Golden age COMP 2A

The COMP 2A is a compressor offered by the Golden Age Audio brand.

The COMP-2A is a vintage-style single-channel compressor/leveler, using vacuum tubes in the signal path and side chain. The inputs and outputs are balanced by transformers, each optimized for its specific role. This type of construction was common before the advent of transistors and integrated circuits.

Although integrated circuits are small, inexpensive, and widely used in modern designs, they do not always provide the best perceived sound quality or character desired by today's users.

The subjective sound quality of vintage equipment is often preferred over modern units, especially in the context of digital recordings which tend to be very clear. This is why many vintage audio components are cloned and reproduced, and why originals are often very expensive on the second-hand market.

The COMP-2A's circuitry is based on a classic design from the 1960s, originally intended for broadcast applications. It uses an electroluminescent panel and photocell to control gain, imparting a unique, program-dependent compression characteristic. The all-tube signal path and transformers add a wonderful, musical sound character.

With only two main controls, using the COMP-2A is surprisingly simple, making it easy to achieve the sound you want. These qualities have made the original units favored by engineers and musicians around the world. Now that classic sound is available at a very affordable price with the COMP-2A.