The Manley Stereo Variable Mu Limiter Compressor Is The Glue That Holds The Mix Together While Crystallizing It Into A Professional Final Product The Manley Variable Mu Limiter Compressor has been Manley's flagship product for many years. It is one of the very few compressors that has become a real standard in Mastering studios and contributed to most hit records over the last decade and probably the next. "Mu" is tube-speak for gain, and Variable Mu® is Manley's registered trademark for this limiter compressor. It works by using the "remote cut-off" or re-biasing of a vacuum tube to achieve compression. The precious vintage Fairchild 670 also uses this technique and is one of few all-tube compressor to do so, that we know of. Even the side-chain has glowing rectifier bottles. How's it work? The unique 5670 dual triode is at the center of the peak-reducing and compression action constantly being re-biased by the vacuum tube rectified side-chain control voltages which cause this tube to smoothly change its gain. Just like that. All-tube, all transformer, an all-American legend. High Pass Side Chain mod now comes standard. The COMPRESS mode is soft-knee 1.5 to 1 ratio while the sharper knee LIMIT mode starts at 4 to 1 and moves to a more dramatic ratio of 20 to 1 when limiting over 12dB. Interestingly, the knee actually softens as more limiting is used. Distortion can be creatively used by turning up the Input and turning down the Output while using very little or no compression. See the gain reduction curves here! You might notice that the Variable Mu® Limiter Compressor has a ganged input control, but do not jump to conclusions that it is mono-unfriendly. Track away! There are separate threshold and output controls to make compensations with plus you can always adjust your individual source levels elsewhere, right? The advantage of the stereo input control becomes dramatically clear when you switch to LINK mode, and that's what our Variable Mu® Limiter Compressor does better than anything else: final mix, 2-track, or mastering limiting and compression. Like one reviewer put it: "It's like pouring a bowl of sweet cream over the mix." Mmmmmm. Yummy. Give your music a big hug. MS Mod The MS Mod turns the left channel into "middle" and the right into "sides" to compress each phase component independently. For example, squash the vocal, kick, snare, bass (in-phase info) while keeping the out-of-phase program intact to make the stereo image super-wide. Do the opposite to make the result more mono and radio-friendly. Special Order Item: Please allow extra time for delivery. SPECIFICATIONS MANLEY input and output transformers with nickel laminations in mu-metal cases Frequency Response: 20 Hz - 25 kHz Balanced Inputs and Outputs: 600 Ohms Fully differential ALL-TUBE circuitry Variable Gain vacuum tube: 5670 x2 Standard Amplifying vacuum tubes: 5751 or 12AX7 x2 Output vacuum tubes: 12BH7 x2 Output vacuum tubes: 5687 x2 Side Chain Rectifier Diodes: 12AL5 x2 Independently regulated B+ and Heater supplies Hardwire BYPASS switch Stepped switch INPUT attenuator RECOVERY 5 steps: 0.2s, 0.4s, 0.6s, 4s, 8s Variable ATTACK: 25 ms - 70 ms Continuously variable THRESHOLD LIMIT (4:1 to 20:1) or COMPRESS (1.5 to 1) Large ILLUMINATED Sifam METERS (white LED lighting) STEREO LINK SWITCH - Several units can be linked for Surround (custom order) Maximum Gain: 35 dB Maximum Output: +30 dBu (26 Vrms) 26 dB Headroom Noise Floor (less than 0.1% THD @ 1KHz): -85 dB typical Power Consumption (120/240VAC): 80 Watts Mains Fuse Type: MDA or MDL SLO-BLO Time delay 1 1/4" x 1/4" Mains Voltage Frequency: 50 - 60 Hz Dimensions: 19 x 3.5 x 10 inches / 483 x 89 x 254 mm (chassis occupies 2U) Power transformer protrudes 3.5" out the back of the chassis Shipping Weight: 23 lb / 10.4 kg Manufacturer: Manley LaboratoriesModel: MSLCHPMSSKU: I493784-N-0-WHXBWe are Chuck Levin's Washington Music CenterSince 1958, Chuck Levin’s Washington Music Center has been the trusted destination for musicians and audio professionals across Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. Family-owned and operated, our legendary music store delivers Everything in Music®—from instruments and recording gear to pro audio, rentals, and repair services.Our team of musicians and industry experts lives and breathes gear, helping you build the perfect setup for your next performance, studio session, or installation. As an authorized dealer for top brands, we also offer our award-winning CHUCKSCLUSIVE line—exclusive, limited-edition instruments and collaborations recognized with the NAMM Top 100 Dealer Innovation Award for redefining what a music retail experience can be.Chuck Levin’s isn’t just a store—it’s a community built by players, engineers, and creators who share a lifelong passion for sound. Stop by our legendary Wheaton, MD showroom or contact us anytime for expert advice, product questions, or the best possible deal on your next piece of gear.
