T.C. Electronic: Triple C Multi-Band and Envelope Compressor

I recently had to mix a record at a studio with literally NO outboard gear. What's a girl to do? So I went to the local music store and bought one device: the D2 Digital Delay by T.C. Electronic. I was happy with it's flexibility and therefore was encouraged to try T.C.'s next endeavor: the Triple C. Despite the advertisement featuring a man "expressing" himself, the new Triple C digital multi-band compressor impressed me many times with three different modes of compression - Full-Range, Multi-Band and Envelope. In Full-Range mode, this 24-bit box with analog-style knobs (not buttons) allows you to control the usual parameters quickly; threshold, ratio, attack and release times and makeup gain. In addition, there are 50 preset settings to get you started. Analog I/O on the back is provided by TRS connectors - convenient for small or bigger- than-small studio setups. There's also S/PDIF and MIDI for your additional skills and talents. The other two modes are what make the Triple C hip and happenin'. In Multi-Band mode, you can adjust the amount of compression within a single frequency area (hi, mid, or lo) instead of the entire spectrum. This is useful in zillions of applications like limiting the low end "feel" of a bass without squashing the mid-range attack of the individual notes or de-essing a vocal without killing the dynamics of the performance. Using the amazing Envelope mode allows you to change the attack and release times of the incoming signal. I played around with this on a track that had a keyboard recorded through an amp that didn't quite have the sustain I wanted. Excellent! Not only is it easy to control the parameters within each mode, but you can see what you are changing as well. The LCD screen shows you more than just the usual I/O and gain reduction. You can also see changes in envelope or the amount of compression per frequency band (within the different modes). List price is $700 for the single channel model (the Triple C is also available as a stereo compressor) (infous@tcelectronic.com)