The German manufacturer has just announced the Transpressor, a new dynamic processing tool that seeks to surpass the limitations of common compressors.
The Transpressor is the first processor that combines the two most important dynamic processing techniques: level-independent compression and treatment of transients. By blending these techniques in a single path, SPL aims to void the limitations each processor presented on its own.
Transient Designer
A transient can be defined as the first impulse of a waveform. What the Transient Designer does is shape the waveform according to the transient, and it only needs two controls to achieve that, either by amplifying or attenuating the attack and/or sustain. Among its most common uses are the sound shaping of percussion instruments, the attenuation or intensification of stringed instruments or vocal consonant transients, etc.
Twin Core Compressor
The compressor is based on SPL's Twin Core Circuit with incredibly low distortion ratings. It includes all standard parameters like Threshold, Ratio, Attack, Release, and Make-Up gain. Moreover, the attack and release parameters can be adjusted automatically according to the input signal – sort of like a cruise control. There is also a bandpass filter for the mids and two low pass filters for the lows that allow for a much more focused compression of specific frequency ranges or instruments. A side chain input allows for external control of the compressor while a Dry/Wet control determines the balance between the original and the processed signal.
Transpressor
The Transpressor is designed as a single channel unit but you can always couple two in order to do some stereo processing. SPL's intent to offer a flexible and powerful audio processing tool, based on the interaction between transient processing and compression, is made evident by the freedom to place the modules in any order in the signal path. That way you can compress attacks that have been heavily amplified by the Transient Designer more precisely or enhance the transients once they have been compressed.
The prototype of the Transpressor will be displayed at the Musikmesse in Frankfurt from the 24th to the 27th of March, 2010. You can find the SPL stand (B82) in Hall 5.1.
Pricing and availability will be announced at the Messe.
