Neve 33609N Stereo Limiter Compressor

The Neve 33609N uses exclusive Marinair® specification transformers on the input, bridge-driver, sidechain and output stages – Neve® colour throughout.

Neve® pioneered the diode-bridge compressor by exploiting the electrical properties of diodes and mounting them in a bridge configuration with carefully selected control voltages, allowing for distortion to be significantly reduced. This creates a unique gain reduction slope that produces compression from smooth to an overdriven hard-clipping style. These unique characteristics make the 33609 the ideal creative studio tool.

The 33609 design has gone through several iterations since its inception, each rendition improving from the last. As a result, the Neve 33609N takes the best features from the beloved 33609’s – such as balanced gain reduction circuitry, class A/B amplification. Additionally, the Neve 33609NN has a discrete transformer-balanced output, evolved from the early Neve® console line output stages to produce a ‘sweet’ sound.

Every control on the Neve 33609N is stepped, from threshold through to make up gain. These switched controls are great for stereo matching and session recall, ideal for mixing and mastering.

The independent compressor and limiter circuitry gives ultimate dynamic control over transients. With the limiter input positioned after the compressors make up gain, the Neve 33609N can be used as a creative tool with the limiter driven by the compressor’s output.

The 33609’s feedback-style compression feeds the compressors control signals back through the diode-bridge gain reduction circuit. This design introduces analogue non-linearities that form the unique character of Neve 33609N.

Compression can be perfectly tuned to fit a wide variety of program material with several switchable recovery times, including two auto-recovery options. The Neve 33609N slow attack feature reduces sensitivity to low frequencies by 6dB/octave at 100Hz, this tunes out kick drums and other low peaks that may otherwise trigger the compressor by just the right amount -mix bus glue.

The Neve 33609N’s dual channels can be linked in stereo or used independently as separate channels at the flip of a switch. For larger groups of instruments, multiple Neve 33609N’s can connect with ease via the tandem control voltage connection; each unit’s bypass, mono/stereo switch & compressor in/out switch can be remotely controlled.

Independent moving coil gain reduction meters display up to -20dB of gain reduction for each channel.

The Neve 33609N includes a true straight-through bypass, which connects the input terminals directly to the output terminals, ideal for auditioning compression by A/B’ing wet/dry signals.

Features

• Legendary dual channel diode-bridge compressor/limiter
• Discrete class-A design offers fast and slow attack times, multiple release times and threshold levels
• Optional link to other units for multi-channel use
• Hand-crafted by Neve in Burnley, UK