Dangerous Music Releases New 'Dangerous Compressor' for Tracking, Mixing & Mastering

Edmeston, NY - February 25, 2013 - Dangerous Music has released the new 'Dangerous Compressor' a dual-mono/stereo compressor for tracking, mixing and mastering designed by legendary mastering gear guru Chris Muth. Like all Dangerous Music equipment, the compressor achieves musical, yet transparent results; in the words of producer and mixer Michael James (New Radicals, Hole, Robben Ford, L7, Edwin McCain, The Coronas) "The new Dangerous Compressor is a 'must have' in my world. It's a refreshing complement to the currently fashionable boxes that indiscriminately add color to your sound-whether you want it or not." The new 'Dangerous Compressor' is available through dealers worldwide and has a street price of $2799 USD (2520€ Euros, 2090£ UK pounds).

The Compressor was field-tested and tweaked for almost two years before being previewed at the 2013 New York AES show. For example, Sterling Sound mastering engineer, Greg Calbi, (Tame Impala, The National, Sara Bareilles), stated, "From simple dynamics control to complete mix balance transformation, the Dangerous Compressor does both and everything in between." While record producer and mix engineer Rob Chiarelli (Charlie Wilson, Mary Mary, Kirk Franklin), exclaimed, "I love this compressor! It's perfect on Hip-hop, R&B tracks, vocals, drums, and the mix buss. It does it all."

What's so Different about the Dangerous Compressor?
The 'Smart Dynamics' feature employs two independent slopes in the detection circuit. One stage of the detector controls the average level. The other handles only rapid transients. Normally a spike would shove down the entire track, creating an audible faux-pas moment. Instead, with the Dangerous Compressor, the normal slope stage handles the smoothing of the entire content and the other deals with the spikes. This results in a higher average level relative to peak, without the stereo image collapsing. "The 'smart dynamics' feature helps address the level issue in a really great way that let's me use less of-or even turn off-my digital limiter!" says mastering engineer Jonathan Wyner (Javier Limon, Josh Groban, Nirvana, David Bowie).

By default, the unit is set to 'Auto Attack / Release' mode which uses time constants carefully selected for versatility. Engaging the 'Manual Attack/Release' button allows the manual use of the attack and release knobs. Michael James says, "I was shocked to find that the Dangerous Compressor's auto attack/release preset always sounded 'just right'-so good, in fact, that I found myself trying to match it manually!"

Transparent
The Dangerous Compressor may be operated in either 'Stereo' or 'Dual Mono' mode. Dual Mono has two completely independent paths; for example, kick drum in one channel and snare in the other. Stereo Mode may be applied to stereo instruments, stems or complete mixes. Many stereo compressors sum the left and right channel audio and feed that signal to one detector, resulting in any out of phase material will either not get compressed or will be under compressed. This will over-represent mono (content in the middle of the mix) and under represent panned instruments to the VCAs, making normal single-detector compressors potentially overreact to kicks, snares, and the lead vocal while ignoring the panned toms, guitars and keys. The stereo button on the Dangerous Compressor still uses both its detector circuits to drive each channel's VCA for a more musical result. Michael James explains his experience, "The Stereo button is NOT an image killer! So many compressors collapse when you push the Link button, but the Dangerous Compressor stays wide open."

The audiophile 'Sidechain' circuit offers both Bass Cut - sensitivity reduction to low frequency energy to keep the compressor from "dunking" with loud bass or kick drum levels-and Sibilance Boost, which increases sensitivity to high frequency energy causing the compressor to react more to the top end, taming the harshness without resorting to EQ changes. Users can control sibilance by reducing "S" sounds from a singer or gently tame the harshness from cymbals recorded with cheap condenser mics or poorly sampled loops. "This stuff remains natural sounding while doing heavy gain reduction. And it manages to not duck down the mix when the kick shows up. Is it really made by humans?" quips, mastering engineer Alex Saroudakis (Sony music, Universal music, Virgin).

Because of its transparency and audiophile sidechain and detector circuitry the Dangerous Compressor performs like an automated fader for riding vocals: no more manual volume drawing; Just a natural, transparent vocal sound, and it boasts extremely low distortion, even with 20dB of gain reduction. "If I were able to conjure up the compressor of my dreams, I'm pretty sure this would be it. It just works," says mix engineer Ryan West, who has engineered records by Jay Z, Eminem, Rihanna and T.I.

Mastering engineer Mike Wells tried the Compressor and said, "With multiple sidechain options, the innovative 'Smart Dynamics' feature, and the signature transparent musicality Dangerous Music brings to all their products-we have a winner!" Wells has mastered projects for Nicki Bluhm and the Gramblers, Tony Sly, and STS9 among many others.

Chris Muth has spent over 20 years working in top studios as a chief technician, and designed custom gear for them, including Sterling Sound, The Hit Factory and Masterdisk, and has worked as a recording, mixing and mastering engineer himself. Dangerous decided it was time the world had an alternative compressor that was both easy to use and powerful, and in the mold of all Dangerous Music gear: transparent. They also wanted a compressor that is useful in recording and mixing-as well as mastering-and designed for both professionals who are at ease with manual settings and up and coming engineering talents as well, who would welcome professional 'auto' compression modes. Enter the Dangerous Compressor. 

The new 'Dangerous Compressor' is available through dealers worldwide and has a street price of $2799. For more information visit: http://www.dangerousmusic.com/products/compressor