Crane Song Trakker

Crane Song's Trakker is a single channel compressor/limiter in the form of a piece of outboard gear. While Crane Song is primarily known for making software, they do also have an impressive line of analog outboard gear as well. This one is made up of all analog, class A components, and I'm not sure the connections as the one I've used was already racked up in a professional studio and ready for use. It is rack mountable and will only take up a single space in a traditional rack casing.

UTILIZATION

Using the Crane Song Trakker isn't too tough, but it doesn't have as basic of a make up as most compressor/limiters will, although it definitely does have some familiar parameters. Trakker has got knobs for threshold, attack, release, knee, character, and gain. It also has buttons for link, meter (to choose between output and gain reduction levels), as well as for bypass. The meter is thorough as it gives you the full range of levels and also will show you exactly when you're clipping. The character knob on this compressor is really what sets it apart from the rest, but definitely takes a bit of getting used to. The manual is put together very well, as it is thorough and helpful for deciphering the character feature.

SOUND QUALITY

The vast array of tones available on the Crane Song Trakker probably makes it the most versatile outboard compressor that I've used to date. You can get sounds ranging from vintage and gritty to very modern and clean sounding. I've really never heard a compressor/limiter that allows for so much differentiation, and it's really a beautiful thing. Basically you've got all the compression tones that you would need all in one place with Crane Song's Trakker. While my experience with this compressor isn't as lengthy as I would like it to be, I think that pretty much anyone who uses it a few times will be able to see the potential in this awesome compressor.

OVERALL OPINION

If you're looking for an incredibly versatile compressor/limiter, look no further than the Crane Song Trakker. While very expensive for a home studio owner, when compared to other compressors of this quality and type, it is actually a very reasonable price. It is designed for professionals who are looking for a versatility and top tier sound quality regardless of the price they must pay for this. Of course price is always a consideration, but I really don't think that this is overpriced in any way. You can even link eight of them up at once for 7.1 surround sound mixing! Truly one of the most unique and impressive compressor/limiters that I've had the pleasure of dealing with.