ART ProVLA II

ART ProVLA II | Reviews
89
output gain control. All the pots for the
controls are now lightly stepped which I
find improves threshold setting at high
compression ratios as well as fine
output gain trimming.
The rear connectivity remains the
same as before with XLR and ¼” TRS
jacks for the two inputs and outputs.
Though only one of the input sockets
can be used at once on either channel,
both outputs can be used
simultaneously, which is a neat feature
for monitoring and for parallel
processing uses.
Well behaved
As an opto-isolator controlled
compressor (see the Optical vs VCA
Compression box for a brief explanation)
the ProVLA II compresses/limits most
sources in a relatively transparent way.
It is capable of some very heavy
compression too and doesn’t break-up
or jitter as with cheap VCA designs, but
the attack and release controls become
critical to prevent over-pumping of the
audio. This is not an ‘effect’ compressor
and doesn’t impress a characteristic
tonal stamp on the source material and
so, it is best suited to more workhorse
duties. One improvement that could be
made to this unit is the inclusion of a
sidechain filter to trim out low
frequencies from the control circuit as it
is very sensitive to bass content, which
makes it less suited to mix-buss usage.
The ProVLA works best with single
sound sources (instruments, vocals,
drum overheads, synthesisers) and can
control a dynamic pleasingly when
tracking, without colouring the source.
Though there is plenty of headroom
(as well as having a switchable
+4dBu/-10dBv sensitivity for the I/O)
and make-up gain available, the mkII is
at least 6dB quieter than my old model.
This may be some quirk or it may be
intentional, but I prefer the higher gain
operation of the predecessor. Unlike
more expensive designs the ProVLA II
doesn’t exhibit the ‘valve’ sound in any
appreciable way, and its overdriven
behaviour is more solid-state or ‘clean’
in tonality. The upside of this is that the
noise floor is very low and there is no
audible harmonic distortion of the
source signal. The unit is now
true-bypass so
that, even when it
is off, the input is
passed straight to
the output in
bypass mode,
meaning it can be
left in a processing
chain when not in
use without having any appreciable
effect on the signal. This is a simple yet
rare addition, and a welcome one.
Good breeding
Overall the ProVLA II is better looking
and even more robust than its ancestor
with a lot of worthy additions to the
metering and controls. There is no
noticeable change in the sound or
operational character, both of which are
easily beyond the price bracket, and it
remains a highly dependable audio tool.
Though I’m not a fan of this compressor
in the mix-buss, I would recommend it
for tracking/sub-mixing usage over many
more expensive possibilities.
That said, a sidechain/detector filter
would really improve its range of uses. I
have also found ART customer service
to be excellent, so in the unlikely event
of a failure you won’t be left stranded. A
transparent and reliable compressor.
SPECS
Inputs: 2x XLR and ¼”
TRS jack
Outputs: 2x XLR and ¼”
TRS jack
Attack Time: 0.25ms to
50ms (variable)
Release Time: 150ms to 3s
(variable)
Ratios: 2:1 to 20:1
(variable)
Max Attenuation: 30dB
Output Gain: +20dB max
Frequency Response: 10Hz
to 100KHz (+/-0.5dB)
Dynamic Range: >100dB
(20Hz-20KHz)
THD @ 1dBm: <0.1%
(typical)
Equivalent Input Noise:
-99dBu, A weighted (+4bBu
mode), -107dBu, A
weighted (-10dBV)
Input Impedance:
10K Ohms
Valve type: 12AT7
Dimensions:
483 x 233 x 89mm
Weight:
4.76kg
It’s capable of some heavy
compression too and doesn’t break-
up or jitter, like some VCA designs
ALTERNATIVES
TL Audio Ivory 5021
MkII
£586
Twice the retail price
(though the Mk I can be
picked up second-hand for
closer to £300), but a lot
more ‘valvey’ in sound. The
5021 also has a sidechain
facility and switchable
hard/soft-knee operation.
tlaudio.co.uk
Behringer T-1952
Tube Composer
£133
Considerably cheaper as
well as having sidechain,
an expander/gate and a
‘tube warmth’ control. Not
necessarily as smooth/
transparent and well
behind on build quality/
reliability/reputation.
behringer.com
FMR RNC 1773
£199
Though not possessing any
valves, this solid-state
design has an even better
reputation for smooth
compression and, again, it
has a sidechain facility. It
may be small and with only
unbalanced operation, it is
a contender, for sheer value.
fmraudio.com
VERDICT
BUILD
❚❚❚❚❚❚❚❚❚
VALUE
❚❚❚❚❚❚❚❚❚
EASE OF USE
❚❚❚❚❚❚❚❚❚
VERSATILITY
❚❚❚❚❚❚❚
RESULTS
❚❚❚❚❚❚❚❚
Dynamic control is rarely this good
for the price. Effortless, smooth
and clear sound.
FMU209.rev_art 89 8/12/08 6:05:33 pm