Focusrite Compounder
Platinum Series Stereo Compressor

The Focusrite 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.

 Left Front

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.

 Right Front

The unique opto circuit featured in the Focusrite 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.

 Rear Detail

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 Focusrite 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.

Focusrite Compounder Features:
-Class A custom VCA compressor design
  -Derived from the legendary Red 3 Dual Compressor/Limiter, this custom VCA design results in superb sound and very low distortion.
-Legendary “Huge” feature with Bass expansion
  -The bass expander circuit generates extra bass harmonics, fattening up low frequency signals. Add to this the single ‘Huge’ feature and
    be afraid, be very afraid.
-Super-quiet Optical Gate/Expander circuit
  -The unique opto circuit featured in the ComPounder’s two Gate/Expander sections ensures quiet operation with no pops or clicks.
-High performance Optical limiter
  -Improved performance over standard VCA limiter designs which tend to add high levels of distortion, even when they are not limiting.
-Full stereo linking capacity
  -The link feature enables the ComPounder to act as a true stereo processor, enabling complete stereo control of every parameter.

Focusrite Compounder 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
-Dimensions
  -480mm (W) x 44mm (H) x 254mm (D)
  -19" (W) x 1.7" (H) x 10" (D)