MAP CL-20 Compressor/Limiter
DESCRIPTION
Introducing the MAP CL-20 Compressor/ Limiter, our recreation of the original Melcor CL-20 FET unit released in the late 1960’s. The CL-20, along with Melcor’s GME-20 EQ, could often be found installed in RCA’s custom built consoles from the late 60’s/ early 70’s. A big part of the CL-20’s distinctive box tone is the 1731 discrete op-amps used. Originally designed by Melcor, the 1731 preceded another famous Farmingdale, Long Island audio-maker’s well-known discrete op amp. We now make these lovely 1731 op amps at our factory in Florida, and the CL-20 utilizes no less than three of these discrete beauties in its circuit topology. The MAP CL-20 has been adapted to a 500 Series format.
The CL-20 appears deceptively simple at first blush, there’s only two controls, one for setting threshold and the other for setting make-up gain, and a meter monitoring gain reduction, but there’s quite a lot going on. The amount and the ballistics of the compression are set by the threshold level. Changes in the threshold level automatically adjust the attack and release times, simultaneously. The higher the threshold, the more subtle the compression. At lower threshold settings, the CL-20 is quite aggressive, like an 1176. Fast attack and fast release times. When adjusted to higher settings (past the 12 o’clock point), release times will slow down, however, for a much smoother, more transparent compression.
The CL-20 , like all the MAP 1731-based products, will add instant mojo and mid-century vibe to any track it’s applied to.
AudioScape is manufacturing MAP products again, bringing that classic mid-century vibe to the new millennium. In the early 70’s, MAP had descended from Melcor Industries. When Melcor abandoned the audio business for calculators around 1970, a group of their engineers carried on as Modular Audio Products, with the 1731 op amp at the heart of a range of products. Of course, these early discrete op amp beauties are highly sought after today. The CL-20 Compressor/Limiter joins the D.AM-27 Dual Mic Preamp in our MAP lineup.
FEATURES & SPECS
