elysia xmax rack

elysia xmax rack — a Class-A 19" stereo masterbus processor combining Mid/Side multiband compression, a soft clipper, and a single-knob tone control in one signal path.

Built for mastering and mix engineers looking for an all-in-one tool for the final stage of a production — mix bus, FOH stage, or full-track mastering. Xmax encodes a stereo signal into Mid and Side components, processes them through three independent compressors (low, mid, side), then decodes the signal back to stereo at the output.

Low-End Control Without Blurring the Stereo Center

A common problem with compressing an entire mix is that hard kick or bass hits trigger the compressor across the whole band, causing the whole track to pump on every kick. Xmax solves this with a separate low band and an adjustable crossover frequency between low and mid, letting a higher threshold be set for low frequencies to avoid triggering on every kick, while still maintaining control over the mid and top end. An optional mono-maker switch further centers low frequencies in the stereo image, eliminating the low-end blur typical of wide-recorded sources.

Loudness Without Digital Converter Clipping

At the mastering stage, raising a track's perceived loudness without introducing hard digital clipping at the A/D converter's output is a recurring problem. The built-in soft clipper, drawn from the flagship alpha compressor, solves this by gently limiting signal peaks in the analog domain, raising perceived loudness without generating harsh digital overs. The VariLink function further allows smooth adjustment of how tightly the low, mid, and side bands are linked, from fully linked to fully independent, giving real-time control over stereo image stability and width.

KEY FEATURES

• Class-A, fully discrete signal path, 19" rack format
• Mid/Side processing with three independent compression bands (low, mid, side)
• Adjustable crossover frequency between the low and mid bands
• Smart global release control, automatically adapted to the material
• VariLink function — continuous band linking from 0% to 100%
• Punch mode for a higher compression ratio and added impact
• Mono-maker for the side band, centering low frequencies
• Single-knob shelving tone control
• Soft Clipper drawn from the alpha compressor, preventing digital overs
• Precision analog metering of signal, compression, and clipping per band
• Also available in 500 series format and as the compact elysia qube

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

• Type: stereo masterbus processor, Mid/Side multiband compressor
• Topology: 100% discrete, Class-A
• Compression bands: low, mid, side (independent threshold and gain)
• Crossover: adjustable frequency between low and mid bands
• Additional functions: VariLink, Punch mode, Mono-Maker, Tone Control (shelving EQ), Soft Clipper
• Metering: analog, signal/clip/compression per band and soft clipper
• Format: 19" rack
• Dimensions (W x H x D, incl. knobs): 19" x 1.75" x 9.2" (48.3 x 4.4 x 23.4 cm)
• Weight: approx. 3.88 lb (1.76 kg)