Rupert Neve 543 500 Series Mono Compressor/Limiter

The 543 features a fully controllable compressor-limiter with feed-forward / feedback modes, Peak / RMS detection and a built-in side chain high pass filter. With an unrivaled heritage and a tremendous feature set, the 543 provides an astonishing degree of flexibility and precision.

In contrast to a diode bridge design like the Rupert Neve 535 compressor, which adds a thick, very colorful tonality to the source, the 543 makes use of a very accurate, low noise, low distortion VCA. This provides an immense amount of dynamic control and subtle warmth, without necessarily leaving a heavy sonic imprint on your tracks or mixes.

To offer faster, more technically accurate response times, feed-forward detection was also implemented in the 543: with the FF / FB switch, both classic and modern VCA responses are available. Another highly useful feature of the 543 is the Peak / RMS mode, which allows the VCA to respond to both RMS (Root Mean Square) and peak levels.

Rupert Neve 543 Features

• Threshold sets level from -30 dB to +20 dB
• Ratio control from 1:1 (minimal) to 40:1 (limit)
• Comp In engages compressor section
• F/F mode is useful for shaping envelope of the sound, and introducing more bounce
• F/B mode tends to sound smoother and more natural
• Continuously variable gain from -6 dB to +20 dB
• Attack determines speed the compressor reacts and starts attenuating from 20mS to 75mS
• Release determines how fast compressor returns to 0 after attenuating from 100mS to 2.5 seconds
• RMS/Peak control
• Sidechain HPF
• Link the reduction of two 543 units together

• 543 500 series mono compressor/limiter1

• Gain RangeContinuously variable from -6 dB to +20 dB
• Threshold RangeContinuously variable from -30 dB to +20 dB
• Ratio RangeContinuously variable from 1.1:1 to Limit (40:1)
• Attack RangeContinuously variable from 20mS to 75mS
• Release RangeContinuously variable from 100mS to 2.5 Seconds
• THD and Noise
  • @ 1 kHz, 0 dBu output level, no load
  • Main Output, compressor bypassed: Better than 0.002%
  • @ 20 dBu better than 0.0015%
  • Main output, compressor engaged: Better than 0.075%
• Noise
  • Measured at Main Output, un-weighted, 22 Hz - 22 kHz, Terminated 50 Ohm
  • With Gain at Unity, Compressor disengaged: Better than -98 dBu
  • With Gain at Unity, Compressor engaged: Better than -93 dBu
• Frequency ResponseMain Output, Unity Gain: @ 150 kHz -3 dB
• MetersMonitors INPUT LEVEL and GAIN REDUCTION
• Line Input Impedance10,000 Ohms
• Max. Output Level21 dBu from 20 Hz to 40 kHz
• Power Requirements500 series rack with 110-125 mA @ +/- 16V