Klark Teknik Launches DN540 Creative Quad Compressor at Prolight & Sound Frankfurt 2009

Klark Teknik has launched the DN540 Creative Quad Compressor, one of two new products in a brand new series. The DN540 packs four channels of creative compression into a 1U chassis. "Throughout the history of dynamics processing, many different compressors have been produced using different types of gain technology," says Midas and Klark Teknik brand development manager Richard Ferriday. "Each type has a distinctive sound, and users have found benefits in these often unintentional compression audio artefacts, taking the use of compressors far beyond simple dynamic range reduction. With these creative applications in mind, the DN540 has been designed with a unique "Harmonic Enhancement" presence control to preserve the harmonic content of the material in a more natural, dynamic state. This allows more compression to be applied, providing greater control of programme dynamics, without the source material sounding dull, lacking in detail and unnatural." Leading features of the KT DN540 include:

• Quad channel compressor
• Ease of use, requiring minimum set up to produce excellent results
• "Harmonic Enhancement" presence control to correct loss of detail and intelligibility during compression without increasing noise or likelihood of feedback
• Extremely low noise and distortion levels
• Sonic design which has been "tuned by ear" to produce extremely transparent compression
• Advanced envelope generator with manual controls for creative dynamic effects
• Intuitive controls for all functions contributing to output levels
• Easily identifiable bypass, solo and other major switches, with status LEDs
• Channel linking with true power summing to provide true threshold setting for stereo material
• External sidechain inputs
• Roadworthy 1U chassis
• Balanced inputs and outputs
• Auto switching power supply

• Protecting signal paths from amplitude overload
• Improving the apparent power of signals when an artists' performance is a little too dynamic
• Maintaining a stable signal level to help an instrument sit within a mix
• Changing the percussive timbre of an instrument to enhance impact
• Compressing a mix so that it maintains a stable signal level (typically to make it sound louder)
• Changing the percussive timbre of a mix to make it sound fuller and to enhance impact
• Frequency conscious compression to remove unwanted sibilance or undesired tonal artefacts via external sidechain