TC Electronic C300 Dual Stereo Gate / Compressor
C300 is an easy to use dual engine dynamics processor that gives you superior compression/limiting and gate/expansion feasibilities. It features flexible control of the signal path, 16 gate/expander and 16 compressor/limiter audio-optimized presets with intelligent TC multi-band and full-band technology, innovative new style compression, state-of-the-art TC quality, and an extremely intuitive and straightforward user interface that gives you access to complex and comprehensive dynamic processing with a few buttons and simple operations only.
C300 is mainly meant to be used in insert applications.
The C300 gives you source-based presets that are tailor-made for various types of sources. Depending on the preset you select you have access to intelligent TC full-band- or multi-band technology.
The C300 multi-band processing is built on a state-of-the-art TC algorithm that bases it calculations on the incoming source, and that why it called source-based. A multi-band compressor, as opposed to a full band compressor, acts differently on different frequency bands. That means that each frequency band actually has its own little compressor working on it, with unique settings like threshold, ratio, attack and release. If you for instance prefer a steep compression on the lower frequencies, a soft compression on the mid frequencies, and a bright and light compression on the higher frequencies, you should use a multi-band compressor.
The C300 comes with several presets that are fully optimized for this kind of compression and youl be surprised to discover just how easy multi-band compression can be.
Based on thoughts behind parallel compression you get a completely new approach to working with compression. Now you can take a compressed signal and mix it with a dry signal and enhance all details in the music, just by turning the mix knob. What that does to the sound is that instead of pressing down the signal peaks you preserve all the higher dynamics when you play loud, and at the same time you bring out all the details from the lower end of the signal. Try and apply parallel compression on a drum kit. Youl discover that all the lower details are smack in the face, while all the bells and high dynamics of the snare and cymbals are preserved and ncompressed so to speak. And the really cool thing about it is that the C300 makes parallel or new style compression the easiest thing in the world just select the appropriate preset, and youe up and running!
The entire user interface has been laid out to be simple, intuitive and straightforward. All non-essential knobs and tweaking possibilities have been cut away, and replaced with innovative combinations and expansions of parameter indicators and knobs. For instance, the gate and the compressor are both controlled with the same knob, giving you improved and much faster access to important parameters.
The C300 gives you highly advanced TC algorithms that will process your sound with extreme precision, ultimate audio quality and outstanding performance. State-of-the-art audio converters are built in, ensuring your passage from analog to digital and back, is in the very best quality.
The C300 comes with a flexible routing feature that gives you all combinations of parallel and serial link modes. Stereo serial mode allows you to process a composite full-mix signal on both engines simultaneously, virtually giving you an extra device. With the C300 you can insert a stereo full-mix signal into one engine, e.g. compress it, and then send the stereo signal into the second engine, and e.g. limit it, and then send out a processed full-mix stereo signal. What that gives you is the full use of stereo processing on two serial connected engines, something that not normally attainable in this type of dynamics processor.
In normal dual/mono mode youl either use one engine as a compressor and the other as a gate or both engines as compressors or gates, having two individually processed mono signals coming out from each engine. Or, youl link the two engines together, and e.g. use the first engine to compress the signal, and then the second engine as a limiter, sending out a processed mono signal.
Features:
* Dual engine compressor/limiter gate/expander
* 16 compressor/limiter presets and 16 gate/expander presets optimized for selectable audio sources
* Mix features for new style compression
* Intelligent TC multi-band and full-band technology
* Detail enhancement via new style compression
* Flexible routing gives you all standard combinations of link modes + a stereo serial mode that virtually gives you an extra device
* No nonsense user interface
* Comprehensive metering
* Optimized key filters in gate mode
* High quality knobs
Retail:
£120-170
(Getting old now)
Used: £90-120
Verdict:
A good first cheap compressor that was well received when it first came out. But now there are better alternatives such as the Art Pro VLA and the RNC at this price. Neither notable nor anonymous.
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