The perfect companion for your stereo bus
The Locomotive Audio Power-Mu delivers smooth tube compression on stereo sources. With its stepped knobs, you get precision control and easy recall, saving you valuable time in your mixing sessions. While it shines at gentle gain reduction, it can also be pushed into deeper gain reduction for a rich, harmonic presence. This full-featured 500 series compressor provides ample control, making it a versatile tool for any audio professional.
TRANSFORMERS
Custom interstage transformers allow for smooth compression without harsh artifacts
AC & DC THRESHOLD
These threshold controls work together to set compression onset, knee and ratio, giving abundant control over tube drive
TUBES
Each channel uses a NOS dual triode for true vari-mu compression and tube harmonics
SIDECHAIN LOW CUT
Cut low frequencies from the sidechain in order to prevent unwanted compression
STEPPED CONTROL
The stepped 21-position knobs on the Power-Mu allow for performances to be recalled with precision
HARDWIRE BYPASS
This switch allows the user to toggle between original and affected signals
STEREO LINK
Force the same gain reduction on the left and right channel to stabilize the center image
POWER SWITCH
Save tube life and 500 series chassis power by turning off the power when not in use
The Power-Mu Experience
Full control of gain staging, harmonics, compression threshold, and ratio are at the heart of the Power-Mu experience. Input and output controls allow you to decide how much audio level you would like to send through the unit. The AC and DC threshold controls determine when compression kicks in, and what kind of compression knee is obtained. Lower DC threshold settings will have a softer onset of compression, while higher DC threshold settings will have a harder knee with limiting characteristics.
POWER-MU SAMPLES
Please note that the samples below were created with a single setting (attack, release, thresholds, input, etc.) and may be more subtle or extreme than you desire. Obviously, the only real way to hear and experience the unit is in your own room with material you are familiar with. We hope that makes sense. Once production units are ready, we will also have some videos to share. Thank you for your consideration!
October 2, 2025
Sean C.
Magic in a Box
Eric is a tube genius. This unit is perhaps the best example of that.
For individual instrument stem or track level use, you couldn’t ask for a more musical compressor. Somehow Eric has managed to design a circuit that hunts down muddy and unpleasant frequencies and cherry picks airy and pleasant frequencies all by applying his design ideas for compression. I used this on a stereo baritone acoustic guitar track with right, left and center parts and what was a rob-Peter-to-pay-Paul scenario (couldn’t get rid of the mud without compromising the high end and couldn’t get a good high end without introducing mud) and it turned into a nearly perfectly balanced melange of baritone goodness.
For drum buss duties, this unit shines. It can keep the transients exactly where you want them while pulling the extremes of the frequency spectrum into focus. It controls the rumble but adds a marvelous shimmer to the highs while also filling out everything in between.
For mix buss glue, you cannot do better. This is truly where the tube-based circuit makes a big difference. The harmonic saturation that results from dialing in the controls really takes a mix from good enough to highly polished. It does two things particularly well here. It highlights individual parts while simultaneously gluing the whole thing together into a cohesive sound. You get great stereo separation but also unity among the tracks. It really is a magic sauce.
I’d write more, but the character limit stops me!
October 2, 2025
M.J
WoooooW
Really musical, warm and beautiful sound. I really LOVE it......
LIFETIME WARRANTY
As an audio engineer, we know you want to use the best tools to shape your sound. And if you are going to spend money on gear, you deserve hardware that's always in tip-top shape. You shouldn't have to worry about when something goes wrong. Rest assured, we guarantee the gear we build by backing it with a lifetime warranty.
