Drawmer 1973 Three Band FET Stereo Compressor

The Drawmer 1973 multi-band compressor breaks new ground by offering three-band stereo FET compression at the price point of conventional single-band units. Built upon 30 years of Drawmer's development expertise, this award-winning processor combines the functionality of their world-class S3 with the proven quality of the acclaimed 1960 and 1968 models. The 1973 splits incoming audio into three frequency bands via crossover filters, with each band receiving independent compression before being recombined for final wet/dry mixing and level adjustment.

This multi-band approach enables compression techniques impossible with traditional full-band compressors. Acoustic guitars, cellos, and double bass instruments can have their low-end boom controlled without compromising high-frequency detail. Vocal recordings benefit enormously - shrill timbres are tamed while preserving clarity, bass compression adds richness and thickness, mid-band control eliminates raspiness, and high-band processing provides definition and sizzle whilst managing sibilance effectively.

For mastering applications, the independent band control resolves problematic mixes by isolating individual instruments, enhancing brilliance and air, or creating massive low-end presence without the pumping and breathing artefacts common to full-band compression. The integrated Mix Control functions as parallel compression, blending wet and dry signals with a single knob for precise compression amount control. Two analogue V.U. meters complete the package, featuring switchable +10dB rescale modes and peak detection for monitoring fast transients.