Millennia Media TCL-2

The Twincom (TCL-2) is an ultra-transparent, two channel opto-compressor/limiter offering Class-A biased all discrete J-FET solid-state operation — OR — Class-A biased all triode vacuum tube operation ....at the touch of a button.

Highlights

TWO SIGNAL PATHS IN ONE CHASSIS — VACUUM TUBE & DISCRETE SOLID-STATE
ENTIRELY CLASS-A TWIN TOPOLOGY (tm) DESIGN
SETS NEW PRECEDENT IN DYNAMICS SONIC PURITY
ULTRA-PREMIUM COMPONENTRY THROUGHOUT
GOLD RELAYS, CONNECTORS, TUBE SOCKETS
SILVER/TEFLON POWER WIRING, OFC AUDIO WIRING
MASSIVELY CONSTRUCTED, COSMETICALLY STUNNING
EFFORTLESS, LIFELIKE MUSICAL PERFORMANCE AT ALL DYNAMIC LEVELS

The TCL-2 Twincom stereo compressor/limiter with Twin Topology (TM) — Millennia's innovative new merging of vacuum tube and solid state circuit topologies. A front panel switch selects between a complete vacuum tube audio path or a fully discrete solid-state audio path — in the same chassis. Both circuit topologies are entirely transformerless, high voltage, and minimalist.

What is "minimalist?" The Twincom has only one active stage in the audio signal path. Compare this with common textbook compressor designs employing multiple amplifiers in the signal path. Fewer amplifier stages means greater sonic integrity and heightened musical reality. This one amplifier stage is optimized as input buffer, dynamics amplifier, and output driver. Greatly increased musical clarity is achieved as precious audio signals are spared from successively colored amplifier stages.

The Twincom is also designed as an entirely balanced circuit. In most professional audio gear, balanced input signals become unbalanced by a transformer or electronic circuits, and perhaps rebalanced at the output via similar methods. The Twincom never unbalances. Rather, the balanced signal remains balanced from input to output, avoiding the need for audio transformers or additional amplifiers in the signal path.

Why transformerless? Most of today's high voltage pro tube gear uses audio transformers. Yet, transformers add coloration to audio signals; coloration which is not conducive to sonic purity. Via innovative design techniques, the Twincom avoids audio transformers entirely. Now, the remarkable musicality of Class-A triode dynamics can be realized without the unavoidable sonic artifacts common to signal path transformers.

The solid-state aspect of Twin Topology consists of pure Class-A all discrete J-FET amplifiers. Millennia also provides these J-FET amplifiers as the next generation of 990 (Jensen tm) and 2520 (API tm) plug-in-compatible modules. The vacuum tube aspect of Twin Topology employs 300 volt, pure Class A, hand tested and selected triode vacuum tubes. To use the vacuum tube amplifier, simply press a front panel switch. To use the solid-state amplifier, press the switch again. Twin Topology! Both topologies are designed to deliver a musical optimization of their inherent character.

Twin Topology products also sport new cosmetics. The Twincom offers illuminated push-button switches, machined aluminum knobs, extruded and radiused face plate (nearly 3/8" thick) which is optionally processed with an artistic proprietary finish looking something like an aged spruce guitar top. There's even a stylish "TT" logo deeply engraved into every panel. A standard gloss black cosmetic finish is also available.

The Twincom employs exquisite high voltage amplifiers free of transformer coupling, carefully designed around the finest grades of passive components (Vishay pots, Roederstein resistors, Wima and Electrocube capacitors, Neglex OFC cabling, gold tube connectors and relay contacts, large Sifam true audio level meters, etc..). One listening test with the TCL-2 Twincom will immediately confirm that Millennia has once again set precedence in musical reality and sonic transparency.

“We’ve been using our [eight channels of] TCL-2 Twincoms for a number of stereo and six channel surround mastering projects with great results.
The ability of each unit to sound either as transparent as the Class A solid state electronics or as warm as the vacuum tube electronics is a big advantage. The Twincom has become our reference analog dynamics mastering processor.”
Bob Ludwig, Gateway Mastering & DVD

“The Millennia Media TCL-2 sounded nothing short of fabulous on voices (especially male voices), guitars (electric and acoustic), and most
keyboards. It does a great job of controlling the dynamics of sustained, high energy programme material, and it bestows interesting dynamic
effects on more transient audio. I was often surprised that sources I expected to benefit from the valve amplifier chain actually worked better with the solid-state path, and vise versa.”
Hugh Robjohns, Sound On Sound, UK

“The Millennia Media TCL-2 is an amazing dynamics processor. The subtle differences between the two circuit topologies allow me to be much more precise when choosing the appropriate character for a signal, and the purity of the signal path preserves more of the original signal than any other compressor I’ve used. This is the way that high end audio equipment is supposed to be -- well designed, well built and with a wonderful sound.”
Dave Martin, Audio Media US Magazine

“This is a clean, great sounding compressor. The two topologies both sound pure, transparent, and, in most circumstances, remarkably similar, with the J-FET circuit sometimes marginally more detailed.... For the purist, this is a good value, high-performance compressor.”
George Shilling, Studio Sound Magazine, UK

“The TCL-2 is beautifully constructed and is as sonically neutral as anything I have heard.”
Joe Palmaccio, Senior Recording Engineer, Sony Music, NYC

Control Dynamics With Total Signal Integrity

• Two paths to perfection with Twin Topology™
• Stereo optical compressor/limiter with unprecedented sonic purity & integrity
• All triode 300 V vacuum tube signal path or...
• All discrete J-FET solid state signal path
• Both topologies are entirely transformerless, high voltage, pure Class A
• Minimalist design: only one active stage in the audio path
• Threshold: Infinity to + 20 dBu
• Ratio: 1.4 : 1 to 30 : 1
• Attack: 2 to 100 ms
• Release: 100 ms to 3 s
• Large meters: switchable for VU or Gain Reduction
• Constructed for demanding professional applications
• Ultra-Premium components throughout
• Gold relays, connectors, switches, tube sockets
• Silver Teflon power wiring
• Mogami Neglex OFC audio wiring