Recording - April 2014 - 45

with a direct and very audible impact on its timbre,
especially on passive ribbon mics and dynamic
mics. Studio Projects recommends that the IMP
switch be set to 50 ohms when used with a ribbon.
When the IMP button is engaged, the sound thins
out and opens up a tad, sounding less weighty. I am
a huge fan of impedance switching on preamps,
and this little button is a prime example of why I feel
that way!
Moving down we come to a button for 48v phantom power, and lastly a button marked Instrument,
that switches the input source from the mic to the
instrument input. These two inputs share a combination XLR/TRS 1/4" jack on the front panel.
I tried said Instrument input with electric guitar,
acoustic/electric with piezo pickup, electric basses
with both active and passive electronics, and a Fender
Rhodes electric piano. It works well, is clean and stays
out of the way. As per the specs above, the 1/4" input
has 18 dB more headroom; that means it is much
harder to clip and overdrive. This is great for clean
capture of instrument tones for later reamping, but I
have to admit that part of me was hoping for some
"Revolution" and "Black Dog"-style console overdrive.
There is one last variable knob on the SPM5
marked Radiance, which is this box's secret sauce.
The Radiance knob mixes second-order harmonic
distortion into the the signal. This harmonic information adds a hint of gritty sparkle that opens up the
top end in a much less obvious way than just adding
a high frequency EQ boost. Coupled with how hard
you drive the inputs, it is a great way to subtly shape
the tone of the overdrive.

Sound and use
Sonically the SPM5 is in the classic console preamp category, meaning it
falls nicely in the middle of the spectrum between the "heavy colored vibe"
preamps that live on one extreme and the "crystalline and clinical" preamps
on the other. However, thanks to its variety of tweakable controls-Radiance,
Impedance switching, and the give and take between the Input and Output
leve settings-it's not too difficult to tip the scales over to the vibe side when
you want... yet only when you want. Overall it has a solid low-mid weight, a
full smooth upper midrange, and gently rounded highs.
From voice to guitars to all things percussive, there is no source I would hesitate to send to the SPM5. One immediate favorite from my test sessions was
kick drum, where I really like its low-mid oomph. Even better than that were
my results on overheads and hi-hat, where the Radiance control is great for
making the cymbals somehow more noticeable, while not making them specifically louder or brighter. The same can be said for the sizzle of strings on an
acoustic guitar. Radiance also works nicely to give female vocals a nice edge
without being too forward or sibilant.
Lastly, thanks to its 70 dB of gain, the SPM5 easily handles mics with
lower output, from passive ribbons to dynamics like my personal favorite,
the Shure SM7B.
Conclusion
One more strength of the SPM5 is its price. At around $400 street, it comes
in at around half the price of many other 500 Series preamps. That makes it
a great choice for a first 500 Series preamp, but it's one that you will want
to keep and still use as your 500 Series collection grows around it.
Welcome to the 500 Series world, Studio Projects. I can't wait to see what
you do with the EQ and compressor... please don't keep me waiting!
Price: $399.99 street
More from: Studio Projects, www.studioprojects.com, part of the PMI
Audio Group, www.pmiaudio.com

http://www.studioprojects.com http://www.pmiaudio.com http://www.CRAS.edu http://www.CRAS.edu http://www.CRAS.edu http://www.audiorecordingschool.com/consumer.html

Recording - April 2014

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