Rupert Neve Designs 517 500 Series Microphone Preamp & Compressor. 1-channel, 500-series-format Microphone Preamplifier and Opto Compressor. The 517 microphone preamplifier/compressor is the first 500 series module designed by Rupert Neve. It brings fantastic sound quality and tone shaping capability to your 500 series rack. True to the lofty standards of Rupert Neve Designs, the 517 boasts transformer-coupled circuitry for untainted sound and an incredibly versatile feature set.
The 517's preamp section, which is based closely on the full-sized 5017 design, sports 66dB of gain and an interdependent direct input with 30dB of gain. The mic preamp includes phantom power and phase reverse, and the instrument input includes a ground-lift switch and instrument thru function. The "it does everything" box. The 517 provides a world-class transformer-coupled mic preamp, one-knob compression, DI circuitry with Vari-phase, Silk saturation and DI + mic blending capabilities - all in a single module.
A 12-way precision rotary switch covering from Line (0) and Mic from 0 to 66 dB in 6 dB steps. Engages phantom power on the microphone input, as supplied by the 500 series rack. Push button inverts the polarity of the signal path. The symbol "Ø" is often used to denote opposite polarity.
Based around a new LDR (light dependent resister) design, the 517's opto-coupler compressor has been simplified to a single threshold control with auto make up gain. By default, the compressor is set to a fixed 2:1 ratio with fixed attack and release.
To set the compressor, simply dial the threshold control down until the desired amount of compression is achieved. An LED light indicates when the compressor is active. The 517 can be used to combine and compress a direct signal and an amplified signal. To achieve this, use the DI for an instrument's direct signal and the mic preamp for either the mic'd speaker cabinet signal or an entirely separate source (like a vocal microphone). The blend control allows you to achieve the desired tonal balance between the two sources.
Pushing the Silk button engages the Silk circuit, which enhances the source's harmonic content in a manner very reminiscent of many of Rupert's class-A vintage designs. The VARI-PHASE control rotates the phase incrementally, allowing two signals with the same source to be phase aligned. This control is most apparent when the signals being combined are at roughly equal levels, and is generally used when blending an instrument's direct signal with its amplified signal, as captured by a microphone.Front panel TRS Input and passive through for hi-z sources. Continuous gain control from 0dB to 30dB. These 2 jacks are used for instrument direct input and a THRU output to an amp, and are paralleled and wired together, as it is a passive design. Inserting a plug into either jack breaks the normal MIC input and the user has the full range of MIC GAIN and TRIM. These jacks have a 3 mega Ohm input impedance that will provide less loading i.
Better highs than most DI boxes, and the sheer amount of gain that is available makes this input extremely versatile. Mic Pre, Main Output, no load. DI Input, Main Output, no load. Measured at Main Output, unweighted, 22Hz - 22kHz, Terminated 150 Ohm. With gain at unity: better than -100 dBu.
With gain at 66 dB: better than -60.5 dBu. Equivalent Input Noise: better than -125 dBu.
1.6 Meg Ohm (3.3 Meg Ohm balanced). Maximum output from 20 Hz to 40 kHz is +23 dBu.
Mic Pre: Unity to +66 dB in 6 dB steps. DI: Unity to +30 dB continuous. Total Harmonic Distortion and Noise. Silk Engaged: Better than 0.2% Second harmonic. +48 Volts DC +/- 1% (provided by 500 Series Rack).
Continuously Variable from -20 dBu to +10 dBu. Fast Mode: Attack 40ms, Release 40ms. Slow Mode: Attack 100ms, Release 350ms.
This item is in the category "Musical Instruments & Gear\Pro Audio Equipment\Preamps & Channel Strips". The seller is "avl-america" and is located in this country: US. This item can be shipped worldwide.