Specifications

Audio Plug-Ins Guide82
Fairchild 660 Controls
Adjust the Input Gain and Threshold controls
together until you get the sound you want. Like
many classic compressors, after a little bit of
tweaking, you’ll know immediately when you
get it right.
Input Gain Input Gain sets the input level to the
unit and the compression threshold, just like the
Input control on an 1176. Full clockwise is loud-
est.
Threshold Threshold adjusts the gain to the
sidechain, just like the Peak Reduction control
on an LA-2A.
Time Constant Selects the attack and release
times for the compressor. One is fastest, and six
is slowest. Seven and eight are Bomb Factory
custom presets.
Fairchild 660 Tips and Tricks
5,6,7,8…
The Fairchild manual documents Time Constant
settings 5 and 6 as user presets—although you
have to go inside with a soldering iron to change
them. We used the “factory default” values.
Bonus Settings
Settings 7 and 8 do not exist on real-world
units—well, at least most of them. These set-
tings are taken from a real-world Fairchild mod-
ification invented by Dave Amels many years be-
fore he designed the plug-in version.
What do they do? Settings 7 and 8 offer versions
of Time Constant 2 with a gentler release useful
for compressing vocals and other program ma-
terial where you desire more subtlety in the
compression action. Give them a try—you’ve al-
ready heard them on hit songs on the radio.
Pump It Up
With a carefully adjusted Input Gain and
Threshold, you can use Time Constant 1 to
achieve a cool pumping effect on drums. The
sound gets darker and fuller, and sits beautifully
in a mix.