Ask a roomful of mix engineers about a do-anything stereo compressor and Elysia's Xpressor keeps coming up. This is a discrete Class-A stereo compressor built in Germany to mastering-grade standards, equally happy gluing a mix bus together with transparent, invisible control or absolutely smashing a drum bus into a punchy, exciting wall of sound. The clever bits are what set it apart: a sidechain filter so the low end stops triggering the compressor, an Auto Fast attack mode that reads transients for you, a Warm switch for analog harmonics, and the GRL (gain reduction limiter) that caps how hard it can clamp down. Fast, clean, characterful and endlessly flexible. A genuine modern classic.

FEATURES & PROS:

• Discrete Class-A: An all-discrete signal path for an open, punchy, mastering-grade sound.
• Stereo Workhorse: One set of controls for both channels, fast to dial in on the bus.
• Sidechain Filter: Stop the low end pumping the compressor on full mixes.
• Auto Fast Mode: Smart attack that catches transients without choking the life out.
• Warm Switch: Dial in pleasing analog harmonic colour on demand.
• GRL Limiter: Set a ceiling on gain reduction so dynamics survive loud sections.

THE WORD: Sweetwater's InSync review says calling it just a stereo compressor sells it short, it handles tracking, mixing and mastering, and is "highly recommended." Read the review at Sweetwater.

SPECIFICATIONS

• Model: Elysia Xpressor
• Type: discrete Class-A stereo compressor
• Format: 1U rackmount
• Key features: Auto Fast, Warm mode, Log release, GRL gain-reduction limiter
• Sidechain: variable high-pass filter
• Ratio: from 1.2:1 up to limiting
• Mix: wet/dry parallel control
• Connectivity: balanced XLR in/out