The Overstayer Stereo VCA compressor

The Overstayer Stereo VCA compressor is meant for creative use on the ‘way in' while tracking, and on the ‘way out’ while mixing, and anywhere in between. It has wide ranging timing controls, as well as blend and high and low frequency shelf eq boost controls, all continuously variable for quick and fluid shaping of dynamics and tone. The behavior of the compression is shapeable from gentle mix bus compression to aggressive pumping and extreme ambient and transient effects. 

THE CONTROLS:

RATIO - With the BEHAVIOR control set to minimum, the ratio settings are as follows:

LOW 2:1 with a gentle knee

MED 4:1

LIMIT (both switches engaged) greater than 10:1

THRESHOLD - Sets the level at which compression occurs.

GRAB - Expands the frequency range of the detector to react to the full signal bandwidth. With GRAB disengaged the signal feeding the detector is high pass filtered to react less to low frequency information.

BEHAVIOR - Alters the hardness, slope and envelope of the compression action. Increase the control from its minimum to lower settings for ‘more’ compression action and push, higher settings can produce rhythmic and creative pumping effects and can take the sound from virtually all ambience to all transients. As this control interacts with the other compression controls, it creates a large array of envelope shaping and sonic possibilities depending on the selected ratio and attack/release settings. This control is hard to explain, fun to use...

ATTACK - Continuously variable from 0.1 msec. to ~50 msec., 1 being fastest, 10 being slowest.*

RELEASE - Continuously variable from less than 0.1 sec. to ~1.1 sec, 1 being fastest, 10 being slowest.*

 *Attack and Release times vary depending on RATIO and BEHAVIOR settings

AUTO REL - (Auto Release) engages a slow release time constant for sustained program material in addition to the time constant set by the Release control. Typically when Auto Release is engaged the Release control would be set very fast to respond to shorter transient signals. 

MAKEUP - Controls the amount of gain added to make up for the compression action, continuously variable from 0 dB to +21 dB. This level is pre BLEND.

BLEND - Controls the balance between the compressed (WET) and uncompressed signal (DRY).

LF BOOST - Controls a boosting low frequency shelving equalizer, continuously variable from 0 to +15 dB at 50 Hz (or 100 Hz if LFx2 is engaged).

HF BOOST - Controls a boosting high frequency shelving equalizer, continuously variable from 0 to +12 dB at 10 kHz.

EQ OUT - Removes the EQ circuitry from the signal path

RANGE - When engaged this sets the range of the compression meter to 12 dB in 3 dB steps. When disengaged the meter range is 4 dB in 1 dB steps

IN - Engages the unit, when disengaged the unit is bypassed

AUDIO CONNECTIONS - XLR inputs and outputs, balanced pin 2 hot

Power is via an included 12VDC supply

Introductory Price $799.00 + $30 Shipping and Handling (US, Canada, Australia)