Name: elysia karacter 500 Dual-Channel Analog 500 Series Saturator
Brand: elysia
SKU: ELKARACTER5M
Price: 999.00 USD

The elysia karacter 500 Dual-Channel Analog 500 Series Saturator is a deceptively flexible and unique stereo saturator designed to elevate your mixing and mastering sessions to a new level of creativity. Featuring numerous functions that will make professional and prosumer engineers do a double take, the karacter 500 comes with easy-to-program signal coloration ranging from subtle saturation to utter destruction, stepped pots with 41 steps each, and discrete Class-A electronics just to name a few.

Signals can be processed as either separate mono channels or one stereo channel, while the integrated M/S matrix allows the karacter 500 to process the middle and sides of a stereo signal separately, imparting thick color to the center while leaving the sides of the stereo field intact, or the other way around and anything in between. Whether looking for a powerful, 500 Series rackmount processor to color your mixes or something truly different from the norm, the elysia karacter 500 provides saturation galore.

Class-A Electronics

The karacter 500 features high-quality Class-A topology for its discrete electronics, resulting in minimal distortion and zero turn-on time. This provides a very low noise floor and ensures high-quality sound, even when massive distortion is applied to the signal. The unit's PCB even comes with a special sixth layer dedicated to acting as a ground shield, avoiding any unwanted noise interference. Every unit is rigorously tested and calibrated to the highest standard using in-house computer-aided testing devices and custom tools.

Oodles of Saturation, with karacter

At the heart of the karacter 500 are a series of circuits designed to add color to your signal through separate saturation, distortion, and destruction functions. The saturation circuit adds unobtrusive thickness and coloration to your music through the application of symmetrical clipping on the uneven harmonics. By switching on the FET shred button (indicated by an LED light), the clipping changes to an asymmetrical scheme, which imparts musical, tube-style drive to the even harmonics. To take things further, simply press the turbo boost button and the distortion circuitry will shift its operating point resulting in an even more asymmetrical signal structure. This setting is great for truly mangled samples, industrial-style distortion, and brutal guitar sounds.

Stereo Linking and M/S Matrix

With dedicated left and right XLR inputs and outputs, the karacter 500 is able to operate either as two mono processors or linked for a true stereo device, making it as comfortable processing a single track as it is for an entire mix. A unique M/S matrix is also available in both mono and stereo link modes, allowing for a completely internal reproduction of stereo microphoning. A dedicated M/S encoder and decoder allow you to process the "sides" and "mids" of a stereo signal separately, creating interesting opportunities such as applying high saturation to the middle while leaving the sides completely untouched, or the other way around, or anything else inbetween.

Intuitive and Powerful Controls

The karacter 500 features four stepped potentiometers per channel (drive, color, gain, wet/dry mix) with 41 steps each and the ability to easily recall precise settings instantly. These professional-quality pots are complemented by four push buttons per channel, which allow for channel activation/hardwire bypass, FET shred mode (distortion), turbo boost (destruction), and stereo link respectively.

Paint Your Tones

Rather than adding a common rolloff filter, elysia chose to add a unique complex filter network controlled by a single knob. This color filter is more flexible and deeply integrated into the saturation circuits than many other processors, and alters the essential THD generation rather than changing the frequency response. This provides a wide range of coloring options and several useful sweet spots ranging from dubby growl to steely punch.

Number of Channels	2 Channels (Stereo or Dual Mono)
Maximum Input/Output Level	+21 dBu
THD + N	100% Dry at 0 dBu: 0.013% 100% Dry at +10 dBu: 0.024% 100% Wet at 0 dBu Min Drive: 0.47% 100% Wet at 0 dBu Max Drive: 35.1%
Input Impedance	10 Kilohms
Output Impedance	68 Ohms
Frequency Response	100% Dry: <10 Hz to 400 kHz (-3 dB) 100% Wet: <10 Hz to 27 kHz (-3 dB)
Dynamic Range	20 Hz to 22 kHz: 112 dB
Noise Floor	100% Dry: -91 dBu 100% Wet: -81 to -91 dBu (depending on Drive and Gain) ipt>
Power Consumption	Total: 210 mA Per Slot: 105 mA Rails: ±16 VDC
Mounting	Front: 4 x 500 Series Rackmount Hole
Color	Blue
Certifications	RoHS Compliant

Join Bild Expo 2025 - Presented by B&H

elysia karacter 500 Dual-Channel Analog 500 Series Saturator

elysia KARACTER 500 Overview

elysia KARACTER 500 Specs

elysia KARACTER 500 Reviews