The Presonus Studio Channel is a channel strip that includes a tube preamp, a VCA compressor, and a 3-band parametric EQ. The tube preamp section allows for adjustments in Gain and Tube Drive, providing a wide range of sonic options. The VCA compressor is versatile in helping various audio types fit well in a mix, whether it’s percussion with fast transients or smooth vocals. The parametric EQ features a custom amplifier with gain control on each of the 3 bands and a variable Q knob on the mid frequency.
The compressor in the Studio Channel is a fully variable, ultra-fast, and smooth VCA-based circuit. It has controls for ratio, threshold, attack, release, and gain make-up, allowing for a wide range of compression settings. Known for its musicality and ultra-fast attack, the VCA-based compressor can handle even the fastest transients. Whether it’s slap bass, snare drum, or vocals, the Studio Channel’s compressor stage provides total dynamic control and prevents clipping, ensuring high-quality recording.
The equalizer in the Studio Channel offers the ability to remove unwanted frequencies and tailor your tone to enhance your sound. The custom-designed amplifiers in the EQ deliver sweet-sounding gain, smooth highs, solid lows, and clear midrange. The mid-band of the EQ can be adjusted with variable Q to control the width around the selected frequency. The high and low frequency bands provide options for selecting peak/dip or shelving frequencies.
The Studio Channel outperforms built-in preamplifiers found in most recording interfaces and affordable mixers. By adding a VCA-based compressor and studio-grade equalizer to the class A tube preamp, the Studio Channel offers not only rich tube tonality but also complete control over your tone and sound. With the ability to deliver a variety of high-quality tones and sounds, the Studio Channel is the perfect tool for any studio.
The preamplifier stage of the Studio Channel is based on the award-winning BlueTube preamplifier. It features a high-output 12AX7 vacuum tube operating on double voltages compared to other preamplifiers in its class, resulting in high headroom and big tone. The dual control of Gain and Tube Drive enables a wide range of sounds, from transparent and clear to edgy and overdriven.
The Studio Channel includes a range of features such as a 48V phantom power switch, an 80 Hz high-pass filter, a -20 dB pad, a polarity-reverse switch, and a bypass switch. The VCA compressor has controls for attack, release, ratio, threshold, and gain. It also offers an auto attack/release switch and a soft/hard knee switch. The 3-band parametric equalizer has controls for gain, frequency, and Q on the mid band, and gain and frequency controls on the low and high bands. The low and high bands can be switched between shelving and peak frequencies. The Studio Channel also has a pre-/post-compressor switch, a bypass switch, and a master level control. The backlit VU meter includes a switch for gain reduction or output gain.
In terms of input/output, the Studio Channel has a single unbalanced 1/4″ instrument input on the front panel, a balanced 1/4″ line input, a balanced XLR mic input, a balanced 1/4″ line output, and a balanced XLR line output. It is housed in a 1U 19″ rack-mountable rugged steel chassis and features sealed detented metal rotary controls. It comes with an external 16 VAC power supply.
Specifications for the Studio Channel include 1 channel with a class A 12AX7 vacuum-tube mic/instrument preamplifier, a gain control with a range of +10 dB to +54 dB, a tube drive control, a 48V phantom power switch, an 80 Hz high-pass filter, a -20 dB pad, a polarity-reverse switch, a fully variable VCA compressor, and a 3-band parametric equalizer. The frequency response ranges from 10Hz to 50kHz, and the noise level is -96dBu. The gain range is -6dB to +66dB, with a +/- 10dB trim on the line input. The maximum output is +22dBu. It also includes a switch for phantom power, a threshold range of -40dBu to +2dBu, a ratio range of 1-10, adjustable attack and release times, and the option for sidechain. The frequency bands for the EQ are variable from low frequencies of 40Hz to 500kHz, mid frequencies of 200Hz to 3kHz, and high frequencies of 2kHz to 20kHz. The boost/cut range for the low and high frequencies is +/-10dB, while the mid frequencies have a range from -10dB to +10dB.
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