Estec Twincomp

• Manufacturer: Estec
• Model: Twincomp
• Category: Studio compressors
• Added in our database on: 01/11/2016

ESTEC Twincomp Compressor / Limiter / High Frequency Limiter

ESTEC is a German boutique manufacturer based in Munich, comparable to ADT & Zaehl in that it started building custom mixing consoles and subsequently offered small series of outboard versions of its desk circuits. The brainchild of Peter Schneid, ESTEC built custom consoles & gear for the likes of Michael Cretu (Enigma) and Frank Farian (Boney M).

Features:

• dual VCA compressor, switchable stereo link, soft knee – detection circuit triggered by: peaks (ESTEC also has an RMS-comp named 'Dynatwo')
• VERY wide range of attack & release parameters, including extremely short attack values: down to 0.01 ms (!), ideal for catching transients in brickwall limiting applications. With lower frequency signals this can effectively compress right into peaks within one single wave cycle.

At the other extreme it provides automated 'ride the fader', at attack ramps of up to 500 ms (!) and release up to 10 – that's TEN – SECONDS, easily providing the widest range of time constants ever built into a comp.

• Ratio is continuously variable from 1:1 to 1:50 (zero compression to brickwall)

Unique sidechain filter circuit w/ variable frequency, Q (slope) AND switchable filter shape (bell or shelf), with VTS preview function (putting the filter into the audio signal path – thus it can also be abused either as a hi-shelf or emphasis EQ).

In sidechain mode the filter lets you emphasize particular frequencies or ranges for frequency-conscious compression.

* SC filter extremely useful as a high frequency-only compression / limiting setting – removing excessive high frequency content, for instance on drum buss for compressing snare & hi-hat transients without squelching the kick drum, or sibilance control ('de-ess')
* key (= sidechain) insert, for instance for putting the bass drum into the sidechain.

Fun detail: the potentiometer caps are the same ones Zaehl use on their AM1 desk.

Handmade in Germany, 1990s