The Transient Designer offers a completely new technology for level-independent shaping of the dynamic response of a sound: For the first time it is possible to control the attack and sustain of a signal in a very simple way!

Unlike other dynamic devices, the processing is not goverened by the signal level but rather by its dynamic characteristics, so all signals (loud and soft) are processed equally.

The Transient Designer allows you to emphasise or smooth the attack and extend or shorten the sustain. For the first time it is possible to shape the dynamic path of a signal as you want, as if for example you were changing the microphone distance and position after the recording has been made.

With no effort you can shorten or lengthen the attack of all kinds of percussive signals, such as the bass drum, snares, toms, congas etc. to give them more kick, or to flatten the signals. It’s almost like being able to change the amount of drum damping after the recording. The same applies to virtually any other signal: Amplify or reduce the picking sound of an acoustic guitar, hold the sound of the strings longer, reduce the reverbtime of a choir, compress solo vocals, increase intelligibility, actuate the piano pedal “electronically”, turn down the slapbass a notch or give it even more attack, etc.

What does the Transient Designer do?

SPL's Differential Envelope Technology (DET) is the first solution for level-independent shaping of envelopes allowing transients to be accelerated or slowed down and sustain prolonged or shortened. The degree of dynamic processing required to do this couldn't be duplicated even using a chain of several conventional compressors, yet only two controls per channel are required to allow the user to completely reshape the attack and sustain characteristics of a sound. Attack can be amplified or attenuated by up to 15dB while Sustain can be amplified or attenuated by up to 24dB, enabling weak drum sounds to be made much more percussive and powerful, or for over-percussive transients to be softened. All the necessary time-constants (Attack, Decay and Release) are automated and optimised adaptively in a musical manner according to the characteristics of the input signal. This results in natural sounding signal processing and fast operation.

How does the Transient Designer work?

The Transient Designer uses envelope followers to track the curve of the natural signal so that optimum results are guaranteed regardless of the input signal's dynamics. (For more information refer to Tech Talk). Because of the level-independent processing inherent in Differential Envelope Technology (DET), manual threshold adjustments are not required. In order to maintain the cleanest possible signal path, the Transient Designer uses the excellently specified THAT 2181-VCAs, which are especially natural sounding, transparent and create minimal distortion. High amplitudes are processed without damping of high frequencies or reducing bass.

How does the sound benefit from the Transient Designer?

De-Verb-capability! Less Sustain shortens reverb flags of any sound

The attack of a bass drum or a loop can be emphasised with a single control to increase the punch and the penetration in the mix

Sustain of a snare or room-sound can be shortened very musically to clean up the mix for more transparency

Acoustic instruments or electric guitars can be smoothened with lower attack

New panorama effects based on dynamic effects can be realised which is especially interesting and groovy for loops

Other features and connectivity

For stereo operation the Link function connects channel pairs (1,2 and/or 3,4) such that both channels are controlled by the same side-chain voltage so as to maintain a coherent and stable stereo image. When operating in Link-mode, the control elements of the first (or third) channel, including the Active switch, control the second (or fourth) channel, too.

Each channel is equipped with a relay hard bypass circuit to ensure a minimum signal path when the process is bypassed. The Signal-LEDs provide a simple and positive means to quickly monitor the signal flow, which is particularly important if the four channels are connected to a patchbay. The Transient Designer is fitted with XLR-connectors for balanced operation. To ensure optimal signal quality, SPL has developed a new hybrid-component balanced input/output stage using all laser-trimmed resistors with a tolerance of 0.01%! This approach has resulted in an exceptionally high CCMR (common mode rejection) better than -80dB at 1kHz.

Specifications

Input & Output

Instrumentation amplifier, electronically balanced (differential), transformerless

Nominal input level: +6dB

Input impedance: = 22kOhms

Output impedance: < 600Ohms

Max. input level : +24dBu

Max. output level: +22,4dBu

Minimum load ohms: 600Ohms

Relay Hard Bypass

Power Fail Safety

Measurements

Frequency response: 20 Hz - 100 kHz

(100 kHz = -3 dB)

CCMR (common mode rejection): - 80dBu @1kHz

THD & N: 0,004% @1kHz

S/N CCIR 468-3: -89dBu

S/N A-weighted: -105dBu

Power Supply

Torroidal transformer: 15VA

Fuse: 315mA

Ground-Lift switch

Voltage selector

Dimensions

Housing: Standard EIA 19"/1U, 482 x 44,45 x 237mm