Rupert Neve Portico 543 500 Series Lunchbox VCA Compressor

General

Rupert Neve's Portico 543 is a VCA compressor in a 500-series module. It is packed with useful features. Because both ratio, attack, release and threshold are infinitely adjustable with a wide range, this compressor is very versatile. From subtle compression or preventing clipping later in the signal chain, to the most aggressive limiting. It features a switch that switches between Peak and RMS mode. Peak mode, for example, is useful for absorbing peaks, while RMS mode better captures audible differences in loudness. In short: this is a real multi-tool in the studio.

Unsurpassed compression

VCA compression works on the basis of a Voltage Controlled Amplifier. The signal regulates its own gain when it gets too loud. Compared to other methods, this form of compression delivers a very clean signal and little unwanted colouration or distortion of the sound. The FF/FB switch switches the module from classic feedback compression to a feed-forward circuit. This method of VCA compression delivers lightning-fast attack times by using the signal before the VCA as the control voltage, rather than after it.