For many years, Drawmer’s quality and reliability have made them the “go to” compressor for many major studios and live sound companies. In fact, according to Pro Sound News Drawmer gear was used in 6 of the top 10 tours of 2004. This is not unusual for Drawmer. It is affordable, sounds great, and is built to last! They offer a wide array of compressors to fit every application. A sampling includes:

Drawmer DL241 2 channel Auto Gated/Compressor/Limiter

The DL241 is a fantastic "utility compressor" for use with instruments and vocal dynamics control. The DL241 is a big upgrade from the sub $500 compressor limiters, and sounds significantly better. An auto mode handles the attack/release settings for you, but a manual mode allows you to custom set it. This is perhaps one of the bargains left in analog
compressors-rugged, useful and sounds great!

Insiders say:
The best low cost utility compressor you can buy.
A great tool for bass guitar in Auto mode-replace your cheapo compressors with this one!
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Drawmer DL251 Spectral Compressor

When a source is compressed, the compression lowers the entire frequency range the same amount. The problem is that high frequency sources have very low energy to start with, so the compressor makes things sound "dark". When dialog is critical, this becomes a very important issue.

The DL251 features an “enhancer” that applies a dynamic boost to the high frequencies that is tied to same threshold as the compressor. The result is that under even high compression, vocals remain intelligible, instruments maintain their “airy” quality, and the overall mix is more present.

Insiders say:
This is a perfect compressor for dialog!
Make speakers or singers sit right in the front of the mix, without losing a bit of intelligibility.
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Drawmer DL651 Sixpack

The world’s first multi-dynamics processor for surround mixing! It has six independent downward expanders and compressors with “zero overshoot” limiters with the ability to link channels individually. For surround applications, channel six has the option to switch in a 120Hz filter to create an LFE channel.

Insiders say:
This is a great box for the studio that needs lots of utility compressor channels, such as lots of guitar tracks or drum tracks. Also a good investment with surround work increasing by the minute.
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Drawmer 1960 Mic Pre/ Tube Compressor

The 1960 is a very unique "vintage" animal. Some people say this is the "all in one" box that started it all, first shown in 1980. It's is a dark sounding compressor with two low noise mic preamps and one active tube instrument DI. Very useful as instrument DI compressor, this box has a long list of famous users such as Eric Clapton, Sir Paul McCartney, Keith
Richards and on and on. A great front end for any purpose, its especially good on bass and guitar.

Insider tip:
The active DI is modeled after a simple Fender front end,
and a guitar or bass deliberately overdriven and compressed is awesome!
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Drawmer 1969 Preamp/Tube Compressor Mercenary Edition

The 1969 Mercenary Edition is the modern update to the 1960, a product that derives from a collaboration between two of the audio industry’s most established names, Drawmer (UK) and Mercenary Audio (USA).

When Ivor Drawmer rose to the challenge of outspoken US producer/engineer ‘Fletcher’ of Mercenary Audio to build a special version of the famed Drawmer 1960, both sides joined forces and the 1969 Mercenary Edition was born! The results are improved mic preamps, very neutral and quiet; a new stereo JFET tube output compressor with new time constants and auto modes for 1176 type work; new filters in the side chain (called the "BIG" switch) to enable it to not pump on bass heavy material; a new stereo link system that disables Ch2 controls so one set operates both channels for better tracking, and a host of internal upgrades that make this one of the best deals in the audio industry. Mark Needham (Fleetwood Mac) uses it extensively with his Pro Tools rig as a front end.

Main Features:

2 mic/line pre-amps with variable gain, 48V phantom power, filters and phase reverse.

Instrument tube pre-amp with variable gain, EQ, phase reverse and brightness boost.

2 soft-knee tube compressors with variable threshold, attack, release and output gain.

True stereo link operation with BIG position for retaining bass frequencies.

Side chain access and side chain listen facility.

VU metering of gain reduction and output levels.

Individual +4dB/-10dB inserts / Balanced +4dB XLR input/output connectors.

Insiders say:
The Drawmer 1969 Mercenary Edition rocks!
This sounds better than anything else close to the price.
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Geoff Daking

In Daking, we have found a manufacturer following in the tradition of the great console manufacturers like Neve and API. Geoff Daking has created a line of studio products whose sound quality and workmanship are second to none. Factor in their reasonable cost and Daking's excellent product support, and you have a value unmatched in the pro audio industry today.

The Daking FET Compressor II, an updated version of the renowned Daking FET Compressor, features a new internal switch to facilitate active use of the gain makeup pot for console applications and also to fully bypass in line level rig application.

It also includes:
All discrete transistor circuitry, transformer balanced inputs (-10dbv or +4dbu) and output, class "A" amplifiers, all parameters switch selectable & repeatable, seven release time constants (.5 , 1 , 1.5, Neve 33609 Auto, A&D Compex Auto, Fairchild 670 #5, Fairchild 670 #6), a three function VU meter (Input/Output/Gain Reduction) and stainless steel construction.

Insiders say:
Fast and sweet, this compressor will soon become one of your favorites!
One scoring engineer we know thinks the is the most flexible and useful compressor he owns.
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