For those looking to set up their own 500 series home studio, why not start out the right way with this B&H Kit that bundles two Rupert Neve Designs Portico 542 Tape Emulator and 535 Diode Bridge Compressor units with a durable 10-space chassis for four channels of professional quality processing. Add warm, vintage texture with real tape hardware to up to two simultaneous signals and the two compressor units are linkable for full stereo dynamics processing. The chassis is large enough to leave you with plenty of room for future expansion.
The Portico 542 Tape Emulator from Rupert Neve Designs is a single-channel 500 series rack module that simulates the sound of analog tape, and adds texture to your audio with its dedicated Silk circuitry. The emulation of tape is achieved with analog hardware, as opposed to digital processing. The 542 features a "True Tape" circuit, which utilizes an authentic magnetic record head and a replay amplifier, giving the applied audio the warmth of tape compression. Texture can be added by pushing the Silk button, selecting Red or Blue mode, and adjusting a knob. This adds harmonic content that's reminiscent of vintage Neve equipment.
Tape Effects can be added in by pressing an illuminated button. A Saturation knob enables you to dial in the amount of effects, and a Blend knob lets you mix the pre and post signals. A 15 / 30 IPS button lets you select between the emulations of those two tape-based characteristics. Two eight-segment LED meters are on the face of the 542, one dedicated to Drive, the other to Level. When your signal hits the yellow LED in the Drive meter, a Soft Clip functionality kicks in, protecting your signal from peaking. A 500-Series power supply/rack is required for operation.
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 R10 Ten Space 500 Series Rack from Rupert Neve Designs is comprised of a solid steel chassis with sliding nuts to accommodate various manufacturers 500-series modules. It features LED current metering and more than 150% the required current for a 10-space chassis, which can prevent failings under a higher-than-expected load in recording and mixing applications.
Equipped with LED current metering to show how much power is being used, the internal power supply is double-shielded to avoid significant magnetic induction in any of the channel positions. Built with XLR and 1/4" inputs and outputs on the back panel, the R10 helps your modules realize their fullest potential.
The R10 is built to 500 series specifications and will work with any properly-designed 500-series modules you wish to include in it. It can accommodate modules that are slightly out of spec with its built-in, variable-position screw holes, and makes the installation process as smooth as possible. Additionally, the buss-link function can be enabled in pairs using link jumpers.
Finally, if you want to get the very best performance from your 500 series modules, the R10 is a rack for the serious sound you want, and it will get the job done.