The Diode Bridge Compressor is a type of audio compressor that uses an arrangement of four diodes in a bridge format to act as the volume controlling element. This design gained popularity in the 1960s for offering faster response times than the optical compressors of the time and a distinct harmonic distortion compared to FET models. A striking technical feature of this equipment is that the audio signal needs to be drastically attenuated before entering the diode bridge to avoid excessive distortion and then amplified again by about 40 decibels at the output. Due to this high makeup gain, these compressors tend to have a higher background noise floor, but they are revered for their thick, creamy, and colored sonic character, with the legendary Neve 2254 being the most classic example of this technology.