EQ Magazine - December 2008 - (Page 56)

GEAR HEAD LACHAPELL MODEL 583S PRICE: $1,349 STRENGTHS: Lit front panel switches. Top quality build. Tube amplification circuitry. Output level control. LIMITATIONS: Takes up two slots in a 500 rack. No metering. CONTACT: www.lachapellaudio.com This is another solidly-built unit that also occupies two slots of a 500 rack. It’s one of two tube-based (ECC83/12AX7) units in this group of pres, which yields a definite sonic signature: huge, musical lows with lots of body, smooth mids, and particularly sweet upper mids and highs. Standout applications for this pre are acoustic guitar, bass/keyboard direct via the 583S’s 1/4" front panel input, kick, snare and overhead where you want a big open sound. It’s not a particularly cutting pre, but its very musical sound also exhibits a little compression, depending on the relative input and output level settings. It offers 70dB of clean gain and a 20dB input pad; the clever lit front panel switches make for a very sweet-looking unit. SHINYBOX SI PRICE: $500 STRENGTHS: Low price. Input level metering. Variable input trim. Dualcolor lights in all switches. LIMITATIONS: No 1/4" DI input. No output level control. CONTACT: www.shinybox.com Si offers a transformerless design and 72dB gain, with a 10dB output trim. One of its key features is 10-segment metering. While metering isn’t offered on all the pres, it’s a handy and desirable feature. The Si has a big, open, round sound with fine overall balance—great for reproducing deep lows with plenty of punch and smooth highs, with a shade less upper mids than some of the other pres. The 10-segment metering precludes having a 1/4" DI, but there is impedance switching. This pre is the least expensive one we reviewed and is a great value; it impresses on kick, snare, overhead, and acoustic guitar. AVEDIS AUDIO MA5 PRICE: $775 STRENGTHS: Switchable 28kHz boost circuit. Extra-solid build. Output level control. LIMITATIONS: No 1/4" DI input. No metering. CONTACT: www.avedisaudio.com This elegant, sturdy, simple pre features 70dB of gain and an output level control. It’s a Class A unit with a sound reminiscent of vintage Neve preamps—superb transparency, the characteristically Neve silky top, and some of the most massive low end on kick drum of any pre I’ve tested. The MA5 has one unique feature: a 28kHz high end boost, which purports to add “air” or openness (even though that’s theoretically above the range of human hearing, the filtering extends into the audible range). We found it sometimes a nice addition for acoustic guitar, piano, and drum overheads. Good applications for the MA5 would be almost anything not needing aggressive mids: kick, overheads, vocals, bass guitar, and keyboards. There is no 1/4" DI, so consider teaming it with a direct box. (CONTINUED) 56 EQ DECEMBER 2008 www.eqmag.com http://www.lachapellaudio.com http://www.shinybox.com http://www.avedisaudio.com http://www.eqmag.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of EQ Magazine - December 2008

EQ Magazine - December 2008 Contents Talk Box Sounding Board Punch In My Morning Jacket Guitar Trax Bass Management Key Issues Drum Heads Vocal Cords Mix Bus Cheat Sheet Cakewalk Sonar 8 Propellerhead Reason 4 Indie 500: Lunchbox Pres and Compressors 500 Series Preamps 500 Series Compressors Gadgets and Goodies Sounds Room with a Vu

EQ Magazine - December 2008

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