Manley ELOP+ is a two channel electro-optical compressor and limiter with an all-valve audio path. Each channel carries a 5751 in the gain stage and a 6922 White Follower output, with inputs coupled through Manley IRON transformers.
An optical cell that draws no attention
An optical element has inertia, and that is its strength rather than its flaw. Reduction rises and falls gently, so the ear never catches the moment it engages, even when the meter shows several decibels. In limiter mode the circuit works at 10:1 with a 15 ms attack, in compressor mode at 3:1 with a 75 ms attack; release is 200 ms in both cases. These are settings you do not have to dial in: they work on vocals, bass and a mix bus without any thinking about time constants.
A sidechain filter you can retune
The high pass filter in the detector path is set at 80 Hz from the factory, and an internal jumper moves it to 150 Hz when the material carries heavy bass that would otherwise drive the whole reduction. Stereo link lets you work a pair of channels without the image drifting. A 10 Hz to 70 kHz response at ±0.5 dB and THD+N of 0.004% mean the unit leaves compression behind rather than a sound of its own, until you push it.
KEY FEATURES
- Two channel electro-optical compressor and limiter
- Entirely valve based audio path
- A 5751 gain stage valve per channel
- A 6922 White Follower output valve per channel
- Limiter mode: 10:1 ratio, 15 ms attack, 200 ms release
- Compressor mode: 3:1 ratio, 75 ms attack, 200 ms release
- Sidechain high pass filter at 80 Hz
- Internal jumper to move the filter to 150 Hz
- Stereo link across both channels
- XLR inputs coupled through Manley IRON transformers
- Impedance balanced White Follower XLR output
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
- Channels: 2
- Frequency response: 10 Hz to 70 kHz (±0.5 dB)
- THD+N: 0.004% at 1 kHz and +4 dBu
- Noise floor: -90 dBu in bypass (22 Hz to 22 kHz)
- Dynamic range: 118 dB
- Valves: 5751 and 6922 per channel
- Dimensions: 19 x 7 x 3.5 inches, 2U
- Weight: 9.5 lbs
- Power consumption: 26 W
- Universal mains: 90 to 254 V
