Comp DIODE-609
Stereo compression icon

The gold standard compressor
Listen To Any Chart-Topping Hit, Award-Winning Soundtrack, or Seminal Album from The Past 40 Years, and It’s Likely that You’ll Be Hearing the Signature Transient Wizardry of The NEVE® 33609.
From Daft Punk to Coldplay, James Newton Howard to Michael Buble, this dual-channel compressor and limiter has been the dynamic backbone of studio recordings for almost half a century.
Its unmistakably creamy response, simple design, and huge sonic flexibility has cemented its reputation as the gold standard - modern music simply wouldn’t be the same without it.
The dynamic all-rounder

Comp DIODE-609 transcends the terms ‘compressor’ and ‘limiter’ to offer go-to dynamic enhancement, whatever the occasion; delicate, smashed, or pumping, it’ll deliver the dynamic goods.
For every
sound

Parallel drum bus processing, bass guitar fattening, final-touch master bus coloration, and everything in between; Comp DIODE-609 is a crucial tool for any producer, music maker, or audio professional.
Modern enhancements

Comp DIODE-609 is modernized for the demands of contemporary production; features like mid-side processing and built-in sidechain EQ controls further expand its flexibility to suit your needs.
Revered Neve® sound

Capture the magic of a cornerstone of audio engineering, lauded throughout the industry, right in your DAW. An exquisite sound that continues to define hit records and audio trailblazers to this day.
A compressor icon
Some Things Are Just Built Right the First Time.
The Neve® 33609 was originally designed in the ‘80s. Since then, it’s seen a number of model variations, but the core design - and, crucially, the iconic sound - has remained the same. Truly a studio classic that has stood the test of time, and not just in its industry-wide usage; it remains in production by AMS Neve® to this day.

But the 33609 didn’t just stand the test of time - it set the bar. Michael Brauer, Paul Epworth, Josh Homme, Nile Rodgers - the list of genre-defining veteran producers who swear by its dynamic talents is never-ending.
So what’s the secret? Derived from modules found in the almost-mythical Neve consoles from the ‘70s, the 33609 is a rack unit that offers 2 channels of compression and limiting. It’s renowned for its simultaneous buttery response and transparency of signal, courtesy of its diode-bridge topology - offering a faster response, and more refined distortion.

This unique response was also the result of the use of first-class components. Some of Rupert Neve’s own early consoles featured transformers from Marinair, a UK-based manufacturer of radar equipment. Decades later, these transformers were carried over into the production of the 33609 - ensuring that a part of Neve®’s own sonic legacy lives on in these relatively modern units.
To capture this magic for Comp DIODE-609, we modeled one of the revered 33609 ‘C’ versions, an earlier fully-discrete model. Faithfully emulated down to the behavior of individual components, and boldly expanded to cater to modern production needs, Comp DIODE-609 tells an extraordinary story of its own.
Engineered to perfection again
Behind Comp DIODE-609’s authentically simple interface is a wealth of groundbreaking engineering, extensive analysis, and detailed modeling.
The end result is a professional, intuitive effect that efficiently enforces the laws of mix dynamics, working sonic wonders with the smallest of tweaks - retrofitted with razor-sharp contemporary features to suit every modern production need.
From protective mix gluing to maximizing drum bus punchiness, this unique diode-bridge effect stands out from the compressor crowd as a workhorse processor for any audio application - and Comp DIODE-609 brings it into the virtual production realm like never before.

Perfect compressor
At the heart of Comp DIODE-609’s features is the dual compression panels. This diode-style compression is particularly effective on bus channels such as drums and your stereo master, but will also add tightness and harmonic richness to vocals and instruments. It features the familiar essential controls, from slow/fast attack options to makeup gain, and has been equipped with a variable attack time option for the optimal amount of punch.
Advanced sidechaining
An array of specially-engineered features makes Comp DIODE-609 the perfect sidechain tool. Internal or external input, sidechain listen, look ahead control, and even a built-in sidechain equalizer ensures pumping pads, vocal space, and responsive density in any mix.
Crunchy limiter
Comp DIODE-609’s limiting abilities are authentically the opposite of transparent. Even when used to protect the peaks of your mix, it has a distinct warmth to it - and when you tighten the threshold, you’ll enjoy that signature crunch that’s as popular as ever.
Mid-side processing
M/S processing opens up a whole new dimension of control over your stereo field. Swap out left/right configuration for the ability to independently compress the middle and sides of your mix, so that every instrument, vocal, and rhythm sits just right.
Stereo processor
As with its hardware predecessor, Comp DIODE-609 is a stereo effect with linkable L and R channels for both the compressor and limiter sections. It can also be used in Mono and Mono>Stereo modes, ensuring that your stereo field is as narrow or wide as you want it.
Unit calibration
Want to crank up the color on your compressed signal? This newly-added control adjusts the calibration of the emulated diode-bridge circuitry, reducing the unit’s headroom and ultimately introducing more harmonic character the higher you go.
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PRODUCT SUMMARY
- Added Variable Attack Time
- M/S Mode Option
- Advanced Features Panel
- External Side Chain Option
- Advanced Sidechain EQ And Look-Ahead Controls
- Analog Input drive
- Dry/Wet Control
- Optional Stepped Controls
- Analog and Digital Level Displays
- Resizable Window
- Integrated Tutorials
- Broad Selection of Presets for Mixing and Mastering