Mercenary Audio - Drawmer 1968 Mercenary Edition Stereo Tube/FET Compressor

Based on the exceptional compressor design found in the Drawmer 1969 "M-E" Mic Pre/DI/Compressor, the 1968 "M-E" features improved metering and function with the incorporation of separate "big" switches for each channel, making it ideal for use in both tracking and stereo compression applications.

Drawmer 1968 features

The 1968 Mercenary® Edition's gain reduction cell is the same FET compressor with variable tube output stages as the 1969 "M-E", giving it a rich euphonic tone with the speed and musical grace made famous by the 1969 Mercenary Edition.

The "Big" switch feature on each channel provides the user front panel control to easily remove the low frequency component of the program material from control of the gain reduction cell, effectively boosting the bass output. A patchable side chain is available in conjunction to the "Big" switch offering the user complete flexibility frequency dependent ducking. The 1968 "M-E" also features 'side chain listen' capability granting the user the ability to perform precise and specific side chain control.

The metering on the 1968 has also been expanded to meet the demands of modern tracking and 2 buss requirements. The VU meter can display either gain reduction or output levels while a sophisticated LED warning system has been implemented to warn the user as they approach the maximum operating level.

The 1968 "M-E", is a unit that was designed to be capable of being driven hard, which is the reason for the "+10" meter re-scaling switch, yet one need not be a maniac to enjoy the musical qualities of what we think you will find to be one of the most musical compressors you can add to your arsenal of tools.

SPECIFICATIONS

Input Impdances: Line 20KΩ
Maximum Input Level: +20dBu
Output Impedance: 50Ω
Maximum Output Level: +22dB (balanced)
Bandwidth: < 10Hz to 22KHz -1dB
Unity Gain Noise: Bypass -95dB, Line -85dB
Distortion: @ 1KHz
Line Input with Bypass selected: <0.1%
Line Input with Normal Selected: <0.35%
Attack Times: 2ms, 8ms, 15ms, 25ms, 30ms, 50ms
Release Times:
100ms (Fixed)
500ms (Fixed)
1 second (Fixed)
200ms to 2 seconds semi-automatic/signal dependent
500ms to 5 seconds semi-automatic/signal dependent
Automatic 1 second to 10 seconds signal dependent

MANUALS & PDFs

Drawmer 1968 Mercenary Edition Manual Adobe pdf file

I was wondering what the main difference is between the 1968 and the 1969 models. Does the compressor/circuitry "sound" the same. I mainly need this unit to run line level mixes through. Is the simply 1969 more flexible? Also what is the depth of the units? I couldn't find specs anywhere.

The main differences between the '69 and '68 is that the '69 has 2 mic pre's and a DI... the '68 is the compression section from the '69 without the other facilities.

The compression in the '68 is a tad more flexible than the compression in the '69 as you can use the "big" switch individually on the channels in addition to when the channels are tied in 'stereo' mode, the metering on the '68 was another improvement that I found to be of great assistance. Other than that, they're the same [ahhh, the nomenclature on the '68 is a little better... but that's not really a big deal]

I'm not sure of the depth... I'm going to guess about 14" for each, but I can't swear to it. If you'd like me to measure them, please let me know. The '68 is 1 RU vs. the '69's 2 RU profile. -Fletcher

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