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TK AUDIO BC2-ME

Stereo Buss Compressor - Mastering Edition

Congratulations on buying the mastering version of one of the most transparent stereo b uss compressors ever made;

manufactured and hand-assembled in Sweden and thoroughly tested before leaving the factory.

The BC2-ME provides smooth buss compression associated with one of the most famous buss compressors from the

mid 80’s. Mixing engineers call it the magic ‘glue’ when transparent compression strengthens mixes witho ut

compromising clarity .

The BC2-ME provides just that kind of compression bringing cohesion and punch; equally useful for drum buss and

instrument compression. All controls of the new unit are now stepped for easier recall. Push buttons are also

illuminated. The main signal path is more or less the same as in the BC1mk2 but we have added a switchable

transformer balanced cla ss-A output sta ge and also a function that adds extra even-harmonics to the signal.

The built-in blend control makes it easy to apply parallel compression by adjusting the mix of dry and compressed

signal. A mute-switch is provided for muting the dry si gnal making it possible to adjust the compre ssion without

changing the blend control.

A switchable side-chain filter with 5 frequen cies makes the BC2-ME less responsive to low frequency ene rgy. The

external side-chain input m akes it possible to have the BC2-ME pump to an external source. The BC2-ME will add the

magic ‘glue’ and make your mixes sound punchy and coherent.

THE PARAMETERS:

THRESHOLD: -20dB to +20dB in 41 steps. Th e threshold adjusts the level above which the signal is reduced. A lower

threshold means a larger portion of the signal will be treated. For opt imal results make sure that the input level is high

enough.

RATIO: 1.25:1 / 1.5:1 / 2:1 / 4:1 / 10:1 / Hard. The ratio determines the input/output ratio for signals above the

threshold. For example, a 4:1 ratio means that a sign al overshooting the threshold by 4 dB will leave the compressor 1

dB above the threshold. At the 1.25:1 / 1.5:1 and 2:1 setting a relatively subtle soft-knee compression is applied. At

4:1, the compression becomes more obvious, and at 10:1 the BC2-ME is basically a peak limi t er.

ATTACK: UF (ultrafast) / 0.1 / 0.3 / 0.6 / 1 / 3 / 10 / 30 / 60 / 120mS. The attack setting defines the time it takes for the

compressor to decrea se th e gain and reach the level determined by the ratio. Faster attack settings means better

control of the transient part of the sound, but if set too fast the compressor might cut away more transie nts than

wanted. A good starting point is 10ms.

RELEASE: 50 / 100 / 300 / 600ms / 1.2S / Auto. The release setting defines the time it takes for the compressor to

increase the gain to the level determine d by the ratio, once the level has falle n below the threshold. Higher release

settings will result in a less intrusive compression with lower distortion, but if set too high the compression might not

be effective enough. A good starting point is 100m s or Auto.

AUTO-RELEASE: Makes the release function time dependent on the duration of the signal peak. In practise it's a fire-

and-forget setting that behaves the same way as a classic British buss compressor used by many since the 80ies.

HPF: A 6dB/octave high-pass filter at 75Hz, 100Hz, 125 Hz, 150Hz or 250Hz is applied to the internal or external side-

chain signal, making the compression less respo nsive to low-frequency energy.

IN: True bypass switch. Th e inputs will be feeded directly to the outputs via relays.

EXT SC: Engages the external side-chain input on the back of the BC2-ME. By using the external side-chain another

signal can control the behavior of the compressor; most commonly used by DJs for ducking - lowering the music

volume automatically when speaking. It’s also effectively used for ducking the bass track or backgroun d whenever the

kick drum hits by sending the kick track to the external side-chain input. For more information please read the section

about side-chain compression.

Summary of content (7 pages)

PAGE 1
TK AUDIO BC2-ME Stereo Buss Compressor - Mastering Edition Congratulations on buying the mastering version of one of the most transparent stereo buss compressors ever made; manufactured and hand-assembled in Sweden and thoroughly tested before leaving the factory. The BC2-ME provides smooth buss compression associated with one of the most famous buss compressors from the mid 80’s. Mixing engineers call it the magic ‘glue’ when transparent compression strengthens mixes without compromising clarity.
PAGE 2
L+R: When engaged the side-chain signals are summed to mono before hitting the threshold detectors meaning that the compressor will be 6dB more sensitive to the centre information of the mix. That usually means kick drum, snare drum, bass guitar and lead vocals. In most cases L+R should not be used. THD: Adds extra even-harmonics to the signal. (around 0.5%) CLASS-A: Selects the transformer balanced class-A output stage for a more vintage tone like a fat, punchy low-end response with more mid character.
PAGE 3
DRUM The BC2-ME can go from subtle to pretty slamming compression on a drum buss and here are a few good starting points. Make a habit of adjusting the Make-up gain until the compressed signal is equally loud as the uncompressed signal, and toggle the Comp in button to listen what's actually happening to the drums when they are compressed. A TOUCH OF DRUM COMPRESSION The effect should be very subtle and just make the drums come together without adding altering the kick or snare drum.
PAGE 4
GUITAR SOLO GAIN-RIDING Similar settings can be used to gain-ride a guitar solo or other solo instruments. Adjust threshold until about 4 dB of compression is done. Ratio: 1.5:1 or 2:1 HFP: 150Hz ATTACK: 10 or 30 ms Release: 50 or 100 ms Blend: Comp BASS RIDING Bass guitar can be a pretty tricky animal to harness.
PAGE 5
2 BUSS WITH SNAPPY PARALLEL COMPRESSION For a more snappy compression use slow attack and one of the faster release settings and Ratio 10:1 - adjust the Threshold until there is about 8 to 12dB of gain-reduction. Ratio: 10:1 HFP: 150Hz ATTACK: 30 or 60 ms Release: 50, 100 or 300 ms Blend: 9-12 o'clock EXTERNAL SIDE-CHAIN COMPRESSION The external side-chain inputs on the back is an balanced input and can be used to control the compressor with an external signal.
PAGE 6
EU - Declaration of conformity / Överenstämmelseintyg Product TK Audio BC2-ME, Stereo buss compressor - Mastering Edition 115v - 630mA 230v - 315mA Manufactor / Tillverkare Thomas Kristiansson Musikverkstan / TK Audio Falkenbergsgatan 10 30233 Halmstad Sweden Halmstad, February 2012 Declaration of conformity I declare under my sole responsibilty that this product, to which this declaration relates, is in confomity with the following standards: EN55013, EN55020:2002, EN61000-3-2, EN61000-4-2 and EN60065 Fol
PAGE 7
4 0 2:1 4 8 8 12 4:1 6:1 1.5:1 0.3 10:1 12 1.25:1 16 1 10 UF 30 16 20 - 0 Ratio 2:1 4 8 12 4:1 6:1 1.5:1 0.3 10:1 1 30 Ratio 2:1 8 12 4:1 6:1 1.5:1 0.3 10:1 12 1.25:1 16 1 UF 20 + 0 30 Ratio 2:1 8 12 4:1 6:1 1.5:1 0.3 10:1 12 1.25:1 16 1 UF 30 0 2:1 4 8 8 12 4:1 1.5:1 6:1 0.3 10:1 12 1.25:1 16 1 20 + Threshold dB 125 10 0.