Al.So Hellax Mono Optical Compressor

AlSo Hellax is a mono optical Compressor / Limiter.  Hellax is not the mono version of our Dynax2, but a compressor with
dedicated features. Hellax has been designed to compress voices and sensitive instruments like Guitars, Strings, Brass &
Woodwinds .... etc.. without an audible compression for the end listener. Although with extreme settings, Hellax can achieve
unusual and creative results.

The quality of the construction: Hellax like all Al.So products is extremely robust, fully hand built in France, It comes with an all
metal chassis and high quality controls and components.

The inscriptions on the front panel are protected high quality serigraphs.

The front panel controls are very intuitive and quickly taken in hand. The functions are:
• POWER switch: turns On/Off the unit from the front panel
• VU meter: back-lighted in red, it reflects precisely the reaction of the compressor according to the Attack and Release
settings, continuously displaying the gain reduction.
• RATIO: LOW about 3:1 MEDIUM about 10:1 and HIGH infinite:1 which makes it a Brickwall limiter and impossible to exceed
the threshold.
• Bass Drive (stepped): A filter that passes higher frequencies than the displayed ones (100Hz, 200Hz and 300Hz) to the
compressor. When active, a much higher compression can be applied, maintaining the very low ends. In Full position, the
filter is disabled and the full signal is compressed.
• ATTACK sets the attack time of the compressor
• RELEASE (stepped): sets the release time of the compressor
• Compression: sets the compression ratio clockwise, fully turned right is the max position. So it's operating  in an opposite
way than a standard Threshold function.
• MAKE UP: sets the output level of the signal after being processed
• BYPASS: let compare the original input signal with the processed one. When active, it relay bypasses the input and output
signal.
• BLEND: or parallel compression that allows mixing the original signal (DRY) to the processed (WET).

The front panel pots of Hellax are very high quality components like Sfernice, ELMA and Apem potentiometers and switches.

The electronics of Hellax has three main stages:
The input Stage based on a DC servo technology that eliminates the capacitors in the signal path offering a very low
distortion and high fidelity signal.
Intermediate stage of optical gain reduction. a technology that offers again, a very low distortion rate of the signal. It allows to
apply huge gain reduction rates without changing the signal tone or color.
The output stage with Swoster (UK) transformer offering high signal fidelity and a very slight  and subtle coloration.

The rear panel of Hellax hosts the IEC connector for the power cord, the 2 XLR input / output signal connectors and a 1/4"
TRS connector for the sidechain input or link or 2 units for stereo operation.

Technische Informationen:

•  Mono Opto Compressor
•  3 Compression ratios 3:1,  10:1  & infinite:1
•  Soft Knee
•  Extremely large time constant ranges
•  Bass Drive or compression Sidechain filters 100Hz, 200Hz & 300Hz
•  Control through an external input signal for De-essing or Depopping
•  External sidechain input
•  Blend function or parallel compression let mix the original signal with the processed one
•  100% hand built with-high end selected components
•  Designed by Olivier Bolling
•  Compatible with 110 / 230 Volts 50 / 60Hz.