Rockruepel Comp.One

Rockruepel Comp.One is a stereo variable-mu compressor with a few extra tricks up its sleeve.

While it is able to sculpt sounds similar to a Fairchild or a Manley Vari Mu, the unit can also be pushed to its limits where its sound is comparable to that of an [UREI] 1176 in a very soft and subtle manner. Greg Abate, lead engineer at Neon Audio explains:

"In German, the word ‘Ruepel’ means wild boar and often refers to someone being rude. When engaged, imagine the sound of an 1176 with all the buttons pressed in, and then add another one on top with the same settings – this is what you can expect from the Comp.One in Ruepel mode."

We love this boutique compressor for its versatility. Greg tells us the Comp.One can be a great tool to make a mix sound ‘expensive’; on softer settings, the compressor adds warmth, width and glues the entire mix together. On the opposite end of the spectrum [in Ruepel mode], it adds excitement to tracks with the ability to make drums really stand out or help a bass line groove.

"There's nothing else quite like it. It can be a really cool way to beautifully destroy a drum part. The unit really comes alive in Ruepel mode - the tube distortion is kicked up a notch and playing with attack and release settings causes strange sucking and pumping noises. It’s great!"

Perhaps what is most impressive about the Comp.One has to do with its design, as variable-mu designs are well known for their soft and transaparent gain reduction. However, in conjunction with the ultra fast variable-mu circuitry, 'Ruepel' mode can be engaged to produce an overdriven signal that in turn creates a gate-like effect on the initial transient. As a result, this makes the attack and release controls act sonically similar to those of an ADSR envelope. 

These neat feats of engineering in the Comp.One mean that it can generate the entire spectrum from extremely clean and transparent variable-mu sounds, all the way to the brutal gate-like effect of the Ruepel-style compression.