Sweet and classy.
The PHOTON 500 is an optical compressor, based on technology from the 60's, first used in the early LA-2A limiters and later in the LA4. As an homage to these legendary products, we packed this technology in a 500-series module. The PHOTON 500 uses an opto-coupler, which introduces negative feedback in the audio path, taking care of gain reduction, being the basics of all compression. The PHOTON 500 has an electronically balanced input with 2520 compatible op-amp in the gain stage. The output is balanced by a Carnhill transformer.
| Device type |
| Optical Compressor |
Yes |
| Basic features |
| All stepped manipulators |
Yes |
| Sidechain HPF |
OFF, 60Hz, 120Hz |
| Input & Output |
| Input Impedance (balanced) |
10k ohm |
| Output Impedance (balanced) |
600 ohm, Carnhill transformer |
| Audio transformers |
Yes, Carnhill |
| Levels |
| Operating Level |
+4 dBu |
| Max input level |
+20 dBu |
| Max output level |
+22 dBu |
| Noise Level |
-99 dBA |
| Max. gain |
30 dB |
| Max Gain Reduction |
20 dB |
| Time constants |
| Ratio |
2:1, 4:1, 12:1 |
| Bandwidth |
| Frequency response |
8 Hz to 20 kHz, +/- 0.1dB |
| Distortion (@ 20 Hz - 20 kHz) |
| THD+N |
0.012% |
| Power |
| Power consumption |
2.5W |
| Packing box |
| Shipping weight |
1kg |
