Test Review ToolMod analog Audio Modules by adt-audio

Fünfband Equalizer TM105

The TM105 five band EQ is the only module of our test set the needs two module slots in the frame. The EQ is almost identical to the channel EQ of the recall console series MR of the manufacturer und combines 3 fully parametric sweep filters that cover the entire audio band with two additional R/C filters for Hi and Low. The R/C filter should be considered as a tonal alternative to the parametric bell filters. The shelving hi filter is well suited to produce a silky high frequency performance without disturbing side effects that might occur with bell type filters from time to time. The R/C type low filter can be used just like a shelving filter; however, it actualy is a very soft bell filter, as you can see in the diagram of the frequency response of these filters. This bell type filter at the low end of the audio band makes sense, since it avoids boosting the subsonic range without the need of an additional high-pass filter.

3-Band Equalizer TM107 The TM107 3 band eq is more compact and combines a fully parametric, bell type low eq, that can be switched to two different Q factor values. The 'wide' setting of the q factor results in a characteric quite similar to a shelving filter. The lowest frequency is 15 Hz. The Hi EQ of the TM107 is a sweeped shelving filter with selectable steepness of 6 or 12 dB/oct. umschaltbaren Flankensteilheit.

The well known adt-audio VCA compressor TM112 that is used with many input channels of different large format console versions, includes some nice additional features also with the ToolMod version. In addition to a Crest select that modifies the operation mode of the ac/dc converter from peak to RMS, the unit has an envelope control that makes it easier to deal with low frequency signals without distortion, by modifying the reaction of the rectifier to low frequencies. In addition there is a soft knee control, a switched autogain function that is well known from the master compressors of the adt-audio console master compressors. Autogain causes an automatic compensation of the gain reduction, depending on the settings of threshold and ratio that compensates the gain reduction of the particular setting. This function makes it a lot easier to determine the effect of dynamic treatment itself, withtout the need to consider different levels. The position of the attack pot is included into the calculation of the gain compensation. In addition, there is a manual gain control and a 5 segment LED display that indicates the gain reduction. The TRS jacks of the TM112 frame slot can be used to insert an external side chain EQ that can simulate a deEsser or simply modify the default flat frequency response of the compressor in any desired way.

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