DW Fearn VT-7 Stereo Tube Compressor
The DW Fearn VT-7 is a stereo Class-A vacuum tube audio path compressor. The gain reduction elements utilize circuitry that duplicates the sound and characteristics of the finest classic vacuum tube compressors; without depending on tubes that are no longer manufactured. The control circuitry is modern solid-state analog.
The two channels may be used independently or linked together for stereo. A built in sidechain high-pass filter may be selected to reduce the compression on bass-heavy material.
Controls (each channel):
The VU meters may be switched between indicating gain reduction or output level.
The VT-7 has a highly-transparent sound, although it can be used more aggressively when needed. Artifacts of the compression process are substantially lower than in most other compressors.
The two channels may be used independently, or linked for stereo. In addition, a third position on the Link switch inserts a high-pass filter (HPF) in the sidechain to reduce the gain-reduction sensitivity of the VT-7 to low frequencies. This is a gentle roll-off, nominally at 100Hz. This allows a bass-heavy mix to have a better frequency balance, and prevents heavy low frequency audio from modulating the audio level. (NOTE: The photo of the VT-7 shows an older unit without the Link HPF position.)
The VT-7 is designed to process high-quality audio and make it sound even better.
The VT-7 is equally adept in tracking as well as as a bus compressor. Even jazz and classical tracks can be sent through the VT-7 for some mild gain control without obvious effect other than a significant improvement in the overall sound of the mix.
Performance
(no gain reduction, unity gain)
Frequency Response: 20Hz - 20kHz +/- 0.5dB
-3dB at 5Hz and 65kHz
THD: less than 0.07%
Signal to Noise Ratio: better than 80dB
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