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CIQT‐1 COMPIQ TWAIN PRO COMPRESSOR PEDAL
MANUAL
last modified: February 12, 2020
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Input impedance: > 1MΩ
Output Impedance: ~100Ω
0dB input reference level: ‐20dBu (0.0775Vrms)
Output noise: ‐95dBV @0dBV gain
THD: 0.05% for ‐5dBV input signal level @ 1kHz
Output frequency response: ‐2dB @ 40Hz; 0dB @ 100Hz ‐ 22KHz
Optimal Power Voltage: 9‐12VDC ±10%, Center Negative Barrel
DC Power Plug Barrel: Ø 5.1/2.1mm, 12‐15mm long
Power Consumption: < 49mAh
Product Size: Length: 105mm, Depth: 120mm, Height: 54mm
Product Weight: 387 gr.
Packed Weight: 455 gr.
Packed Shipping Weight (one unit): 550 gr.
INTRODUCTION & EFFECT CONTROLS
Thank you for choosing the
CIQT‐1 CompIQ TWAIN Pro Compressor
as audio dynamic processing tool for your instrument.
The Twain
is
an all analog studio‐grade dual band / stackable compressor
featuring full manual controls for all parameters excluding timing –
which have two switchable presets for an easier operation. The
CompIQ Twain is a state‐of‐the‐art effect pedal designed around two
independent high‐performance 4320 THAT Analog Engines® which
ensure very transparent and high‐quality audio processing, without
altering instrument's tone. The Twain can work in two modes: as a
Dual‐Band compressor
with variable Crossover point, or as a fully
Stacked compressor
, where compressor engines are routed in series.
The controls are laid out in a symmetrical fashion, mirrored in the
middle – Lows compression controls on the left, Highs compression
controls on the right.
DUAL‐BAND / STACKED
– A side‐mounted switch sets the operation
mode of the pedal. In
Dual‐Band mode
, the signal passes through
the variable‐point Crossover and each frequency band is sent to its
processing engine. In
Stacked mode
, the Crossover’s re‐combined
signal is routed in series through each compression engine. Each
operation mode renders a different tone print flavor, where Stacking
compressors feels like an optical compressor, while Dual‐Band
processing feels more like a precise dynamics tool for the pro‐user;
this also behaves like a tone‐enhancer.
CROSSOVER
– Marked
X‐OVER
, the control ranges from 70Hz to 1
KHz, with around 150Hz in the middle. Input signal always passes the
Crossover, from where it is splitted for compression processing and
clean for the Dry/Wet mixer. This ensures correct phase alignment of
the input and output signals in both operation modes. In Dual‐Band
mode, what is below the Crossover’s set point is sent to the Lows
engine and what is above is sent to the Highs engine. In Stacked
mode, the Crossover is active for the Dry Line only.
PREAMP –
The input signal can be trimmed on the input stage to
accommodate different processing level needs. Ranging
from ‐9dB
of attenuation to +6dB of gain
, it can act as a compression driver or
as a one‐knob balancer for the overall audio effect of the pedal.
A
PEAK level indicator
will start to light faintly in Yellow once the
signal level 6dBu (1.54Vrms) and more bright and consistent
once it reaches +10dBu (2.54Vrms). The peak level indicator
responds to positive gain trimmings and attenuating the signal turns
the LED off. There is nothing wrong if you see this LED turned on, yet
is advisable to trim down the signal if it stays lit.
RATIO
‐ This control is available for each engine. It sets how much
the audio signal is compressed after it passes above the set
threshold. It has a continuous range starting from
1:1
up to
Infinite:1
. At 9'clock, the control corresponds to
2:1 ratio
‐ a mild,
musical and useful compression, which delicately evens out signal
hikes. At 12'clock it sets
4:1 ratio
. At
3'clock
it corresponds to
10:1
ratio
‐ a rather aggressive setting, which may be desirable only when
note sustain is needed.
Inf:1 ratio
means over 20dB amount of
compression is applied. This corresponds to
a Limiting effect
.
TIP –
The more compression is dialed in, the more make‐up gain is
required, which results in additional amplification noise.
THRESHOLD
‐ Available for each engine, this control sets the signal
level after which compression is applied. Compression is only applied
to the portion of the signal that goes above the threshold. Set very
low in the range, it makes compression kick in quickly, even for short
amplitude input signals. Set higher in the range, it lets a good portion
of the signal untouched.
TIP – With higher Threshold set, only
strokes are compressed, while leaving the audio’s meat and bone
intact. This translates into greater sound transparency and a rise in
output level, requiring less make‐up gain.
With 50dB of threshold
range, CompIQ Twain can accommodate a wide assortment of audio
signals from many electric instruments, not only guitar or bass.
CompIQ Twain can also be used with line‐level signals.
TIMING SWITCH
– Available for each engine, the
Auto Dynamic
Timing
adjusts Attack & Release in real time, responding to
playing
dynamics.
Two presets are available.
Auto Fast (F)
is 5‐7ms for
Attack, 70ms for Release.
Auto Slower (S)
is 10‐15ms for Attack and
100‐220ms for Release. Both settings respond gracefully to any
playing style.
TIP – Fast timing setting accentuates the compression
feel and may sometime render pops, especially with higher ratios.
Slower timing setting breaths more air into compression, making it
feel more natural, even with higher ratios.
MAKE‐UP GAIN
– This control is available for each engine. The more
compression is employed the more recovery gain has to be turned
back in to compensate. In Stacked compression, these controls must
be dialed in carefully because they may rapidly increase the
amplification noise.
TIP – Raise the Threshold before adding Make‐
up Gain. Set moderate compression Ratios and additionally use
Soft Knee and Slower timing, to keep noise in place.
Conclusively,
you may blend in some Dry signal.
TIP – In Dual‐Band mode, these
independent level controls behave like a Tilt‐EQ with variable pivot
point set by the Crossover.
SOFT/HARD COMPRESSION KNEE
– Available for both engines. With
Hard Knee
, compression kicks in with a sharp corner making it very
audible. With higher compression ratios, it makes the limiting effect
very clear. With lower ratios however, it provides a good and musical
compression effect. The
Soft Knee
is more subtle and compression is
applied progressively once signal passes above the Threshold. The
effect is gentle and desirable when compression doesn't have to be
explicit or used as an audio effect.
TIP – When used with higher
thresholds, Soft Knee adds more transparency to the sound,
diluting compression feel. Think of it as a mastering tool for voicing
audio content.
