Recording - October 2011 - 42

Radial Workhorse And Modules

500-Series Modules: JDV-Pre, Shuttle, EXTC, PhazeQ
To date Radial’s new module series includes: • • • • • • • • • • JDV-Pre Instrument Preamp and DI Shuttle Insert Loop EXTC Guitar Effects Interface PhazeQ Adjustment Tool JDX Reactor Speaker Simulator X-Amp Reamper PowerPre Mic Preamplifier Komit Compressor Limiter Q3 Coil Equalizer Tank Driver Reverb Tank Input

input, this is an instrument preamp which happens to have a microphone input. On the instrument side, this preamp is made to handle both piezo and magnetic pickups, and thanks to its innovative Drag feature, you can adjust the input to the correct impedance load of the pickups. On the microphone side the JDV-Pre offers a clean solid phantom-powered mic pre made primarily for use with instrument-specific condenser mics, many of which either clip on or are built into acoustic instruments. It will work with most any mic, but its +46 dB input gain is not well suited for dynamic or ribbon mics. For accessing these features you have a pair of front-mounted 1/4" jacks, one for input and the other an auxiliary output or thru which can feed an amplifier or a tuner. The mic input is on the back, i.e. it’s the 500-Series rack’s XLR input for that slot. The Omniport function for this module is a unity output that takes the JDV-Pre back to its roots, providing a balanced low-impedance direct-box output. Comments and conclusions While many of these features are commonplace in the DI world, in a 500-Series module they are pretty much unheard of. As I mentioned, this is not just your typical obligatory Hi-Z instrument input; it’s a purpose-built device made to get the most out of your instrument’s pickups. Now unlike a tube or vintage mic pre like, say, a UA610, this is not a thick vibe piece either. Sonically it is solid and forward and manages to capture the instrument’s tone in a very pure and 3-dimensional way. Just recently a client of mine needed to do a quick guitar overdub on a song, and since we were in mix-down mode there were no amps set up. With the JDVPre we plugged in a 1960s reissue Telecaster and adjusted the Drag until we got the tone we wanted. A few chorus and delay plug-ins later and we had a lush, clean guitar tone that put smiles on everyone’s faces. I need to single out the Drag feature because in my opinion this module is worth it for that alone. While it initially sounds like it is eq’ing the sound, it adjusts the impedance load on the pick-ups and alters the solidity of the guitar’s tone. It reminds me a bit of the Zvexx S.H.O. pedal, but whereas that pedal’s impedance load is fixed, being able to adjust said impedance or drag to taste is even handier. Again not just a mere instrument DI for the 500-Series universe, this box is essential if direct-injected guitars and/or bass are a staple of your work. Its presence and cleanliness are sure to impress.

The Q3 and Tank Driver are so new that they’re not even on Radial’s website yet; they, and many of the other modules listed here, will be reviewed in upcoming issues of Recording. In the meantime, I’m supplementing my review of the Workhorse with a look at the first four modules on our list. These are general-purpose modules that extend the Workhorse’s flexibility and help turn it into a comprehensive solution for mixing and routing processed audio. The modules are, as expected, built to Radial’s high standards. Each model is fully enclosed in a steel case and the faceplates feature the same thick steel and baked enamel finish as the Workhorse. The knobs and switches are again first rate.

JDV-Pre
First up we will look at the JDV-Pre, which is a 500-Series adaptation of Radial’s already respected JDV active pre amp. While the original (now in its MKIII version) is essentially an active direct box with a plethora of outputs for the studio and stage, the 500Series version really focuses on being a true instrument preamp. Taken from the original is the 100% discrete class-A signal path with a transformer coupled, feed forward input as well as the Drag control. For a discussion of what Drag is and how it works, check out Mike Metlay’s review of the Radial Dragster in our July 2011 issue, and the quote from the Radial website on page 44. Additional features include phase invert, a fully variable highpass filter from 5 Hz to 2 kHz, AccuState gain control that adjusts the gain and input sensitivity automatically for low noise operation, and signal, peak and power LEDs. Instrument pre amp with a twist While its lineage would suggest that this is simply a rackmounted DI, it’s really a preamp in every sense of the word, only unlike a typical mic pre that happens to have an instrument
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RECORDING OCTOBER 2011

Recording - October 2011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recording - October 2011