MusicRadar

Mysteriously, the knobs are numbered not named.

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• Review
• Manufacturer's Description

For some considerable time, the large-format analogue console was the object of desire for many music producers and engineers. But with much of this hardware now looking like dinosaurs, anyone after an analogue fix has focused their attention on quality outboard.

In fact, if choice is anything to go by, the analogue outboard world is experiencing a bit of a renaissance. Traditionally the domain of small boutique manufacturers, with a few exceptions the market is dominated by British and US companies. One such company is Thermionic Culture (the brainchild of Vic Keary, designer of the famed Chiswick Reach compressor). Over the last few years TC have released a handful of top-flight units including the original Phoenix valve compressor and the Pullet passive EQ.

This Phoenix compressor is the updated ‘master’ version. If the name isn’t enough of a giveaway, a quick look at Thermionic’s website will tell you just how purist their approach is. Founded on the belief that discrete, non-IC and preferably valve-based circuits sound the best, it’s no surprise that the inside of The Phoenix looks like it could have been built any time in the past 50 years. With six valves, famous Sowter transformers (both for audio and mains) and plenty of point-to-point wiring, it's clear that many man hours were involved. It certainly puts the £3,231 price tag into perspective.

Adjustments

The Phoenix’s design is a ‘Variable Mu’ compressor. This is a term commonly associated with the Fairchild 670 compressor, although Manley Labs actually own the trademark name Variable Mu. The design relies on the behaviour of a certain type of valve to control gain. The result is a compression characteristic whereby the ratio changes with the amount of compression being applied.

You’ll notice there’s no ratio control on the front panel. Also, rather cryptically, most controls are simply numbered rather than linked to particular values. This goes hand-in-hand with the general inter-relatedness associated with this design. In keeping with the ‘master’ tag on this version, all knobs are notched allowing easy recall and setting up for stereo and there’s a stereo link switch. A number of internal potentiometers can be tweaked manually through the top grille, although in day-to-day use, only those that affect the electronic meter zeroing should be touched (they’ve included a screwdriver for the purpose). The meters can also be adjusted mechanically from the front panel. If this sounds unnecessarily complicated, it isn’t. Each unit gets a full line-up prior to shipping, and the most you can expect is a minor adjustment to the meters. As the valves age (or if they need to be changed), proper adjustments may need to be made, hence the internal pots. Anyway, the review unit required no tweaking.