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Everything In Music Since 1958
Everything In Music Since 1958

Golden Age Comp3A Vintage Style Compressor

Out of Stock
Original price $0.00 - Original price $0.00
Original price $0.00
$499.00
$499.00 - $499.00
Current price $499.00
About Inventory Status


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Call or text us at 301-946-8808.

In stock: It is in stock and available to ship or pickup. Apparel must be shipped from another location and is not available for in-store pickup. We can usually ship or have these items available for pickup by the next business day if they don't require inspection, special handling, or setup. Our pickup location is 11151 Veirs Mill Rd. Silver Spring, MD 20902.

📆 Preorder: It is on the way to our warehouse. We can't predict when preorder items will arrive due to current supply chain issues. If you place an order for one of these items someone will contact you to estimate the delivery date.

Out of stock: We don't currently have it available but you're not out of luck yet. We still may be able to get it. If you order one of these items we will contact you with an estimated fulfillment date. You have the option to cancel the order if you change your mind.

Special order: The item is so special that it needs to be custom ordered for you. Some of these items are works of art and have to be made individually. Orders for special order items must be prepaid and we cannot accept cancellations or refunds.

█ Sold out: We don't think we can get this item because it was either discontinued by the manufacturer or was limited in quantity. If you want or need this item call or text us. Sometimes we can help you track down the item through other sources or help you find something similar.

About Item Conditions


Questions?
Call or text us at 301-946-8808.

New: The item is brand new as received from the manufacturer with a full manufacturer warranty. Instruments such as guitars, snare drums, drum kits, brass and woodwind instruments may be opened for photography and quality control inspection and may not be in a factory sealed box.

Mint or Open Box: The item may have been opened and tested but has been repackaged. The original packaging may have superficial issues but the item itself and any originally included accessories are in perfect, like new condition.

Display Model: These items are so cool that we put them on display in our legendary shop. The condition is brand new as received from the manufacturer with manufacturer warranty. Rest assured, these items undergo a very careful inspection before shipping.

Demo: These items have been on our sales floor for demo purposes and will likely show signs of use. The original packaging may no longer be included, but you can be assured that you are receiving an awesome item and an awesome price.

Used: The item is used. These item may have varying degrees of wear. Please read the description for information about the condition of the item. Used items do not carry a warranty.

B or C Stock: Factory refurbished. These items were purchased from the manufacturer in a refurbished condition. They will show some cosmetic issues, but nothing that would impact performance. Being that these are sealed from the manufacturer, we generally do not open these to photograph the cosmetic issues. They are guaranteed to work and may have a limited warranty or you may purchase an extended warranty in some cases. Please see the listing description for item specific information.

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Get A Vintage Sound With The Golden Age Come3A Vintage Style Compressor

The COMP-3A is a one channel vintage style Compressor / Leveler. The signal path uses only discrete components like resistors, capacitors and transistors. The input and output is transformer balanced, using two different transformers, each one optimized for its purpose. This is the way audio components were built before integrated circuits became available.

Integrated circuits are small and cheap and widely used in most modern designs. The drawback is that audio components built with modern technology doesn't always provide the best perceived sound quality or the type of character that the modern user desires.

The subjective sound quality delivered by vintage equipment is often preferred over the one delivered by modern units, a situation that is even more obvious now when music is recorded with clean-sounding digital audio equipment.

This is the reason why so many vintage audio components are cloned and produced again and also why the vintage originals are often very expensive on the second hand market.

The circuit used in the COMP-3A is based on a classic design that uses an electro-luminescent panel and a photoelectric cell to control gain. This gives the COMP-3A a unique, program dependent compression characteristics. In addition, the vintage style signal path adds a wonderful and musical character to the sound. The ease of use with only two main controls makes it very simple to achieve the desired sound. These attributes has made the original units a favorite of engineers and musicians worldwide.

This classic sound is now available at a very affordable price point with the COMP-3A.


SPECIFICATIONS

  • Vintage style electronics. No integrated circuits in the signal path
  • Transformer balanced input and output. Can drive almost any load - balanced or unbalanced
  • Selectable output transformer loading resistors by an internal jumper, will affect the high end frequency response
  • Uses a classic T4-style electro-optical attenuator to control gain with program dependent attack and release times
  • Very simple to operate with only two main controls, Gain and Peak Reduction.
  • HF control can make the side-chain circuit more sensitive to mid and high frequency content
  • A big meter selectable to show gain reduction or output level at two different reference level
  • Hardwire bypass switch for easy comparisons
  • XLR and TRS input and output jacks for flexible connections
  • Link jack and switch for connecting to another unit for stereo operation
  • All external controls located on the front panel
  • External power supply to avoid interaction with the audio circuits and transformers
  • Compact 2RU half rack format. Two units can be mounted with our 19-inch rack kit, the UNITE BIG
  • A solid build quality that will last many years of normal use

Manufacturer: GoldenAge Project
Model: COMP3A
SKU: I438648-N-0-WHXX
UPC: 7123244654884


We are Chuck Levin's Washington Music Center

Maryland, Virginia, and Washington DC's legendary music shop. Family-owned and operated since 1958. Buy gear the way it was meant to be bought, from a store that's been there through it all and has the vibe to prove it. We're staffed with musicians and industry experts, people that live and breathe music gear. Our mission is to help you find the right gear for your project, that thing that will bring you the most joy out of what you do. We're an authorized dealer for almost every brand, we stock items the other stores don't, so you can try before you buy. Stop by our Wheaton, MD showroom and see for yourself.

Contact us if you have questions about one of our listings or if you need help finding the right piece of gear.

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