Lindell Audio 7X-500 Compressor Reviews

2.8/5.0 based on 2 customer reviews

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Customer Reviews

Joshua Valencia
from United States
January 17, 2013Music Background:
Recording/Mixing Engineer, Vocalist, Guitar Player

7X-50: Lots of BANG for your $...but know your limits

This thing is a very solid comp. Its exceptional at bringing out detail on snares. It has a deep characteristic to it as well. You really hear the depth of the shell on the snare if that makes sense. It is also has WAY more out put than most other 500 series comps. The only shortcoming I can immediately hear is the muddiness it creates with cymbals when using it for parallel drum compression. Out of the current offering I put it only behind the retro doublewide. The retro has that added clarity when working with a drum group that I dont really get with the Lindell, probably due to this box being FET and the Doublewide being tube. All in all its an amazing module at an insane price. Just know when to use it.

Roark
from Atlanta, GA
April 22, 2013Music Background:
Professional Recording Engineer, Producer, Guitarist

A mediocre entry-level 500 compressor

I purchased this for my newly acquired 500 rig, and found that it wasn't that impressive. It worked ok, but I wasn't happy with the sound of the compression, even at low levels. I bought it because I needed a 500-series compressor but didn't want to spend a lot of money. I guess you get what you pay for.

It worked ok for the first week or so I had it, although as I mentioned, I didn't like the sound of it. However, after the first 2 weeks, the input knob came loose, and eventually fell off. I returned it to sweetwater and exchanged it for the Grace 501, and I am MUCH happier with that.

inSync Review

Mitch Gallagher
4-17-2013

Swedish record producer Tobias Lindell is well known for his dedication to great sound. When he launched in 2010, his goal was to create equipment that suited his own working methods and satisfied his need for quality. Now he has brought that same dedication to the 500 Series format with three modules: the mic pre/EQ, the FET compressor, and the Pultec-style EQ. I had the opportunity to load all three up in an API lunchbox and take them for a spin.

The 7X-500 is Lindell's take on classic 1176-style compression, with all the expected features and controls. However, two additional features take it up a notch: a mix control for parallel compression and a sidechain with a highpass filter. The 7X-500 excels anywhere you'd use an 1176. I found the 7X-500 is especially awesome on drums, guitars, and vocals, but it is a great all-around compressor.

The PEX-500 is a Pultec-style EQ with both low and high bands, each with boost and cut controls. Being able to boost and cut in the same band allows you to create complex EQ curves, but the real power of the PEX-500 lies in the fat, punchy bottom and creamy top end it can produce. I used it on kick drum, snare drum, electric bass, and vocals -- everything simply sounded better running through the PEX-500.

The 6X-500 preamp/EQ offers a thick transformer-coupled sound with fat low end and smooth top end. The bonus is the inclusion of two boost-only bands of Pultec-style EQ, each with three frequency selections. There's 65dB of gain on tap, plus 48-volt phantom power, polarity reverse, and EQ bypass switches. This is a great-sounding preamp.

The Lindell Audio 500 Series modules offer incredible value -- at just $299.99 each, they're no-brainers for building a hybrid studio based around a DAW and a mixer or summing box. Check these out -- great audio awaits!