Rupert Neve Designs 545 Primary Source Enhancer

POWER STATUS LED
The LED indicates the power supply status.

ENGAGE PROCESSOR
Illuminated pushbutton that activates the effect of the Primary Source Enhancer.

ACTIVE
This LED indicates when the 545 is actively acting on the signal – i.e. when the input signal has exceeded the gain threshold. As this LED should normally light up when the desired source is present (e.g. a singer singing), it is extremely helpful when setting up the 545 for use.

THRESHOLD
Sets the dBu level at which the Primary Source Enhancer switches on.

DEPTH
The DEPTH knob controls the maximum effect of the 545 – or in other words, how much attenuation is applied after the input signal falls below the set THRESHOLD value. By turning the DEPTH knob clockwise from 0 dB towards -20 dB, the 545 attenuates the input signal more, allowing the user to find the perfect balance between audibility of the primary source gain effect and feedback reduction.

FAST
The FAST controller is an illuminated pushbutton that can be used to select between two available time constants. It is used to tune the response of the 545 by determining how fast the attenuation occurs in the quiet sections between words or sentences. When this button is not pressed, the 545 achieves a slower attack and release, which is useful as a starting point for most sources. Pressing the FAST switch activates the faster attack and release time constant, which is useful for more dynamic sources or passages where faster transient detection is required.

PEAK
Illuminated pushbutton that switches between RMS and peak detection mode. When lit, the 545 is in PEAK mode – useful for detecting faster transient peaks and for creative dynamic envelope shaping. When unlit, the 545 is in RMS mode, which uses a slower, averaged response characteristic in the sidechain.