Bettermaker Bus Compressor
The Bettermaker Bus compressor is a high quality stereo VCA compressor that benefits from fast and precise recall and automation. The Bus compressor from Bettermaker offers a 100% analogue signal path, Dry/Wet mix, sidechain with HPF, hardware insert and preview function, adjustable THD saturation and much more.
Features
- advanced analog stereo VCA compressor with PEAK/RMS detection
- all parameters are digitally controlled via front panel and/or DAW (with dedicated plugin)
- dry/wet MIX control for parallel compression
- sidechain high pass filter with hardware insert and preview function
- adjustable THD for harmonically rich sound
- on-board measurement of PEAK/RMS levels
- 100% analog audio signal path
- total recall and A/B comparison from your favourite DAW
- LED matrix display and six encoders with push-button action for ease of control
- USB connectivity with MAC/PC
Digital Section
The sound of the Compressor is of course based on the quality of its analogue audio path. But all the control and user interactions are performed in the digital domain. This allows us to incorporate options and possibilities not found in any standard analog compressors:
- recall last unit state after reboot
- Instant reset of all parameters
- Rapid, precise and repeatable adjustments
- Precisely linked stereo operation with the ease of a single control
- DAW automation and recall of all available parameters
The digital section of the Bus Compressor is based around high speed, 32-bit micro-controller, with dedicated firmware programmed into its memory (with the possibility of updating the firmware via USB connection). It's responsible for controlling the VCA, the user interface, presets management, audio measurement, USB connectivity and other Bus Compressor functions.
The use of separate ground planes for analogue and digital section results in perfect noise isolation between these two worlds. High quality switching power supply, designed by Bettermaker, was used to provide low noise, hum free power to all analogue and digital components.
Front panel
The front panel of the Bus Compressor is build around eye-catching LED matrix display, that allows you to monitor almost all functions available on the device, as well as input/output levels and amount of gain reduction applied by the compressor.
Specifications
- Frequency response 10Hz to 22kHz (+/- 0.2 dB)
- Dynamic range: 106dB (+23dBu, 22kHz BW)
- S/N ratio: 87dB (A-weighted, +4dBu, 22kHz BW, unity gain)
- Crosstalk: -83dB @ 1kHz, +18dBu, channel-to-channel
- CMRR: max 85 dB @ 3 kHz, min 52 dB @ 20Hz, 20 kHz BW
- THD: 2nd: < 0.06%, 3rd: < 0.01%; 4th: < 0.006%; (+4 dBu, 20-20 kHz, unity gain, THD and CLIP disabled)
- balanced stereo input (XLR), 23dBu max input level (THD < 0.2%)
- balanced stereo output (XLR), 23dBu max output level (THD < 0.2% into >2kohm)
- Input impedance (differential): 48kΩ (for balanced signal)
- Output Impedance: 50Ω + 50Ω (electronically balanced)
- 2U enclosure, 230mm deep (Mastering Compressor)
- 1U enclosure, 230mm deep (Bus Compressor)
- universal 100 – 240V power supply designed by Bettermaker (with Auto-on function)
- Maximum power consumption: 25W
- Shipping weight: 5.5 kg (Mastering Compressor), 5 kg (Bus Compressor)
- Threshold: -35dB / +5dB (40dB range)
- Attack: 0.1 – 60 ms
- Release: 10 – 2000 ms
- Ratio: 1.5, 2, 4, 6, 10:1
- Knee: 20dB
- Output: -5dB to +15dB
- Sidechain HPF: off – 370Hz
- Sidechain Feed: Forward
- Sidechain Type: PEAK/RMS