Rupert Neve Shelford Dual Diode Bridge Compressor

Two channels of iconic diode bridge compression, thoughtfully improved and refined for modern tracking, mixing, and mastering.

Since the early 1970s, Rupert Neve’s early diode bridge compressors have been revered for the punch & glue they bring to drums, instruments, and the mix buss – but these desirable characteristics were unfortunately accompanied by inflexible controls and fairly limited versatility. Rupert Neve Designs created the 5254 Dual Diode Bridge Compressor to capture the soul of these coveted compressors while providing modern updates including advanced timing control, significantly lower noise, fully stepped controls throughout, higher voltage power rails, and internal parallel processing capabilities.

Made for Tone
Unlike our VCA compressors, which are built for exacting clarity, the harmonically rich tonality of the Dual Diode Bridge Compressor is built to produce a wide range of colors – and built to help you make a statement with your music. Based on the dynamics circuit originally developed for the acclaimed Shelford Channel, the 5254 is outfitted for dual mono or stereo use with Rupert Neve Designs’ custom transformers and class-A electronics, tailor made for a compact 1U 19” enclosure.

The Diode Bridge
Where the VCA compressor found in the Portico II Channel and Master Buss Processor provides unmatched clarity, the weighty, harmonically rich tonality of diode bridge compression can be essential in pushing key sources like vocals, electric guitars, bass and drums to the forefront of a mix. By understanding the limitations of the vintage units’ topologies, painstaking effort was taken to reproduce the unique tone of these classics while improving the noise floor & accuracy, expanding inflexible time constants, adding full wave sidechain detection for improved dynamic response, and widening the range of threshold and ratio controls. Delivering the powerful sound of these iconic designs with enhanced flexibility for the modern age, the Dual Diode Bridge Compressor is a dynamic tool equipped to make a bold statement on virtually any mix or track.

Features
Classic Diode Bridge Tone
Capture the punchy, larger-than-life tone used on countless hit records for the last 50 years.
Advanced timing controls
Custom-shape your compression envelope with the unified timing control, which enables a much wider range of responses than vintage units or clones.
Custom Transformers and Class-A Line Amplifiers
Vintage warmth meets the improved headroom and precision of Rupert Neve’s updated transformer-coupled line stages.
31-Position Detented Controls
Accurately recall and match your settings with precision and speed.
Built-In Parallel Compression
Internal blend control enables you to subtly dial in more dramatic compression settings for color as desired.
Full-Wave Sidechain Detection
Enhanced from the vintage units’ half-wave design, the updated sidechain detector provides substantially more accuracy.
Stereo Linking
Run your compressors in either dual mono or stereo configurations.Internal Universal Power Supply
EIC connection for world-wide AC power from 90-240V embedded in the 1U rack-mountable chassis.