and accurate in the clean position (with THD between 0.2 and 0.5 percent) and somewhat distorted (THD from 2 to 5 percent) in the dirty mode, with only second- and third-order harmonics. The wet/dry control allows phase-coherent blending of the original input signal with the processed signal, all summed at the drive/feedback controls. Such parallel compression is commonly achieved with mults and subgroups, but can be easily dialed in here. Finally, the drive and feedback pots work together to affect the final output. The Feedback control changes how much inverted signal is routed back to the input and subtracted, which affects not only level, but also tonality and density. Turned fully to the right, feedback is minimized, with higher output, more distortion and a low bass bump. Drive affects how hard the germanium drive amp is hit, varying output level in conjunction with the feedback control. In Use In a nutshell, the Germanium is a fantastically versatile compressor that can do just about any dynamics squeezing you might require, albeit with patience and careful adjustment. Transparent dynamic control was unexpectedly quite achievable, even in the Germanium soft mode, with moderate input and ratios, clean mode, slower attack, a click or two of side-chain filtering, moderate germanium output drive, and 50/50 of feedback. To my ears, the Germanium is actually clean and hi-fi enough for mastering, although stepped controls for repeatability would help here. The three Silicon and Zener modes aren’t nearly as polite as the others, with more “grabbiness,” a harder sound, and more sensitivity to both attack times and side-chain filtering. Whereas both Germanium soft and hard modes were typically flattering and tastefully “congealed,” both Silicon modes were temperamental and sensitive, with hard being really hard. Zener was even harder sounding than Silicon hard, with a distinctive bark and transient grab that was distinctively aggressive. So here’s the fun part; with any input source/mode combo I found less than desirable, I could massage the attack, sidechain, ratio, clean/dirty, wet/dry blend, germanium output drive and feedback and get something I could actually use! This unit does indeed have a learning curve, but with experimentation it can do drums and whole mixes, it can do colorful and saturated. I couldn’t make it do really dirty mangling, at least not all by itself. It can get all saturated, pumpy and grabby if you make it, but it’s no distortion pedal. Fast Facts Applications Studio, project studio, mastering, live/installed sound Key Features Features: FET-based compressor with hardwire bypass switch, clean/dirty compression switch, un-stepped input; side-chain control; a ratio control; a compression curve selector; a wet/dry mix control; attack and release controls; stereo link switch; germanium output drive control; feedback control; two XLRs for I/O (with transformers at input and output); PSU-1 outboard power supply is extra ($225 list). Price $1,680 list Contact Chandler Limited | 319-885-4200 | www.chandlerlimited.com Product Points Allows parallel compression with mix control Multiple compression modes offer wide range of textures and knee behaviors No legend for ratios, attack or release times Limited metering Score Ithose who mix in thethe Germanium analog highly recommend Compressor for box, like some texture and don’t want to have only a single compression sound available. Summary Once I got used to having a plethora of compression options in one processor, the Germanium ultimately made my life easier, from tracking through mixing. I highly recommend the Germanium Compressor for those who, unlike myself, mix in the box, like some analog texture and don’t want to have only a single, character-laden sound available. For the mythical “desert island gig,” the Germanium’s extreme flexibility makes it a great choice in compression. December 2008 | ProAudioReview 33 http://www.chandlerlimited.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of ProAudio Review - December 2008

ProAudio Review - December 2008 Contents Technically Speaking New Studio Products Opinion: Mastering Matters Review: BIAS Peak Pro XT 6 Review: Zaxcom Fusion ENG Mixer and Multitrack Recorder Review: Sound Devices 788T 8-Track Digital Audio Recorder Review: Universal Audio UAD-2 Solo DSP Accelerator Review: Chandler Limited Germanium Compressor Review: RME ADI-8 QS A/D-D/A Converter Feature: Converters and Clocks: Engineers on Their Choices New Live Products Opinion: From the Road Review: Yamaha IM8 Series Mixing Consoles Review: NTI Digirator DR2 Digital Audio Signal Generator Review: Sencore SoundPro SP495 Audio Consultant Test Set Single Slice

ProAudio Review - December 2008

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