Legendary Danish Opto Compression – Stereo Edition

The SA-2B Stereo is a meticulously engineered dual-channel evolution of the legendary Danish 1B Opto compressor. While many have tried to recreate this piece of history, we took it a step further by designing a unit where both channels are perfectly matched, providing the ultimate solution for stereo buses, subgroups, and mastering without the phase or imaging shifts common in dual-mono setups. These units are made via custom order only with a 6 months lead time and require a 50% deposit.

True Stereo Precision

At Stam, we do things differently. For this Stereo edition, we developed a proprietary matching circuit to ensure that the frequency response, tone, and time constants of the left and right channels are identical. This means your stereo image stays rock-solid, even under heavy compression. We spent hundreds of hours listening to and measuring every component to reproduce the silky top end and “grabiness” of the vintage gem, now with the width and depth required for modern stereo production.

Matched Tubes and Iron

Getting the correct transformers was critical to recreating the original tone. Each SA-1B Stereo is packed with two custom-made input transformers from the USA and two Swedish-made Lundahl output transformers. These pairs are strictly tested for consistency, ensuring that the harmonic distortion (THD) and character remain symmetrical across the entire stereo field.

The Gain Reduction Opto Element (Matched Pairs)

The opto element is the heart of the 1B sound, but it is notoriously difficult to pair. We use custom-made, laboratory-matched opto elements for every Stereo unit. This ensures that the attack and release times are perfectly synced between channels, preventing the “stereo wandering” effect where one side compresses faster than the other.

Advanced Stereo Features

We’ve added modern tools specifically designed for stereo bus workflows:

Dry/Wet Blend Control: For instant parallel compression on your mix bus or drum group.

5-Position Side-chain High Pass Filter (HPF): Essential for keeping your low-end (kick and bass) from pumping the entire stereo mix.

Bypass Switch: For accurate A/B monitoring of your processing.

Hand-Made in Chile

Every SA-2B is 100% hand-made by our small team in Chile. This allows us to audition and match every transformer, tube (12AU7 and 12AX7), and capacitor. Handmaking analog gear in matched pairs is labor-intensive, but it is the only way to achieve the professional-grade stereo imaging that your music deserves.

100% satisfaction guarantee – if you don’t love your SA-2B, we’ll refund you

The SA-2B Stereo Opto Compressor comes with a 30 day money back guarantee. This allows you to get it into your rack and see how it impacts your recordings. If you love it (and we think you will!), great…keep the unit and create amazing music with it. If not, no problems. Just send it back to us and we’ll fully refund your purchase.