The ART Dual Levelar is a two channel tube compressor and leveling amplifier from ART (Applied Research & Technology, Inc.), built into a single-space 19 inch rack chassis1. Its main application, as ART puts it, is "to control the dynamic range of a signal level," and the manual lists stereo mix and mastering, vocal levelling and instrument levelling among its uses1.
What sets it apart from most rack compressors is its gain reduction circuit. Instead of a VCA (voltage controlled amplifier), the Dual Levelar uses electro-optical Vactrol isolators combined with vacuum tube electronics, an approach ART says "deliver[s] classic sound without the 'old'"1. Optical designs like this, where a light source and a light-dependent resistor control gain reduction, are the same family of circuit used in classic studio leveling amplifiers. For a player used to compressor pedals, the Dual Levelar is a different animal: a mains-powered studio unit meant to sit in a rack and process line-level signals rather than sit on a pedalboard.
The controls
Each channel of the Dual Levelar has a small, clear control set: two knobs, two switches, and a power switch with an indicator LED on the front panel1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Threshold | Sets the point at which the Dual Levelar acts on a signal. Counter-clockwise lowers the threshold, clockwise raises it1 |
| Output | Sets output gain. Fully counter-clockwise attenuates the output by -83dB (off); clockwise adds make-up gain1 |
| Limit/Comp | Out: 2.3:1 compression ratio. In: ratio greater than 6:1, soft limiting1 |
| Auto/Fast | Out: fast release. In: auto, program-dependent release1 |
| Active/Bypass | Must be pressed in to process a signal. Out: the signal runs from input jacks to output jacks with no processing1 |
The Threshold and Output controls work together the way threshold and make-up gain do on any compressor: set the threshold to catch the peaks you want controlled, then use Output to restore the level lost to gain reduction. The Limit/Comp switch is the ratio choice, and the Auto/Fast switch is the release choice. The bypass is a true hard bypass in the sense the manual describes: with the switch out, signal passes from the input jacks straight to the output jacks with no processing1.
The release behavior is worth noting for anyone comparing this against a pedal. The fast setting runs to 200ms, while the auto setting is program dependent, ranging from 70ms to 1 second, letting the unit recover more slowly from bigger gain reduction1. Attack time is fixed at 6.5ms1.
Inputs, outputs and levels
The Dual Levelar is a line-level device. Its inputs are designed for signals ranging from -30dBm to +15dBm, which covers professional line level but not the raw output of a passive guitar pickup1. A player wanting to run a guitar through it would need a preamp or similar device in front of it. The 1/4 inch input impedance of 1M ohms is instrument-friendly, but the level expectation is the limiting factor1.
Both outputs are active balanced and both may be used at the same time, so a channel can feed two destinations at once1.
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Max input level, XLR | +15dBm1 |
| Max input level, 1/4" | +15dBm1 |
| Max output level, XLR | +26dBm1 |
| Max output level, 1/4" | +20dBm1 |
| Input impedance | XLR 20K ohms, 1/4" 1M ohm1 |
| Output impedance | XLR 600 ohms, 1/4" 300 ohms1 |
| Frequency response | 10Hz to 20KHz (+/- .5dB)1 |
| Dynamic range | >105dB (20-20kHz)1 |
| THD @ 0dB out | <0.1% (typical)1 |
| Equivalent input noise | -100dBm ('A' weighted), XLR to XLR and 1/4" to 1/4"1 |
| Max attenuation | 28dB1 |
| Slope | Comp 2.3:1, Limit >6:11 |
| Attack time | 6.5ms1 |
| Release time | Fast to 200ms, auto 70ms to 1 sec1 |
The balanced connections follow standard wiring. The XLR input is pin 1 ground, pin 2 positive (hot), pin 3 negative (cold). The 1/4 inch TRS configuration is tip positive (hot), ring negative (cold), sleeve ground1.
Build, power and support
The Dual Levelar is an all-steel unit measuring 19" W by 6.50" D by 1.75" H, weighing 5.5 lbs, designed and manufactured in the USA1. It runs on an internal power supply rather than a wall adapter; the USA version requires 95-125VAC at 10 W with an internal fuse, and ART states that units shipped elsewhere are configured for the power of the country of destination1. There is no battery option, so it is a rack or studio-desk piece, not a pedalboard candidate.
ART covers the unit with a three year warranty from the date of purchase, providing free repair or replacement at ART's option for defects in workmanship and materials. The warranty excludes misuse, abuse, unauthorized alterations or repairs, and is void if the serial number is altered, defaced or removed1. Warranty service in the United States means shipping the unit to ART's repair department in Rochester, New York, with a return authorization number; outside the United States, service is provided by an authorized distributor1.
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Questions
Can I use the ART Dual Levelar with a guitar?
Only with care. The Dual Levelar's inputs are designed for line level signals ranging from -30dBm to +15dBm, not the low output of a passive guitar pickup. A guitar would need to reach the unit through a preamp or other line-level device first. Its 1/4 inch input impedance is 1M ohms, which is friendly to instrument-level sources.
Is the ART Dual Levelar a tube compressor?
Yes. ART describes it as a two channel tube compressor and leveling amplifier. The design combines vacuum tube electronics with electro-optical Vactrol isolators, and it is an analog unit that does not use a VCA (voltage controlled amplifier) for gain reduction.
What is the compression ratio of the ART Dual Levelar?
It depends on the Limit/Comp switch. In the out position the compression ratio is an active 2.3:1. In the in position the ratio is greater than 6:1, which ART describes as soft limiting. Maximum attenuation is 28dB.
Does the ART Dual Levelar work in stereo?
Yes. It is a two channel unit, and ART lists its applications as stereo mix and mastering work as well as vocal and instrument levelling. Each channel has its own controls, so the two channels can also be used independently on different sources.
How fast is the attack on the ART Dual Levelar?
The attack time is 6.5ms. Release time depends on the Auto/Fast switch: the fast setting runs to 200ms, while the auto setting is program dependent, ranging from 70ms to 1 second.
Sources (1)
- 256MAN.QXD, ART (Applied Research & Technology, Inc.), 2025
