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IGS Audio ZEN
- Zener Diode Mastering Compressor

- get yourself some Studio-ZEN!

The IGS Audio ZEN Limiter is a Zener Diode Mastering Compressor, versatile as your individual needs for your music productions are.

The IGS ZEN has the ability to react fast and with full presence to an ingoing signal, handling it with control and clarity to the given settings.

It's all about what YOU dial in and how you handle it, whether that be absolutely cautiously about every little move and gain-reduction, or just being playful and intuitive, looking for a sound your are yet to explore.

Details

The ZEN is a unique studio compressor.

The construction is based on the legendary compressors used in Abbey Road Studios. It’s the musical canon of art used by The Beatles. The ZEN Compressor audio circuit is based on 14 bi-polar transistors in each channel. The compression is achieved by 8 hand-matched Zener diodes biased by a perfect feedback circuit.

Variable Gain-Staging

The Gain-Staging concept of the IGS Audio Zen is simple but powerful.

First to set is the input gain (1-24db), followed by the output gain, which can be dialed in from 1-24db also.

The Input Gain is not only responsible for the amount of compression, but also for the ratio of the compression, which is also part of the legendary Abbe Road EMI compressors.

The fourth step is the wet/dry blender, which gives you access to more options to handle the amount of compression you want to feed in the original source.

Side-Chain Function

The built in sidechain function works from 60-240 hz and gives you plenty of flexibility to handle an incoming signal or mix

.A crucial feature in order to keep the bass from pushing the compressor too hard, sounding squashed/pumped.

11 different Attack- and Releasetimes give plenty of flexibility you need, in order to get a punchy and warm sound, if needed you can also aggressively make the music more dense and squashed and tame dynamics merciless to your liking.

We are looking at 8-30ms Attack-Time and 10-2000ms Release-Time, a lot of settings to choose from!

Simple but powerful frontplate: the IGS Zen Compressor

Two 50s-style VU-meters on the front plate give the ZEN it's classy look, plus that IGS-typical ruby-red power-lamp.

There are two bypass-modes for each channel (left/right) in the center of the uni, for quick A/B comparisons.

Furthermore the power supply of the unit is internally.

The IGS Zen has got a limit or a compression mode, that's switchable with a toggle-switch.Those modes affect the Hard-Knee and Soft-Knee settings.

The small toggle-switch right next to the Attack knob let's you switch from 1x to 4x, meaning Attack- and Release-Times will be 4 times higher, resulting in very slow behaviour, which can be interesting for a variety of instruments, be it Acoustic Guitar, Ambient Soundscapes, Piano and much more.

There also a link button, in order to couple both channels, if denser and a more even compression is needed.

Simple and self-explaining as it can get: the back of the IGS ZEN

Amplification

The Aplification circuit is where your creativity comes in!

When dipping the Sidechain-Knob all the way down and set to AMP, the IGS Audio Zen sends your signal throught the amplification circuit and the compression circuit, without actually compressing at all.

This results in letting you add THD without dynamically reducing the source material.

No matter if you gently push harmonics, to get some sheen, or if you run a bass guitar heavily through the circuit - this add-on is a creativity booster!