Published 16/4/04
Groove Tubes Glory Comp
Groove Tubes’ latest bit of studio hardware is the Glory Comp, a high-end mono all-tube compressor.
The Glory Comp, which employs a total of seven vacuum tubes, features conventional Threshold, Attack, Release and Ratio controls, as well as a rather more unusual ‘Glory’ knob (marked ‘Heaven’ at one extreme and ‘Earth’ at the other), which controls the amount of harmonic distortion introduced by the valve circuitry.
Compression ratios from 1:1 to 10:1 are available and users can choose between logarithmic and linear release modes. The Glory Comp seems to aspire to the same high level of build quality seen in the earlier Vipre mic preamp, reviewed in SOS July 2002 (www.soundonsound.com/sos/jul02/a...); it employs detented ceramic switches for its controls instead of more cost-effective potentiometers.
A backlit VU meter can be set to display input, output or side-chain level or gain reduction. An internal side-chain EQ is provided, featuring low- and high-frequency filters. Alternatively, the Glory Comp can accept an external side-chain source. Finally, the unit can be linked to a second Glory Comp for stereo compression.
The Glory Comp should be available from the beginning of May, priced £2199.
T Digital Village +44 (0)20 8440 3440.
