Enjoy an all tube signal path comprising of legendary EQ and compression thanks to the D.W. Fearn VMC Mix Bus / Mastering Combination. This combination includes the VT-7 stereo / dual-mono compressor and the VT-5 stereo equalizer, separated by a 1 RU rack panel (VPF) to ensure steady airflow and heat regulation. Whether applied to your mix bus or the final master, this combination consistently delivers professional, ear-pleasing results.
Crafted with eight 6072 vacuum tubes. five solid-state power supplies, gold-plated XLR input and output connectors, and Class-A triodes, the D.W. Fearn VT-7 Stereo/Dual Mono Vacuum Tube Compressor delivers smooth and transparent compression while providing flexible controls. This compressor can be operated either in dual-mono, linked stereo, or linked with a 100 Hz high-pass filter in the side-chain detector. Particularly with the side-chain operation, this is helpful for allowing the compressor to not react on from instruments like bass and kick drums.
Attack, release, threshold, and gain controls allow you to set the timing of the compressor, the amount of compression, and makeup level. Unique to the VT-7 is a control to allow the compression to become softer or harder. More specifically, the compression ratio will be altered while being affected from all of the other controls. This allows for unique compression characteristics that are harder to achieve with traditional controls.
Hand-made using in-house input transformers and inductors, IC circuitry with eight 6072A tubes, and a Jensen output transformer, the D.W. Fearn VT-5 Stereo Vacuum Tube Equalizer is designed for sculpting recordings while providing lush lows, clear mids, and smooth highs. The 5-band equalizer stage consists of selectable frequencies per band, and separate controls for boosting and reducing tonal ranges.
The low and high shelf sections each have their own boost and cut functions, while the high band has an additional bandwidth control for creating broad or surgical enhancements. A mid-cut frequency control, ranging from 200 to 700 Hz, allows you to remove any unwanted muddy buildup that can typically be found in recordings. In addition to an input level control, you can boost or cut the signal to achieve anything from transparent coloration to creative saturation. Regardless of the source, this equalizer delivers musical tonal variety for many recordings.
- Low Cut at 30, 40, 100, or 400 Hz, 0 to -18 dB shelving in 2 dB steps
- Low Boost at 20, 40, 60, or 140 Hz, 0 to 16 dB shelving in 2 dB steps
- Mid Cut at 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, or 700 Hz, 0 to -16 dB in 2 dB steps
- High Boost at 1.5, 3, 4, 5, 8, 10, 12, or 16 kHz, 0 to 12 dB in 2 dB steps
- High Bandwidth Q of 0.6, 0.8, 1.0, 1.4, or 1.7
- High Frequency Cut at 1.5, 3.5, 8, or 28 kHz, 0 to -14 dB shelving in 2 dB steps
- Gain adjustable from -9 to +9 dB, referenced to +4 dBm, in 3 dB steps
Especially for providing airflow between tube equipment, the D.W. Fearn VPF 1 RU Color-Matched All-Aluminum Vented Rack Panel is a great option for protecting your outboard gear. The panel fits a 1 RU space and features a beautiful red hand-polished polyurethane finish with the D.W. Fearn logo in the top left corner.