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Golden Age's Vintage-style 500 Series Comp Gets Even Better
The Golden Age Comp-554 MK2 delivers the same vintage-flavored, 2254-style compression as its predecessor, but it also boasts upgraded knob and switches, plus an even more robust design. Rocking an all-discrete, Class A signal path, the single-channel Comp-554 MK2 is well spec'd with stepped controls, flexible sidechain filter options, stereo linking, Golden Age's AIR circuit, and more. Golden Age also gives you the option of upgrading all three of the Comp-554 MK2's audio transformers (input, output, and interstage) to Carnhill vintage-spec reproductions. We're impressed with the Golden Age Comp-554 MK2. We think you will be, too.
The Golden Age Project: affordable vintage-inspired gear
The Golden Age Project was founded in 2005 on the belief that vintage gear sounds best and the desire to pass on this sonic legacy to a new generation of musicians, engineers, and producers. All discrete, Class A signal paths with no integrated circuits and the use of transformers, stepped controls, and military-grade build quality are the cornerstones of the legendary British equipment deployed in world-class recording and broadcast studios in the 1970s — the Golden Age of analog. Fat, warm, punchy, and authoritative, this is the sound heard on countless hits for nigh unto half a century. Locating, purchasing, restoring, and maintaining vintage gear is time-consuming and costly. Fortunately, this small, family-owned Swedish company makes gear the same way it was made back in the day — at an amazingly gentle price.
A distributor of high-end studio equipment for many years, Golden Age Project founder Bo Medin wanted to be able to offer products with much of the same exclusive sound in a price range that made them available to a larger audience. Inspired by original designs, Golden Age uses modern technology to re-create that lush, opulent sound, making it surprisingly affordable. They use some modern ingenuity to add new functionality to superb classic designs and produce them in a cost-effective way, which allows them to be both optimized and affordable. From outboard equipment to condenser, dynamic, and ribbon mics, you can outfit your entire studio with vintage-inspired Golden Age gear without exceeding your budget.
Golden Age Project Comp-554 MK2 500 Series Compressor Features:
- Delivers the same sound as its predecessor with upgraded knobs and switches, plus a more robust design
- Colorful, vintage-flavored 1-channel compressor based on classic diode bridge designs
- Vintage-style electronics with no integrated circuits in the signal path
- All discrete, Class A signal path
- Transformer-balanced I/O (prepared for Carnhill upgrade)
- Flexible control range for threshold, ratio, attack, and recovery
- All controls (except Gain Makeup) are stepped
- 3 selectable sidechain filter frequencies
- 3 flexible sidechain options: Internal, Insert, and External
- External sidechain I/O is electronically balanced at 4dBu and appears on the right slot rack connections
- Separate Bypass and Compression IN/OUT switches
- 2 insert connectors for inserting Golden Age EQ-573 in the main audio and/or sidechain signal path
- Meter selectable for Output (selectable for +4 or +12dBu) and Gain Reduction
- Link switch for linking 2 units for stereo operation
- 3-position AIR EQ switch: Flat, +3, or +6dB at 30kHz
- 2-position output termination switch for tonal variation
- Soft start circuit ramps up supply voltage slowly (about 10 seconds) to avoid a power-on current surge
- Separate input and output XLR and TRS jacks for flexible connections
- Back-panel switch for 600-ohm termination
- External power supply to avoid interaction with the audio circuitry and the transformers
- Great sound that suits most sound sources and genres