The Drawmer 1968 MK2 Compressor brings classic tube warmth and fast, musical FET control together in a stereo bus compressor that feels equally at home across mix bus, mastering, vocals, acoustic instruments, and more.
Designed for engineers who want glue, polish, and analog character without sacrificing detail, this dual-channel vacuum tube compressor delivers the smooth, open sound that has made the 1968 a standout in serious studio racks. Built on the legacy of the original Drawmer 1960, the 1968 MK2 refines the formula with a J-FET gain reduction stage for faster, more accurate compression, while a 12AX7 tube make-up gain stage adds rich tone and up to +20 dB of output gain. Its soft-knee behavior keeps compression natural and musical, removing the need for a traditional ratio control and helping sources sit forward without sounding choked or overworked. For engineers shaping full mixes or dynamic individual sources, the 1968 MK2 offers excellent flexibility. Six attack settings and six release options, including program-dependent modes, make it easy to dial in everything from transparent stereo bus control to lively vocal shaping. Drawmer’s BIG and BIGGER modes help preserve low-end power by reducing compression on fundamental bass frequencies while still keeping harmonics in line, making this compressor especially effective when you want punch, weight, and control without unwanted pumping.
Drawmer 1968 MK2 Compressor Features
- Dual-channel valve/FET compressor
- Two soft-knee compressors with variable threshold, attack, release and output gain
- Switchable BIG and BIGGER modes on each channel
- Dual mono or true stereo link operation
- Side-chain access with side-chain listen facility
- VU metering for gain reduction and output levels
- Switchable +10dB VU mode re-scales the meters for working at hotter output levels
- VU meters feature red warning glow to indicate approaching clipping
- Balanced +4dBu XLR inputs and outputs
- Classic Drawmer build quality with rugged steel chassis and aluminium front panel
- Designed and handmade by Drawmer in the United Kingdom
- Expanded BIG mode now includes BIGGER, with filters set at 75Hz and 150Hz
- Internal jumpers allow the soft-clip section to be removed if required
- Internal jumpers can increase the output level by +6dB
- Improved PSU design lowers the overall noise floor
Drawmer 1968 MK2 Compressor Specifications
- Input Impedance: 20k Ohms
- Maximum Input Level: +20dBu
- Output Impedance: 50 Ohms
- Maximum Output Level: +21dBu
- Bandwidth: <17Hz to 28kHz -1dB, <10Hz to 47kHz -3dB
- Unity Gain Noise: 22Hz - 22kHz (RMS) -85dB
- Crosstalk: better than 70dB @ 10kHz, better than 100dB @ 1kHz
- Distortion (THD & Noise) 1KHz:
- Line Input with BYPASS Selected: <0.01%
- Line Input with NORMAL Selected: <0.35%
- Power Requirements: 230Volt or 115V at 50-60hZ, 13VA
- Fuse Rating: 160mA for 230Volt, 315mA for 115Volt, Conforming to IEC 127-2
- Fuse Type: 20mm x 5mm, Class 3 Slo-Blo, 250Volt working
- Dimensions: (W x H x D) 482mm x 44mm x 225mm
- Weight: 4Kg
Drawmer 1968 MK2 Compressor Includes
- Drawmer 1968 MK2 Compressor
- Power Cord
- Manufacturer Warranty
2 Reviews Hide Reviews Show Reviews
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Very good bus and instrument
Nov 14th 2010In my studio, this compressor is great for kick or toms when I'm looking for a particularly phat sound. It is also good for bus compressing. The box's strength is that it is easy to setup and makes it quick to find out if the sound is going to take you to the "next level" or not. While I love the sound of the slow release times, I would find it more useful to have some additional fast release times to make a snare drum sound "whacky" with a ring.
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Exeptional Compressor at a great price.
Apr 12th 2006This is truly a wonderful sounding compressor. I'm primarily using it for stereo bus applications and in considering the purchase I found in shootouts it won or at least held it's own over compressors that were much more expensive. At this price tag it's an absolute, unregrettable no-brainer. It's unquestionably a great piece for making the dynamic range of everything in your mix play in the same ballpark in a subtle yet very musical way. Probably one of the best gear purchases I've made in quite a while.
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