Z&H Designs has announced the Z&H VCA Compressor as a flagship dynamics processor for engineers engaging in modern production workflows wanting both precision and versatility.
While drawing from decades of analogue heritage, the unit offers the iconic ‘glue’ characteristic of British-style bus compressors with the forward, transient-focused response of classic American VCA designs. As a contemporary compressor, the Z&H VCA Compressor offers all the modern sidechain filter options required in modern production.
GLU (glue) mode enhances cohesion and smoothness on a mixbus while FWD (forward) mode captures transients for a more lively, energetic sound when working with drums or pianos. It can also achieve an exceptionally solid and full-bodied lift when placed on a mixbus and combined with the Z&H VCA Compressor’s flexible Mid control for precise parallel compression, allowing users to push the VCA to more extreme settings while retaining the original punch and detail. It is possible to use GLU mode with that Mix control to tame overly-lively tracks without flattening them. The Boom control operates at 120Hz, while Spark introduces ‘air’ at 10Hz – subtly enhances lows or highs with an organic shift in tone that is a result of feedback from the transformer windings. Switching to FWD mode offers sharper transients and striking punch, shaping sound with precise attack settings and sidechain filtering.
The ‘auto fade’ function that used to be standard on British mixing consoles, it is reintroduced with a single switch (Auto) and knob (Rate) working to create elegant outros without automation.
Engineered to mastering-grade standards with a frequency response of ±0.5dB from 15Hz to 30kHz, Z&H VCA Compressor uses premium modern VCA chips, matched to achieve ultra-low distortion better than 0.005%. It features a modern power supply and high-quality PCB layout, ensuring a noise floor consistently better than -95dBu.
The 3U-high rackmount unit is manufactured with premium components, pairing classic British-style vu meters and tactile switches with the same high-gloss paint process used on BMW sports cars.
The Z&H VCA Compressor is available to order directly from Z&H Designs at an MSRP of £1,491/US$1,999.00 (excluding VAT/tax) via its dedicated webpage,