Burl Audio BC5000M BIGFOOT Optical Compressor with FET Limiting – Mastering Version

The Burl Audio BC5000M BIGFOOT is the mastering version of Burl’s solid-state optical compressor with FET limiting, with stepped attenuators on every control in place of the continuous pots on the standard BC5000. Compression comes from an optical element in a fully balanced, all-discrete class-A signal path, with switchable BX1 input and BX5 output transformers and input and output circuits shared with Burl’s MOTHERSHIP mastering cards, the BAD4M and BDA4M. A fast FET limiter (10 µs attack, 3 ms release) and soft clipping let mixing and mastering engineers compress and limit in one unit, while the side chain low-cut, de-esser, and 10 kHz high boost provide further shaping. Stepped controls also make settings easy to note and repeat from session to session.

Key Features

• Mastering version with stepped attenuators on all controls
• Solid-state optical compressor with Threshold, Attack, Release, and Ratio controls
• Ultrafast FET peak limiter (10 µs attack, 3 ms release) with a switchable fast FET limit circuit, designed to tame large transients without pumping
• Compress and limit in a single unit, with soft clipping of overdriven signals
• All discrete transistor, class-A, direct-coupled design
• Fully balanced circuit path, end to end, for low noise
• Burl NextGen Analog BOPA14 and BOPA11 op-amps
• Switchable BX1 input transformer and switchable BX5 output transformer
• Input circuit shared with the BAD4M mastering card and output circuit shared with the BDA4M mastering card
• Switchable side chain low-cut, so low-frequency material does not drive the compressor
• Switchable side chain de-esser for controlling sibilance
• Switchable 10 kHz high-frequency boost for adding clarity to dull or dark material
• Stereo compression link
• Hard bypass

Specifications

• Type: Solid-state optical compressor with FET peak limiter
• Version: BC5000M mastering version (stepped attenuators)
• Compressor Controls: Threshold, Attack, Release, Ratio
• FET Limiter: 10 µs attack, 3 ms release, switchable
• Circuit Design: All discrete transistor, class-A, direct-coupled, fully balanced end to end
• Op-Amps: Burl NextGen Analog BOPA14 and BOPA11
• Input Transformer: BX1, switchable
• Output Transformer: BX5, switchable
• Input Circuit: Same as BAD4M mastering card
• Output Circuit: Same as BDA4M mastering card
• Side Chain Low-Cut: Switchable
• Side Chain De-Esser: Switchable
• High-Frequency Boost: 10 kHz, switchable
• Soft Clipping: Yes
• Stereo Link: Yes
• Bypass: Hard bypass