Overview
33609/N
The World’s Finest Stereo Compressor, Bar None.
This desert island stereo compressor offers comprehensive limiting and compression facilities ideal for music recording, mastering, post-production and broadcast applications.
Independent Limiter
Manual/AutoCompressor Recovery
+20dB Make Up Gain
Slow/Fast Attack
True Bypass
Mono/Stereo Operation
Stereo GR Metering
Manual/Auto Limiter Recovery
Independent Compressor
Marinair® Transformers
The 33609/N uses exclusive Marinair® specification transformers on the input, bridge-driver, sidechain and output stages – Neve® colour throughout.
Diode-Bridge Design
Neve® pioneered the diode-bridge compressor by exploiting the electrical properties of diodes and mounting them in a bridge configuration with carefully selected control voltages, allowing for distortion to be significantly reduced. This creates a unique gain reduction slope that produces compression from smooth to an overdriven hard-clipping style. These unique characteristics make the 33609 the ideal creative studio tool.
Class A/B Discrete
The 33609 design has gone through several iterations since its inception, each rendition improving from the last. As a result, the 33609/N takes the best features from the beloved 33609’s – such as balanced gain reduction circuitry, class A/B amplification. Additionally, the 33609/N has a discrete transformer-balanced output, evolved from the early Neve® console line output stages to produce a ‘sweet’ sound.
Stepped Controls
Every control on the 33609 is stepped, from threshold through to make up gain. These switched controls are great for stereo matching and session recall, ideal for mixing and mastering.
Independent Limiter & Compressor
The independent compressor and limiter circuitry gives ultimate dynamic control over transients. With the limiter input positioned after the compressors make up gain, the 33609 can be used as a creative tool with the limiter driven by the compressor’s output.
Feedback Compression
The 33609’s feedback-style compression feeds the compressors control signals back through the diode-bridge gain reduction circuit. This design introduces analogue non-linearities that form the unique character of 33609/N.
Mix Bus Glue
Compression can be perfectly tuned to fit a wide variety of program material with several switchable recovery times, including two auto-recovery options. The 33609/N slow attack feature reduces sensitivity to low frequencies by 6dB/octave at 100Hz, this tunes out kick drums and other low peaks that may otherwise trigger the compressor by just the right amount -mix bus glue.
Mono/Stereo/Linking
The 33609/N’s dual channels can be linked in stereo or used independently as separate channels at the flip of a switch. For larger groups of instruments, multiple 33609/N’s can connect with ease via the tandem control voltage connection; each unit’s bypass, mono/stereo switch & compressor in/out switch can be remotely controlled.
Stereo Gain Reduction Metering
Independent moving coil gain reduction meters display up to -20dB of gain reduction for each channel.
True Bypass
The 33609/N includes a true straight-through bypass, which connects the input terminals directly to the output terminals, ideal for auditioning compression by A/B’ing wet/dry signals.
33609/N
The World’s Finest Stereo Compressor, Bar None.
This desert island stereo compressor offers comprehensive limiting and compression facilities ideal for music recording, mastering, post-production and broadcast applications.
Marinair® Transformers
The 33609/N uses exclusive Marinair® specification transformers on the input, bridge-driver, sidechain and output stages – Neve® colour throughout.
Diode-Bridge Design
Neve® pioneered the diode-bridge compressor by exploiting the electrical properties of diodes and mounting them in a bridge configuration with carefully selected control voltages, allowing for distortion to be significantly reduced. This creates a unique gain reduction slope that produces compression from smooth to an overdriven hard-clipping style. These unique characteristics make the 33609 the ideal creative studio tool.
Class A/B Discrete
The 33609 design has gone through several iterations since its inception, each rendition improving from the last. As a result, the 33609/N takes the best features from the beloved 33609’s – such as balanced gain reduction circuitry, class A/B amplification. Additionally, the 33609/N has a discrete transformer-balanced output, evolved from the early Neve® console line output stages to produce a ‘sweet’ sound.
Stepped Controls
Every control on the 33609 is stepped, from threshold through to make up gain. These switched controls are great for stereo matching and session recall, ideal for mixing and mastering.
Independent Limiter & Compressor
The independent compressor and limiter circuitry gives ultimate dynamic control over transients. With the limiter input positioned after the compressors make up gain, the 33609 can be used as a creative tool with the limiter driven by the compressor’s output.
Feedback Compression
The 33609’s feedback-style compression feeds the compressors control signals back through the diode-bridge gain reduction circuit. This design introduces analogue non-linearities that form the unique character of 33609/N.
Mix Bus Glue
Compression can be perfectly tuned to fit a wide variety of program material with several switchable recovery times, including two auto-recovery options. The 33609/N slow attack feature reduces sensitivity to low frequencies by 6dB/octave at 100Hz, this tunes out kick drums and other low peaks that may otherwise trigger the compressor by just the right amount -mix bus glue.
Mono/Stereo/Linking
The 33609/N’s dual channels can be linked in stereo or used independently as separate channels at the flip of a switch. For larger groups of instruments, multiple 33609/N’s can connect with ease via the tandem control voltage connection; each unit’s bypass, mono/stereo switch & compressor in/out switch can be remotely controlled.
Stereo Gain Reduction Metering
Independent moving coil gain reduction meters display up to -20dB of gain reduction for each channel.
True Bypass
The 33609/N includes a true straight-through bypass, which connects the input terminals directly to the output terminals, ideal for auditioning compression by A/B’ing wet/dry signals.
More Information and Support
General Specification
- Legendary dual channel diode-bridge compressor/limiter
- Discrete class-A design offers fast and slow attack times, multiple release times and threshold levels
- Optional link to other units for multi-channel use
- Hand-crafted by Neve in Burnley, UK
Audio Performance
- Input: Input Impedance 10kΩ (internally switchable to 600Ω , refer to vendor)
- Output: Maximum output >26dBu into 600Ω, balanced and earth free
- Distortion: <0.075% at 1kHz (bypass in, compress and limit out, input level 9dBu); <0.2% at 1kHz (compress in, ratio 6:1, gain 20dB, recovery 800mS, threshold −18dBu); <0.45% at 1kHz (limit in, compress out, recovery 800mS, input level 22dBu, threshold −18dBu)
- Frequency Response: ±0.5dB 20Hz to 20kHz rel. 1kHz
- Noise: −75dBu, 22Hz – 22kHz, input terminated with 600Ω (bypass in, compress and limit out), −55dBu (compress in, gain 20dB)
- Limit Threshold: 4dBu to 15dBu
- Limit Ratio: Change in output level <0.1dB with 10dBu to 20dBu step input
- Limit Attack Time: Fast 2ms ±1, slow 4ms ±1
- Limit Recovery Time: 50ms to 800ms, a1 (auto): 100ms/2000ms, a2 (auto): 50ms/5000ms
- Compress Ratio: 1.5:1 to 6:1
- Compress Attack Time: Fast 3ms ±1, slow 6ms ±1 with 100Hz first order high-pass filter
- Compress Recovery Time: 100ms to 1500ms, a1 (auto): 100ms/2000ms, a2 (auto): 50ms/5000ms
Dimensions
- Width: 482mm (19 inches)
- Height: 90mm (3.5 inches) (2U)
- Depth: 254mm (10 inches)
- Weight: 5kg (11 pounds)
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