Empirical Labs EL8X Distressor with British Mod and Image Link Classic knee sound - With modern noise specs and improved performance. Really grabs. Programmable analog distortion/warmth - helpful in the pristine but unforgiving digital world. Three audio modes providing user programmable, warm harmonic distortion. Emphasized tube-like, 2nd harmonic in clean and Distort 2 mode. In Distort 3 mode, the distortion becomes dominated by 3rd harmonic, more similar to tape. Distortion indicator lights - A 1% LED and a "Redline" (3%) LED. No hard clipping un Unlike most analog compressor/limiters the Distressor is a digitally controlled audio device and actually incorporates several products into one by utilizing digital controls to switch totally different circuits in and out The EL8X Distressor from Empirical Labs is an automatic gain (or volume) control device (AGC in engineering terms) designed for pro audio applications Basically, the compressor electronically controls the volume of just about any source in a very pleasing, and "musical" manner - adding fullness, intelligibility, and especially in the Distressor's case - excitement This type of device is often called a "limiter" or "compressor" by audio professionals and its most probable uses will be in recording studios, live sound situations, movie sound production, and radio broadcast production