Midas 522 V2 Compressor Limiter Module

The Midas 500 Series

Premium performance with that legendary Midas sound. Bringing industry-standard control and flexibility to the powerful 500 Series format, Midas have been able to create a diverse array of powerful modules to give you exceptional power in an adaptable design. And now with the V2 editions, you can take advantage of enhanced premium-quality performance to craft the sound you’re looking for.

Exceptional dynamic control

The Midas 522 V2 enforces the importance of dynamics in music and sound. From delicate and intricate vocal lines, to the heaviest of guitar tones. Dynamics are the organic life and excitement of any sound.

The 522 V2 provides exceptional dynamic processing capabilities, enhancing and controlling both soft and loud peaks, helping to deliver the perfect sonic performance. Compressing the signal assists in creating a sound with significantly more density, creating more impact with harmonic richness. It also allows subtle details to be heard exactly as they should be.

The module also features a Presence control, enabling you to boost the high-mid audio frequencies, with a central frequency of around 5kHz. This is ideal for a wide array of instruments and sounds, allowing them to cut through dense mixes during compression. The Presence control is variable, and allows you to compress low frequencies with your specified ratio, whilst compressing the high-mid frequencies with a reduced ratio. It creates a much more natural sound, reducing the perceived compression in the most sensitive frequency range for our ears.

Manual and automatic modes

The 522 V2’s default mode works as a peak-sensing compressor, controlling peaks with instant adjustments in gain. This operation mode can often create a more obvious sense of compression, whilst allowing you to adjust the attack and release times to create the perfect compression characteristics for your sound.

There is a handy Auto switch, which bypasses the attack and release controls. Instead, the compressor will operate in RMS mode, which automatically adjusts the attack and release of the compressor in relation to the average input signal and your threshold and ratio settings. This automatic mode results in a smooth and more relaxed overall compression sound, often regarded as more natural and musical.

Adjustable knee and sidechain HPF

With a default soft knee compression response, the 522 V2 creates a more natural sound by blurring the distinction between the signal levels below the threshold, and those that are over the threshold. Signals that occur just above the threshold setting are compressed at reduced ratios, reducing the sound of obvious compression.

Signals that rise significantly above the threshold are compressed at the full ratio with a soft knee. However, a Hard switch allows you to swap over to a hard knee response. This mode features a much sharper transition between the signals above and below the threshold, perfect for use as a type of limiter compressor by providing full ratio compression much closer to the threshold setting. A small amount of soft knee is retained to ensure a natural overall sound in this mode.

As well as having a switchable knee response, the 522 V2 also features a switch for engaging a sidechain high-pass filter. This in turn allows you to insert a 200Hz HPF into the compressor’s side chain, removing the dominating low frequencies from the overall compression of the signal. This also results in the elimination of undesirable artefacts and pumping effects on the higher frequencies.

Features

• Compact 500 Series premium compressor/limiter with dynamic presence control
• Fully variable dynamic presence feature preserves high mid-range frequencies for a more natural sound during compression
• Dynamic presence control adds ‘air’ to vocals without introducing noise or pumping effects, and reduces the risk of feedback during live performances
• Manual envelope controls with linear peak-sensing compression or easy-to-use Auto mode with RMS compression
• Soft or hard-knee compressor response with selection switch
• Sidechain high-pass filter with selection switch eliminates undesirable LF compression artefacts
• High-performance electronically-balanced input stage with high common-mode rejection
• High-power balanced output drives long audio cables with ease
• Precision gain reduction and signal level metering
• True hardware bypass selection switch removes all circuitry from the signal path when compression is not required
• Power up mute relays prevent switch on thumps
• Premium quality components throughout for a crystal-clear audiophile signal path
• Designed and engineered in the UK
• Covered by Midas’ 10-year warranty program

Why Buy From Marshall Music

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