FEA DE-CL

DUAL ENGINE-COMPRESSOR LIMITER

FEATURES:

THRESHOLD, RATIO, ATTACK and GAIN controls for the compressor and THERSHOLD, ATTACK and GAIN controls for the limiter. The control ranges for the ATTACK have been optimized for their function and for use on both bass and guitar.
The compressor exhibits soft-knee compression at lower RATIO settings and hard-knee at maximum RATIO settings. The limiter exhibits hard-knee limiting at all times. The COMP and LIMIT LED’s indicate when the THRESHOLD has been reached. These LED’s do not indicate the RELEASE response.
The compressor sidechain utilizes precision full-wave rectification of the audio signal for the THRESHOLD circuits for accurate envelope tracking. This also reduces the possibility of “pumping” with very low frequencies.
The compressor and limiter utilize adaptive release circuitry for a natural response.
ACTIVATE footswitch places the compressor/limiter in the signal chain or in Direct Bypass mode. In Direct Bypass mode the signal at the input is directly connected to the output and does not pass through any electronics.
LIMITER footswitch enables the limiter function. The limiter operates in parallel with the compressor for signal dynamics control. NOTE: When the limiter is active the compressors gain control is deactivated and the limiters gain control sets the output level.
WARMTH control modifies the function of the output amplifier from operating in a clean, linear mode to a harmonically enriched warm mode.
The signal compression and limiting is accomplished with only a resistive component (Light Dependent Resistor or Photocell). All resistors in the circuit are low noise 1% metal film type. The signal coupling capacitors are tight tolerance, quiet, multi-layer and metallized polyester film type.
Optical switching for the gain controls for quiet switching when the limiter is activated and deactivated.
The power supplies onboard voltage charge pump allows the circuitry to operate at 18volts (+9 and –9 volt rails) from a single 9-volt battery or DC power adapter. This allows the signal plenty of headroom from active electronic guitars and aggressive playing techniques (i.e. pop and slap).
The “switch on” power supply current is less than 1µA (micro amp) on the signal ground at the INPUT jack. This is approximately 45,000 times (-93dB) less than the commonly used method of connecting the battery’s negative terminal to ground via the sleeve of the plug inserted into the INPUT jack. The “switch on” sensing method used in the FEA Dual Engine Compressor Limiter keeps nearly all of the circuit’s generated white noise and transient currents out of the INPUT stage signal ground. Extreme measures have been taken to keep the power and signal paths as clean as possible. NOTE: Unplug the cord from the INPUT jack when not in use to prolong battery life.
The power and grounds for the signal path circuitry are isolated from the sidechain power and grounds to protect the audio signal from spurious noise. The power for the signal amplifiers is exceptionally clean, filtered twice for each rail and all filter stages are oversized.