TK Audio
TK Audio T-Komp 500 Vari-Mu Curve 500 Series Compressor
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TK Audio T-Komp 500 is a mono 500 series compressor that puts the vari-mu style ratio curve of the rack T-Komp into a lunchbox module. The ratio is not fixed: it rises progressively the further the signal goes over the threshold, so a lightly compressed vocal stays natural while harder peaks are held more and more firmly.
One compressor for tracking and for gentle glue
Two ratio ranges save you from owning separate boxes for separate jobs. The range up to 20:1 handles instrument tracking and smashed drums, while the narrow range up to 2:1 gives soft, barely noticeable control for groups and tracks that only need to sit better in the mix. The RMS detector has five positions: four timings from fast to slow, where the fourth is close to the classic 160VU, plus an adaptive mode that reacts slower to slow-moving material and faster to fast transients. Attack and release are locked together, so instead of hunting for time constants you choose a character and focus on the threshold.
Parallel compression without extra routing
The Blend control mixes dry and compressed signal inside the module. No extra DAW tracks or console channels are needed to keep the attack of a kick and snare while adding density behind it. The gain reduction meter and up to +20 dB of make-up gain let you level-match quickly after compression.
KEY FEATURES
- Progressive ratio that increases with level above threshold
- Two ratio ranges: 1:1 to 20:1 or soft 1:1 to 2:1
- Five RMS detector settings, including a 160VU-style mode and an adaptive mode
- Built-in Blend control for parallel compression
- Feed-forward compression
- Make-up gain from 0 to +20 dB
- Gain reduction meter
- Designed and built in Sweden
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
- Format: 500 series module, mono
- Input impedance: 24 kOhm
- Output impedance: 50 Ohm
- Max input and output level: +26 dBu
- Frequency response: 20 Hz to 20 kHz +/-0.1 dB
- Signal to noise ratio at 0 dBu: better than 94 dB
- RMS timings (attack/release): 1/40 ms, 5/200 ms, 10/400 ms, 25/1000 ms and adaptive mode
- THD: level and compression dependent, mostly even harmonics
