Search
Close this search box.

The ultimate elysia compressor guide

Which elysia compressor fits my musical applications? Is an elysia compressor VCA or FET? What is the difference between the mpressor and xpressor|neo? Let me bring light into darkness.

alpha compressor – the ultimate mastering tool

alpha compressor blog 2

Our noble – compressor! When it comes to mastering, the alpha compressor is the first choice for you. With its extensive possibilities and features set, the alpha compressor is perfectly equipped for all your mastering tasks. The alpha compressor is just waiting to be fed by you to give you the best dynamic results you ever wished for but could not describe until now.

Do you want subtle or intensive changes in the sound experience? The soft knee curve of the alpha compressor always controls discreet and elegant. Especially the M/S matrix allows you detailed editing and a very transparent and spatial sound image.

With the Sidechain Filter, you can adjust the control behavior perfectly and the Audio Filter allows you to make subtle tonal adjustments. The integrated Soft Clipper feature is the perfect function to protect your A/D converter from unwanted transients. The alpha compressor is a real musical all-rounder and you can use it for all kinds of music, from acoustic to modern. With this compressor, you will be able to unleash the expression and emotions of your music. 

Despite its many complex feature set, you can still achieve perfect sound results very quick and easy. Last but not least, the alpha compressor impresses with its special design and is also a pure visual treat in every studio.

mpressor – a strong character with creativeness

mpressor 19inch series 2
the creative audio compressor

Would you like something special? Then the mpressor is just right for you. 

On one hand, the mpressor can compress many standard signals like speech, vocals, bass, guitars, brass and drums, and on the other hand, thanks to its hard knee characteristic, it is an absolute multi-talent when it comes to danceable beats for hip-hop, trap, electro, house, techno, and rock – this is exactly where the mpressor can work with true audible wonders, both when mastering and mixing. 

Due to its sensitively reacting time constants you will very quick and safely find the right settings to make your groove tangible. Further creative functions such as the gain reduction limiter, the anti-logarithmic release curves, and the negative ratios make the mpressor a great tool for unimagined dynamic manipulations. 

You will soon realize that it is a real specialist and workhorse, especially for creative drum sample editing. You can use the audio filter to influence the overall character of your signal, and the switchable external sidechain input is available for the typical and popular techno and house ducking sounds.

xpressor|neo (19″ and 500 Series version) – The all-rounder

picture of the elysia xpressor|neo 19" rack front with all controls and buttons.
fast.energetic.wide.

The xpressor|neo is a true all-rounder with special features and control ranges that give you control over the dynamic spectrum for all kinds of music and signals. 

As a soft knee compressor, the discrete VCA controls very cleanly and inconspicuously – even at very high-level reductions.

We designed the xpressor|neo as a stereo compressor so that you can use it as a bus and mastering compressor. The switchable auto functions allow you to compress even difficult signals like electric basses, piano, and sum signals very unobtrusively. The Sidechain Filter gives you precise control over the bass response, while the Gain Reduction Limiter gives you perfect control over the compression. 

The so-called Warm Mode allows you to quickly adjust the basic sound characteristics. As a true summing compressor, it also has a mix control for parallel compression on board. In the 19″ version, the xpressor|neo even offers an external sidechain input for frequency-selective processing and ducking.

mpressor 500 – Flexible and affordable

picture of the elysia mpressor 500 module left sided.

You are looking for maximum dynamic range processing for little money? 

Then the mpressor|500 is the right choice for you. A lot of punch for the bucks!  The mpressor|500 is a completely discrete Class-A compressor with our typical clear and transparent sound philosophy combined with maximum functionality.

Perfect for your recording or mixing, the mpressor|500 offers you all the important features of its bigger brother. You can use it perfectly for speech, vocals, guitars, basses, and all drum signals. With fast time constants, a hard knee curve, a gain reduction limiter and extensive autofast functions, it offers you a rich bandwidth – from subtle changes to drastic sound design. 

A special feature is the THD Boost function, which allows you to distort the input stage even more. The fast and accurate LED display gives you precise visual feedback of your control behavior. Even in complex mixes, it’s clear, punchy and powerful sound will stand out. Our compressor from the future.

For a complete overview of the elysia compressors, please visit our elysia compressor comparison page.

We have done a comprehensive overview of the whole topic graphically to help you to make the right decision when buying an elysia compressor.  Should you have any further questions, please feel free to contact us at any time.

Yours, Ruben Tilgner

What is an elysia compressor?

All elysia compressors like alpha compressor, mpressor, xpressor|neo are discrete class-A hardware compressors based on VCA (Voltage Controlled Amplifier). All our compressors are working in a different way:

alpha compressor is working with a so called PCA (Passive Current Attenuator) This circuit transforms the incoming signal into a current which is then reduced controlled by voltage. The triggering can be compared to that of a VCA with a predictable characteristic curve. The core consists of sixteen discrete transistors which are kept at a defined temperature by an exclusive heating system, avoiding unwanted fluctuations. 

xpressor|neo is working with a discrete VCA Technology.
The mpressor Series are using Transductance Amplifiers A differential pair of transistors that uses a modulated current source to affect the amount of amplification builds the core of this module. A few extra transistors were added in order to further decrease noise and unwanted influences of the control voltage. Most of our compressors are also available as Plugins for your DAW and are a nice reproductions of our original hardware.

Which elysia compressor can I use for Hip-Hop, Trap and Urban Production?

The elysia xpressor|neo is the perfect match for you when you like to have a very affordable “value for price“ compressor. The xpressor|neo has a transparent and punchy sound and is very versatile.
The mpressor is perfect for creative drum sample editing and vocal processing.  The alpha compressor is the perfect solution for mastering.

Can I use the elysia xpressor as a de-esser via sidechain filter?

Yes, of course you can! It is possible to realize an De-Esser with the xpressor|neo if the sidechain filter is set to about 1 kHz.
It is important to compress the signal before. Otherwise, only the loud S sounds will be processed.

Which elysia compressor can I use for Electronic, EBM, Techno and House Production?

The elysia xpressor|neo is the perfect match for you when you like to have a very affordable “value for price“ compressor. The xpressor|neo has a transparent and punchy sound and is very versatile.
The mpressor  is perfect for creative drum sample editing and vocal processing. 
The alpha compressor can be used perfectly for all mastering compressing task and can handle nearly all types of musical styles. 

What does discrete class-A technology mean?

The discrete class-A technology describes how the analog amplifiers are constructed. In contrast to Integrated Circuits (IC’s) the circuits are built from single transistors. The class-A mode ensures that a current always flows through the transistor and thus avoids transition distortions.

Does the elysia xpressor|neo 500 has external sidechain capabilities?

No, the xpressor|neo 500 doesn’t have any external sidechain functionalities like his bigger brother xpressor|neo Rack. The 19″ Rack Version has an EXT Jack with Sidechain Send and Return