Korneff Audio Shure Level-Loc

Released in the 1960s, Shure’s M62V Level‑Loc Audio Level Controller was a mic‑level device intended for use with public address systems. It had few controls and delivered no‑nonsense, high‑ratio compression for microphone users who, from an engineering perspective, weren’t expected to know what they were doing! But in the decades that followed, engineers began to notice that this humble‑looking box had a unique sound that could be used creatively in the studio. One famous proponent is Tchad Blake, who discovered the Level‑Loc when working on the Tom Waits album Bone Machine and described it as a “life‑changing” discovery. In the decades since, Blake has found the Level‑Loc a willing accomplice for his distinct mixing style.

This new plug‑in is the result of a collaboration between Blake and Korneff Audio, and is officially endorsed by Shure too. You can find out more about Tchad Blake’s use of the Level‑Loc and Korneff’s approach to this plug‑in in Sam Inglis’ interview‑based article that appeared when the plug was announced at NAMM this year: https://sosm.ag/RecreatingLevelLoc. But here, I’ve put it to the test to see if it delivers on its promise of being an authentic emulation with useful digital trimmings.

The original’s user controls are as simple as they come: an input control is paired with a ‘distance’ selector, which acts as a crude threshold. Other than a Level‑Loc/bypass switch, that’s it. The plug‑in replicates these functionally and visually, but also lets you switch between three different modelled units — these devices have often been repaired and modded over the years, so have slightly different sonic characteristics. Models TB1 and TB2 are from Tchad Blake’s studio, while DK is...