Gainlab audio Governor

Valve-Based Dual-Slope Optical Compressor

The Governor GLA-OP1 is a vacuum tube-based optical compressor that, thanks to its dual-slope design and the use of two threshold points, allows for maintaining control over dynamic conditions. Its direct predecessor can be considered the dynamics control used in the Bishop All-Tube channel strip, which has become a notable institution in its own right among the Bishop's multitude of features.

The Governor can operate in mono and stereo modes, with detailed parameterization. It allows precise control of most dynamic processing operations commonly encountered in audio processing workflows. Thanks to its tube-based transformer output design, it can produce the tube amplification effect known from the Empress EQ. Based on user feedback, we have made it optionally configurable with full-spectrum and high-frequency amplification parameters. The unit now includes a side-chain filter option and is ready to receive external side-chain signals. Thus, the design of the meter has been improved, with a much more informative display compared to the classic VU meter solution, providing users with a more accurate picture of signal state changes. The compressor's two breakpoints can be set much more intuitively thanks to its assistance.

What is a dual-slope compressor?

In the case of the controller, the dual-slope design means that beyond the compressor's threshold point, another threshold point can be set. Beyond this second threshold, the compressor's release curve becomes much steeper and the compressor begins to operate with a much higher compression ratio. In practice, this amounts to applying dynamic control at multiple levels. The first threshold defines a compressor with a lower compression ratio and a smoother curve, while the second threshold defines a compressor with a higher compression ratio and a steeper curve. All of this is done within a single device, so the timing of the two compression stages influences each other. As a result, the Governor's sound can be very flexible, ranging from classic levelers to the sound of modern optical compressors, and even to an aggressiveness never before heard in optical compressors, especially when extreme settings are applied.

Applications:

Bus compressor
Mastering compressor
Recording compressor
Recording compressor

Key features:

Optical valve compressor
Dual slope design
Side-chain filter
External side-chain reception
Transformer output
Full metering section
Stereo and dual mono operation