At Gainlab Audio, we pay special attention to the feedback from our users. A significant portion of these inquiries are about whether it would be possible to use the device in dual mono mode. Due to the unique architecture of the equipment, we had to answer no until now… Dictator is designed to be as versatile as possible on modern materials and to easily integrate into today’s production practice, in addition to it’s traditional vacuum tube design. Originally, the goal was to process two-channel stereo tracks while maintaining the most accurate stereo operation as possible.

Therefore, Dictator’s controls are also designed along this main aspect. In connection with the creation of the dual mono version, the interoperability of the two channels is still important, but the two sides each include a completely separately parameterizable vari-u compressor, with almost the full functionality of the original Dictator.
Accordingly, all controls are implemented with switches to allow operation on the two compressors with the same settings. The sidechain, of course, remained linkable. Based on these, it can be said that the Dictator Dual Mono is a two-channel tube dynamics processor, it can be pulsing on a masterbus or it can produce crispy saturation alongside never existed transients and dirty breaks. Or work as a simple saturator with minimal dynamic control. Now either on standalone tracks or while recording…