NAMM 2019: TK Audio BC1-THD hardware bus compressor
Swedish manufacturer TK Audio announced an upgraded version of its BC1-LTD hardware bus compressor – the BC1-THD. New black faceplate aside, the THD variant introduces a number of user-requested features. First comes the Grab control. According to TK, the LTD was meant to serve as a transparent “mix glue” bus compressor, which the THD can easily do, but that’s no longer the only option.
The Grab control presents more aggressive and apparent compression which may sound good on a drum bus or a somewhat dull mix in need of a shake-up. Further along, TK added a THD switch which engages a saturation circuit to massage signals with subtle crunch and overdrive. Users also requested high-pass filtering for the sidechain signal input, to which TK gladly obliged by adding three switchable high-pass filters (80Hz, 150Hz, 220Hz). Finally, the compressor’s Attack time has been tweaked to make the unit more versatile.
Not bad, not bad at all for USD 1399 which is the minimum advertised price in America. Those outside the States will have to ask their closest TK Audio dealer. A list of them can be obtained at the manufacturer’s web page.
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