531B User GuideXQP 531B Optical De-esser
$595
Following on the heels of the 2531, XQP has produced the new 531B Optical De-esser to carry the 531 line forward.
Like the 2531, the 531B uses rotary switches for all adjustable parameters giving the user precise recall. A range switch associated with the Reduction control allows for 22 level steps by switching the Reduction rotary switch between two halves of the total range of control.
Also retained is the Sidechain Feed switch allowing for the selection of feed-forward (traditional), feed-back, or a blend of the two.
The standard 4-frequency switch selects the corner frequencies in the side-chain's high-pass filter.
Some of the actual audio path circuitry has changed due to growing obsolescence of certain through-hole components such as balanced input and output chips. These circuits have been redesigned to use much more common and widely available, standard op amps. All resistors associated with the I/O circuits are 0.1% tolerance for good CMRR.
The 531B is currently shipping!
Previous Models
Dane # 31 Optical De-esser
Designed in 1996, this was the original circuit that eventually carried forward into the XQP range of de-essers. A single VACTROL optocoupler was used as the gain-reduction element, and it was driven by a transconductance amplifier, resulting in a soft knee. A 3-pole Butterworth high-pass filter with three-frequency choices was used in the sidechain to separate sibilance from the rest of the signal. Incidentally, no rectifier was included in the sidechain design, and this, along with the fast release time of the VTL531 VACTROL, resulted in subtle second-order harmonic distortion during sibilance reduction. These various design decisions resulted in the distinct sound of the unit, the essence of which has been continued throughout all subsequent XQP de-esser models.
"This Dane Optical De-esser is Fabulous! It's da Bomb! It's the box we've been looking for! It's 'da Man' of De-essers!
In just the two days the Dane #31 has been tested in Control Room 1 of the New York Bureau it has impressed everyone. It sounds so very smooth, can be activated while an interview is in progress - it is that silent! Very Versatile! Good on all voices tested thus far.
In short - we (Caryl and I) both recommend it and want it. We need two for Control Room One.
The Dane Optical De-esser is the best working and sounding de-esser I've ever heard.
Where do we sign?
Manoli Wetherell and Caryl Owen, NPR, Oct. 1998
"...All I can say - after a YEAR of trying to suppress/compress/problem-solve a frequency in my voice (hardware plus software, plus surgical specific edits), how INSTANTANEOUS the solution was with your wonderful de-esser! It just had the best freaking sound."
Ethan Persoff
XQP 531 Optical De-esser
In 2009 XQP began building the optical de-esser in the 500-series format, beginning with the 531. It was at this time that two VACTROL optocouplers were first utilized in a parallel configuration.
"I've been using the XQP 531 for about two months now and I just want to say...It's Awesome!!! It's useful for more than just de-essing a vocal, but when you need a de-esser...it really, really works!!!!!!"
Tony Shepperd
"It's fantastic. Far and away the best de-esser I've ever used and I've tried a bunch, both hardware and software. I was able to set it up very easily and quickly to remove just the right amount of sibilance without overdoing it or still fearing distortion down the line."
David Boothe
"De-essers are subtle things (until all of a sudden they're painfully obvious) but the XQP 531 is a wonderfully effective & useful tool...simple to operate and surprisingly intelligent in its filtering. Bottom line - it works."
Neil Pike
Rob Schnapf
XQP 531A Optical De-esser
The 531A was introduced in 2015. It featured a fourth frequency choice, redesigned 4-pole filters, and the addition of a "clean" mode utilizing Silonex optocouplers.
"Best de-esser ever!...These work so well; musical and elegant - since we're talking de-essers, that says a lot!"
Pete Elia
XQP 2531 Optical De-esser (25th Anniversary Edition)
Celebrating the 25th anniversary of the original design, the 2531 was created in 2022. It was originally planned that there would be only 25 units built, but the number had expanded to 35 by the time production ceased. The 2531 ditched the "clean" mode in favor of the original "soft" mode exclusively. It also marked a shift to a rotary switch in place of the Reduction pot, the inclusion of sidechain feed options, and all stainless steel panels.
"This de-esser is spectacular. The feedback and blend modes are really useful. It’s a whole other layer to dialing it in. Between the range mode and the blend modes, you can really de-ess while keeping it natural and can avoid the sound of processing."
Rob Schnapf