
SC4 M&S DAD Stereo Compressor - User's guide
SC4
4
SC4 Main Features
1) THE ANALOGUE COMPRESSOR SECTION
The SC4 IS a Joemeek SC2 stereo compressor with additional features:
The analogue inputs are balanced via XLR connectors, at line level, and the
input gain control can add gain up to a limit of 18 dB.
After the input stage, the audio is converted to 'middle and side' mode, this
means that one channel contains the 'volume' (sum) information, while the other
contains the 'width'(difference) information.
A front panel switch disables the MS coder so that either analogue or digital
signals in MS mode can input directly.
On the rear panel two Jack sockets give insert access to the 'middle' and 'side'
audio signals. This is so that special effects can be introduced by processing
the width information independently of the volume information.
The signals go through the compression circuits where a non-linear sidechain
drives light sources, and the actual compression is done with photo-resistors.
This is the heart of the Joemeek sound.
Because of the difficulties in achieving a true hard-wired 'bypass' switch
(especially with digital), the 'compression in/out switch has the additional facility
of switching in extra gain to allow for the compression effect. Although the
amount is only 2dB, this makes the comparison 'compressed/uncompressed'
switch very much more useable.
Metering is unconventional: The left hand meter reads the volume information in
the stereo signal, the right hand meter reads the compression depth in real
time.
After compression, the 'side' channel goes through a separate variable amplifier
giving a 'width' control.
This affects the stereo image so that it is variable all the way from 'mono' out to
200% stereo.