Standard Audio Stretch 500 Compressor

Standard Audio Stretch 500 is a four-band dynamics and tone processor in the 500-series format, built on a design Standard Audio explicitly ties to modified noise-reduction circuits from the 1970s and 80s, the same technology behind Dolby- or dbx-style tape encoding, rather than a classic VCA bus compressor. It's the only multiband processor in the Standard Audio lineup, alongside the single-band Level OR limiters.

Four bands instead of one full-range compressor

The signal splits into four frequency bands (LF 20Hz-110Hz, MF 110Hz-3kHz, HF3 3kHz-20kHz, HF9 9kHz-20kHz), each compressed independently with a factory-set ratio, attack and release tailored to that range. The FILTER button cycles through seven combinations of active bands, shown on orange LEDs, giving control over which part of the spectrum reacts to the source's dynamics.

Three knobs instead of a wall of per-band controls

Rather than separate attack/release/ratio sections per band, you get just three knobs: INPUT (level into the filter and compressor), OUTPUT (post-processing level) and MIX (blending dry and processed signal), plus an ENGAGE button with a hard relay bypass. A COMPRESSION LED lights up whenever any active band starts reducing gain, a quick read on what the circuit is doing without four separate meters to watch. That approach earns its keep on a mix bus or drum bus, where a classic full-band compressor would react too uniformly across the whole signal, letting the Stretch 500 control the dynamics of one chosen range without touching the rest.

KEY FEATURES

• 4-band dynamics processor in 500-series format
• Design inspired by 1970s-80s noise-reduction circuits
• 4 bands: LF, MF, HF3, HF9
• FILTER button — 7 combinations of active bands
• INPUT / OUTPUT / MIX knobs
• Hard relay bypass (ENGAGE)
• COMPRESSION LED shows circuit activity
• 100% analog signal path
• Built by Standard Audio, Los Angeles

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

• Format: 500-series (API-standard compatible)
• LF band: 20Hz – 110Hz
• MF band: 110Hz – 3kHz
• HF3 band: 3kHz – 20kHz
• HF9 band: 9kHz – 20kHz
• Filter combinations: 7
• Controls: INPUT, OUTPUT, MIX