Audio professionals looking for a modern-vintage-style channel strip will appreciate this B&H Kit, which combines the Rupert Neve Designs Portico 511 Mic Preamp with a Rupert Neve Designs 551 Inductor EQ, a Rupert Neve Designs 535 Diode Bridge Compressor, and a Rupert Neve Designs R6 Six Space 500 Series Rack to create a turnkey channel strip solution for recording and mixing with plenty of room to grow.
Designed as an update to Rupert Neve's legendary 2254 compressor, the Rupert Neve Designs 535 Diode Bridge Compressor is a dynamics-taming color piece designed for integration in 500-series racks. It's suitable for use in pro audio scenarios, particularly in the studio.
This compressor takes the 2254's assets and helps eliminate its limitations by improving the noise floor, expanding the attack/release options, giving you a greater amount of threshold and ratio controls, and minimizing the effects of inter-modulation distortion. The unit uses a diode bridge as a gain control element to give you a pleasing, sonic character.
Controls are on hand for Threshold, Ratio, Timing, Gain, and Blend. These controls are detented for accurate recall. A Link switch lets you operate two of these compressors in stereo. Meters give you output-level readings or gain-reduction readings.
This unit is compatible with any compatible 500-Series chassis. It requires such a chassis to operate.
Ratio: This control has 6 selectable positions on the rotary switch and lets you set the slope of the compressor curve, with pre-selected ratios of 1.5:1 through 8:1. This range of compression ratios allows you to compress very moderately, or if desired, dole out heavy compression to achieve an intentional effect on higher ratio settings.
Timing: This control allows you to change the attack and release times simultaneously. Each TIMING setting has a different attack and release time constant. Due to the nature of this topology, these time constants will adapt themselves slightly depending on several factors: compression ratio, threshold, and source material. This allows the compressor to remain flexible with various types of source material.
Fast: This control divides the attack and release times available on the Timing control in half, effectively doubling the number of TIMING presets available.
Sidechain HPF: This control inserts a 150 Hz high-pass filter in the compressor sidechain. When this filter is engaged, the compressor will be considerably less responsive to information below 150 Hz. As an example, if used on a drum kit, the low end of the kick drum would be less compressed than the snare drum or cymbals since a significant portion of the kick drum’s dynamic energy is focused below 150 Hz.
Blend: This control has 31 detents and allows you to mix the uncompressed signal with processed signal. Turning the control towards 0% will shift the mix to fully uncompressed dry signal, whereas turning the control towards 100% will shift the mix to the fully compressed signal. This feature allows for parallel compression by blending the direct and compressed signals, enabling a wider range of subtlety.
Gain: This control has 31 detents and allows you to add makeup gain. As it is easier to evaluate the tonal effect of the compressor when levels are matched, the gain knob is crucial for making decisions as to whether the compression is helping or hurting.
Comp In: This switch lets you audition the compression effect by engaging/bypassing the signal. Use this in conjunction with the aforementioned gain control.
The 551 Inductor EQ from Rupert Neve Designs is a three-band EQ with custom-wound inductors, transformers, and class-A gain blocks. The low-frequency band on the 551 can be used as either a shelf or a peak filter, adding punch, dimension, and control to your low end. The 551's inductor midrange band is ideal for sweetening vocals and instruments while bringing them forward in a mix, and its proportional "Q" response makes it well suited for minimizing problematic frequencies. The high-frequency band is a hybrid vintage/modern design, blending inductor circuitry with capacitor-based topologies to achieve vintage tones with enhanced control. The high-pass filter is a 12 dB/octave design with a fixed 80 Hz frequency, and can be used in tandem with the low-frequency EQ to add low-end presence without clouding the source material.
Both the high and low band can be switched from shelf to peak curves and offer 15 dB of boost or cut. The high band can be switched from 8 to 16 kHz, and the low band can be selected at 35, 60, 100, or 220 Hz. The inductor-based mid band offers six center frequencies: 200, 350, and 700 Hz, and 1.5, 3, and 6 kHz. The mid band also has an "MF Hi Q" switch to narrow the bandwidth (increase the Q) of the filter.
The Portico 511 Mic Preamp from Rupert Neve Designs is a single channel, transformer-balanced microphone preamp that brings the features and performance of the full-sized Portico outboard rack units to the 500-series format. The 511 provides 66dB of gain, and a +/- 6dB Trim knob is provided for fine tuning. Texture can be added by pushing the Silk button, which activates dedicated circuitry. The desired amount of texture can be dialed in with a knob, which adds harmonic content–creating tones that are reminiscent of vintage Neve equipment.
The 511 isn't limited to working with microphones. With the Gain knob set at 0 dB, the unit is capable of accepting line-level signals. Condenser microphones and active DI boxes can be powered by engaging the 48V phantom power button on the 511. An illuminated Polarity button inverts the signal when pressed. A variable High-Pass Filter can be engaged by an illuminated button as well, and a knob enables you to sweep between 20-250 Hz. An eight-segment LED meter allows you to visually monitor the output. A 500-Series power supply/rack is required for operation.
With 150% of the required current for a 6-space 500-series enclosure, the Rupert Neve Designs R6 will help you hear the full potential of your modules. The headroom in available current helps prevent the power rails from falling under a higher than expected load. LED metering shows you how much power is being used and the internal power supply has been designed with double shielding to avoid significant magnetic induction in any of the channel positions.
The solid steel chassis has a collapsible handle for portability. The unit offers a total of eight balanced I/O channels with interchangeable TRS, XLR, and DB-25 connections with a 48V phantom power bus. The channel 7-8 thru connections can be used as a way to quickly and easily convert your signal from and to DB-25, XLR, and TRS connectors. To accommodate 500 series modules that are slightly out of spec, the unit has variable-position screw holes to make the installation process go more smoothly. A 500 series link function can be enabled in pairs using the link jumpers on channels 1-2, 3-4, or 5-6. Matching blank panels are also available to cover any empty slots.