The Compressor/Limiter You’ve Been Waiting For
Want a compressor that gives you great-sounding results fast? We recommend giving the Daking Comp II a serious audition. We’ve all spent a chunk of time fiddling with a myriad of controls to find the right compression characteristics for a particular source. With the Comp II, Daking does away with all that. What the Comp II brings to the table is instant gratification. Under the hood of this two-channel compressor/limiter is a discrete transistor Class A VCA circuit that utilizes classic feedback peak detection (in which the sensor is placed after the VCA) for quickly obtaining highly musical-sounding results from a streamlined control set — whether you’re using it on individual tracks or as a stereo bus compressor with channel linking engaged.
Related Videos: Comp II Stereo VCA Compressor
Great results, fast
Equipped with only per-channel Compression amount and Output controls — plus four buttons that engage specific behaviors — the Daking Comp II is remarkably quick and easy to use. The reason this novel arrangement works so well is that Daking is using VCAs like FETs, in that they utilize feedback via a peak detector, rather than feed-forward using an RMS detector, and an all-discrete amplifier to convert from current to voltage. At Sweetwater Studios, our engineers have found the impressive professional results obtained in seconds with the Comp II to be comparable with those from high-end units costing much more.
Impressive versatility
Attack, Release, Ratio, and Bypass buttons complete the per-channel control set. By carefully curating the behaviors for each button’s two selectable modes, Daking has rendered the potentially arduous task of setting up compression and limiting dead simple. For instance, the Release button’s Auto setting is an auto-release program that you’ll find ideal for most source material. The Ratio button’s Comp setting offers a standard 4:1 ratio, whereas its Limit mode is set at a brickwall 14:1. But the Comp II’s every-day operational simplicity and sweet musicality are deceptive — it’s a versatile compressor/limiter that’s capable of mercilessly crushing a pair of room mics, if that’s what you’re after.
At Daking, quality is baked-in
Handcrafted in America, the Daking Comp II’s high-quality build uses discrete transistor Class A VCAs, THAT Corporation differential amps, and printed circuit board-mounted switches. Signal capacitors are precision polypropylene or ultra low-leakage electrolytic types. Daking’s boards are built on a military-spec assembly line. Dual VU meters are selectable for gain reduction or output. The stainless steel chassis allows for maximum RF and hum rejection and a durable finish. Every unit is hand-finished, tested, burned in, and tested once more in a separate facility. And naturally, Daking couldn’t use common plastic knobs, so they designed their own anodized, engraved aluminum knobs for a confident, precise, high-quality feel.
Daking Comp II Stereo VCA Compressor Features:
- 2-channel compressor/limiter with Stereo linking
- Versatile and easy to use
- Professional build with high-quality parts
- All-metal construction with stainless steel chassis for noise rejection
- Novel, discrete transistor Class A VCA circuit design
- Differential input and output amps
- Class A amplifier for makeup gain
- Custom aluminum knobs
- Frequency response: 20Hz–65kHz
- Compression amount and Output controls per channel
- Per-channel Attack, Release, Ratio, and Bypass buttons
- Input: XLR (x2); Output XLR (x2), TRS (x2)
- External power supply included
- Handcrafted in America
