The Manley Vari Mu Mastering Edition is an all valve compressor and limiter designed for stereo buss compression. The Manley Vari Mu takes its name from the patented technology used in this compressor, in which the valve is the gain reduction element. The compression works by using the “remote cut-off” or re-biasing of the 5670 dual triode vacuum tube. In compression mode, the Vari Mu Mastering Edition starts with a soft-knee 1.5:1 ratio; while in Limit mode the ratio starts at 4:1 and increases all the way up to 20:1 when pushed over 12dB of gain reduction. As more limiting occurs, the knee softens. This explains why it possible to push the Manly Vari Mu Mastering Edition further than any other compressors. Although it was originally designed as a mixbuss compressor to sweeten the final mix, it is nonetheless possible to use it as a dual mono with both sides having their own sets of controls including threshold, attack, recovery and output. The Mastering edition includes detented and logable steps and Grayhill switches. Manley Vari Mu Mastering Edition Features: MANLEY input & output transformers with nickel laminations in mu-metal cases with flat frequency response from 20Hz-25KHz BALANCED INPUTS & OUTPUTS (600 Ohms) Fully differential ALL-TUBE circuitry using one each 5670, 5751 (or 12AX7), 7044 (or 5687), & 12AL5 per channel Independently regulated B+ and Heater supplies Hard-wire BYPASS switch Stepped switch INPUT attenuator as of 10/2011. (older units use Silent dual-ganged potentiometer) RECOVERY 5 steps: 0.2s, 0.4s, 0.6s, 4sec., 8sec. Variable ATTACK: 25msec-70msec Continuously variable THRESHOLD LIMIT (4:1 to 20:1) or COMPRESS (1.5 to 1) HP SC: High Pass Side Chain Filter -3dB @ 100Hz Large ILLUMINATED Sifam METERS (older units before serial number MSLC61642 shipped before 12/2003 use: 26V 1.2W FESTOON LAMPS; Manley's Part Number: VAR016B) Order spare bulbs using our parts order form. (newest units after serial number MSLC61642 shipped after 12/2003 use white LED lighting) STEREO LINK SWITCH Several units can be linked for Surround (custom order ) Maximum gain: 35dB Max. output: +30dBu (26Vrms) 26dB Headroom
