Drawmer 1978 Stereo Tone Shaping FET Compressor

Arriving on the heels of the award-winning 1973 multiband compressor, the 1978 from Drawmer is a stereo tone shaping FET compressor with a deceptively flexible range of controls that provides you with everything you need to add glue to your mix, bring out the bass, control the highs, widen the mix, add warmth or distortion, and smoothen things out, all in a 1 RU form factor. With stereo sidechaining facilities and 2-band EQ tone shaping, a complete mastering toolbox is at your fingertips, with the ultralow noise and transparent circuitry that Drawmer is known for.

Typical compression controls are provided, including threshold, ratio, attack, and release as well as unconventional controls for attaining the sound of numerous different types of buss compressors, such as four character switches for selecting between logarithmic or linear release curves, channel linking, program mode, and release smoothing as well as a variable saturation knob for warm, non-linear distortion, and a wet/dry mix on the final output that lets you engage in internal parallel compression effects. The 1978 features an internal linear, toroidal power supply with low hum and global compatibility, and includes an AC power cord, so you can get mixing and mastering right away.

Tonal shaping is provided via the comprehensive sidechain EQ, giving simultaneous control of the frequency and level of filtering for the low and high bands. This works in conjunction with insert points, which provide further control.

Because the shaping controls have bell frequencies as well as shelf, they cover the full range of frequencies available within the 1978, and thus it is possible to control the mid frequencies using just the front-panel shaping controls without the need for an external insert. If you set the low frequency to 400 Hz bell and the high frequency to 3 kHz bell, you are effectively controlling the midrange with a wide bandwidth in just the same way as you would control the low and high frequencies. This could be used to adjust the overall balance of a mix, or on individual instruments, to bring out the raspiness in a voice, for example.

Four character switches give a multitude of compression flavors, plus a variable saturation knob for dialing in harmonic distortion under complete control. The included character options include:

• Release Curve: in the out position, the classic logarithmic release curve is used, as on most compressors, but when pushed in, a linear release is used, resulting in a curve in which the initial release isn't as fast, for a less aggressive sound, especially on fast release times
• Channel Link: normally, left and right channels respond equally under compression. When engaged, the Wide channel linking changes to partial summing of the left and right channels before the sidechain, producing a wider image under compression
• PGM: this switch introduces a second, slower release time in proportion to the density of program material above the threshold, reducing excessive pumping under heavy compression
• Smooth: when pushed in, this adds extra circuitry to slow the initial release, which might otherwise introduce distortion at low frequencies (such as bass guitar) when using fast release times

Two fast reacting, color, backlit VU meters are employed to provide a visual indication of the amount of saturation added. The backlights on the meters are yellow to aid reading in low-light environments; however, as the saturation is increased, the backlights turn red to indicate the warmth that the 1978 is creating. A two-position switch adjusts the meters to show either normal output level, or for those working at hot output levels, a VU +10 dB mode.

General

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Power

Physical