pretty good for all the features and the price point

another hard knee, valley people VCA loaded broadcast compressor from symetrix.... this one isn't quite as nice sounding as the 501, but first off its stereo (or dual mono obviously, but the sides are well matched, whatever) and unlike the 525 its not an only auto time constant affair.... there isnt an independent brickwall limiter but the comrpessor will defintiely get above 20:1, it'll just smash shit if you want... so its not a compressor into a limiter like a 501 unless you run channel 1 into channel 2 i guess, but it can be reconfigured via a button to do expansion/gating.... and DUCKING MODE, (this is not the same as sidechaining, okay? Its a radio industry feature, look it up.

I have 2 of these, they are great in series, one ducking one smashing room mics or anything ambient n vibey, even like convolution reverb sends! Shapes everything in weird ways. love this guy, or guys, there's 2, and I have 2, so its 4.... this is also a little bit dirtier than the 522. Not your dad's compressor, which of course was a dbx 160a!

not as cheap as they used to be ($50 at pawn shops all day every day), people have caught on :( they only trade for about 150 these days with the toggle switch in good shape but sometimes can be found for 70 or less when the market is flooded. Like now.... thinking of getting some more of these or some 525s just for shits and giggles. Very useful, workmanlike dynamics control. Don't let anyone tell you symetrix is cheap broadcast gear, its excellent quality, its just not from the era of vibe gear, it does its job, sometimes in the extreme.... but that's all. And often that's a good thing.