SPL Iron V2 (All Black)

Delighting mastering facilities for almost a decade, SPL’s IRON is a striking variable-mu compressor designed to bring the musicality and melody of vintage compressors to a reliably modern era of studio mastering. IRON is powered by SPL’s proprietary 120V ‘Voltair’ rail technology to ensure massive headroom with negligible noise stats, while its flexibility of controls has been heavily researched to ensure the right decisions can be made fast in almost any studio setup.

SPL's 2nd generation IRON v2 compressor
For SPL’s newly released 'IRON V2’ edition, three improvements have been made. Fully balanced send/return XLR side-chain inserts replace the original mono jack trigger inputs, revamped presets have been added for side-chain EQ filtering curves, and finally the V2 now features specially selected Wathen CryoTone long-plate 12AX7s for incredible musical power.

Following the dynamic stage, IRON also features two EQ curve presets for adding a final gentle polish to any mix. AirBass mode offers a 2dB boost to high and low frequencies adding a nice sense of sparkle, while the Tape Roll-Off mode engages high and low cuts. The latter shapes the track’s response in an almost tape-machine style way adding an extra layer of warmth.

IRON offers a range of mastering-optimised features allowing engineers to dial in pristine optical dynamics all the way to fat, warm and downright vintage compression tones and its sonic talents lend truly market leading flourish to any musical material.

The IRON mastering compressor is not a copy of a classic unit, but rather an original concept in itself. Our goal was to conceive a compressor that provided a pleasant, melodic-sounding, transparent compression, inspired on the vintage compressors of the radio era. And we wanted it to be versatile enough to adapt perfectly to the needs of modern mastering studios.

Thus, the IRON combines not only the sonic virtues of legendary vintage tube compressors with the advantages of the High Dynamic 120 V operating voltage in a single unit. It also sets a new benchmark in terms of tube compressor technology, with the innovative implementation of a parallel dual-tube circuit.

Features
Variable bias tube compressor
Parallel dual tube circuit
specially selected Wathen CryoTone long-plate 12AX7s
Specially conceived Mu-Metal iron transformers
Feed-forward resistive vactrol-opto-isolator
Six different Rectifier settings available
Sidechain that allows you to choose between Off, four sidechain-filter presets or an external sidechain signal.
All functions can be adjusted via switches or, in the case of the Threshold, with a detented potentiometer
In Link mode, the Threshold, Tube Bias, Attack, Release, and Rectifier parameters, as well as the Sidechain EQs, are controlled with the right side (channel 2) of the unit.
Additional passive 120V equaliser with two presets
High Dynamic 120V operating voltage
Auto Bypass mode
Made in Germany
Specification
Frequency Range 10 Hz - 40 kHz (40 kHz = -3 dB)
Common Mode Rejection › 80 dB @ 1 kHz / › 65 dB @ 10 kHz
THD 0.3% @ 100 Hz; 0.06% @ 1 kHz
Input Impedance 20 kOhm
Max Input Level +32.5 dBu
Max Output Level +32.5 dBu
Output Impedance ‹ 50 Ohm
Noise -98 dBu (A-weighted)
Dimensions 482 x 177 x 311.5mm (WxDxH), 11kg