The Fredenstein Artistic 500 Series Compressor stands out as a single-channel FET design boasting the added convenience of multi-channel link capability. This compressor encapsulates the timeless sonic characteristics of classic FET designs while incorporating modern refinements, such as a high-quality, US-made steel-core transformer and Fredenstein's proprietary OPA2 op-amp coupled with the innovative Reverse-Mancini FET architecture.

A distinctive feature of the Artistic Compressor is the absence of interaction between the Attack, Release, and Threshold controls, offering a unique and streamlined user experience. Meanwhile, the remaining rotary controls — Input, Release, Ratio, Make-up Gain, and Wet/Dry Mix — provide a sense of instant familiarity. The unit allows you to set the Attack Time and side-chain highpass filter in three distinct steps, adding precision to your sound shaping. Essential toggles for Bypass and Link functionality complete the feature set.

The inclusion of an LED bar-graph meter, indicating gain reduction within a range of 1dB to 16dB, adds a visual element to monitoring your compression settings. Despite being a previously used item with visible signs of cosmetic wear, rest assured that the Fredenstein Artistic 500 Series Compressor is fully operational and functions as intended, making it a reliable and sonically rich addition to your audio toolkit.