Rupert Neve Design 543 Compressor ex demo

The 543 features a fully controllable compressor-limiter with feed-forward / feedback modes, Peak / RMS detection and a built-in side chain high pass filter. With an unrivaled heritage and a tremendous feature set, the 543 provides an astonishing degree of flexibility and precision.

What is VCA compression?

Every compressor has a gain control element in its circuit, and this is generally what determines the “sound” of the compressor. Some compressors use tubes, some use FETs, some use light-dependent resistors, some use a diode bridge – but in the 543, a VCA (Voltage Controlled Amplifier / Attenuator) is used to control the signal’s gain.

In contrast to a diode bridge design like our 535 compressor, which adds a thick, very colorful tonality to the source, the 543 makes use of a very accurate, low noise, low distortion VCA. This provides an immense amount of dynamic control and subtle warmth, without necessarily leaving a heavy sonic imprint on your tracks or mixes.