Ear 660 compressor
User Manual
Table of Contents
Classic Tube compression Revisited
Inspired by the legendary Fairchild 660, the EAR 660 brings smooth, responsive tube compression to your DAW, combining effortless peak control with rich, musical limiting.
Controls & Parameters
Input: Adjusts the signal level entering the compressor.
Attack & Release times: Six-position selector offering different attack and release characteristics:
| Position | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Attack | 0.2 ms | 0.2 ms | 0.4 ms | 0.4 ms | 0.4 ms | 0.2 ms |
| Release | 0.3 s | 0.8 s | 2.0 s | 5.3 s | Auto (2/10) | Auto (0.3/10/25) |
DC Threshold: Adjusts the compression slope, ranging from compression to limiting.
AC Threshold: Controls the amount of compression applied to the signal.
HPF: High-pass filter for controlling low-frequency content in the detector circuit.
Output: Adjusts the compressor’s output level.
Mix: Blends the compressed signal with the original dry signal for parallel compression.
Metering: Selects the metering source between input, gain reduction, and output levels.
Auto Gain: Automatically uses static gain compensation to offset the expected level reduction caused by compression. Fine-tuning with the Output control is recommended for precise level matching.
Link: Links both channels for stereo operation. When unlinked, each channel operates independently, using its own model. The two models have subtle variations, with a 5% deviation between them, adding slight differences in their response.
Stereo Modes: Selects between L/R (Left/Right) and M/S (Mid/Side) processing. L/R processes the left and right channels independently, while M/S separates the signal into Mid (center) and Side (stereo information) components.
The plugin's key features
Input Level & Threshold Behavior
The input level plays an important role in how the EAR 660 responds to compression. As the DC Threshold is moved towards LIMIT, a higher input level is required to trigger gain reduction compared to COMP. If you are not seeing enough gain reduction, try increasing the Input level along with adjusting the AC Threshold.
Shortcuts & Key Commands
Shift + Drag: Enables fine adjustment of parameter values for greater precision.
CMD + Toggle: Temporarily links two corresponding parameters when Link is disabled, in both L/R and M/S modes.
Double-Click / Option-Click: Resets the selected parameter to its default value.