Description

If you were to sneak into an old recording studio and managed to run off with covetedtube preamp and Pultec EQ, you’d have two thirds of a Retro Powerstrip. But then, if you were a really bold criminal, and managed to get away with a commercially unavailable compressor from a studio where say, the Beatles were tracking, and built yourself a channel strip with all your ill-gotten gains, you’d have the makings of the Retro Powerstrip recording channel. On the other hand, you can save yourself a lot trouble and possible unpleasant encounters with law enforcement and simplybuya Retro Powerstripand prepare for recordings that sound better than the law should allow (but perfectly within legal sanction). The Retro Powerstrip is every engineer’s dream in a 2U space box. Its all-tube design combines a transformer-coupled, Class-A preamp based on the RCA BN-2A broadcast console, Pultec-style EQ, and a variable-mu compressor derived from the RS124 variable-mu compressor custom-built by EMI engineers for Abby Road studios (which was never made available to the public). If you’re looking for sound that exudes character in the extreme without unwanted artifacts, and tone-shaping options from the most regarded audio designs in recording history, look no farther than the Retro Instruments Powerstrip Recording Channel. The Powerstrip is purely musical and perfect for use in recording studio of all sizes or onstage.

Retro Instruments Powerstrip Recording Channel in one take:

• Transformer coupled Class-A tube microphone preamplifier with phantom power
• Industry-standard passive EQ with authentic feel, controls and equalization curves
• Classic British compression using a variable-mu tube
• Front-panel 1/4′ instrument jack
• Rear-panel XLR mic and line inputs and line output are fully-floating transformer balanced to eliminate ground-induced hum and noise
• Interstage-coupled subsonic high-pass filter provides peaking LF boosts with alternate tonal characteristics
• LF boost settings: 20, 30, 60, 100Hz
• Complementary LF cut settings: 20, 30, 60, 100Hz
• HF boost settings: 1.5kHz, 3kHz, 4kHz, 5kHz, 6kHz, 8kHz, 10kHz, 12kHz, 14kHz, 16kHz
• Complementary HF cut settings: 5kHz, 10kHz, 20 kHz
• Six selectable compressor attack/release time-constants
• 90 / 250Hz compressor high-pass sidechain filter
• Easily recallable 100-position knob scales
• The compressor and equalizer can be independently bypassed
• Phase reversal switch
• Front-panel meter zero adjustment
• IEC power inlet with 120/240VAC 50/60Hz power mains standard
• Ability to use current production and new-old-stock tubes
• Tube enthusiasts have many options and resulting tone variations
• Tube changes require no alignment
• The instrument input loops to a rear panel jack for stage amplifier
• Rear panel line level XLR output and low-level balanced output for processed stage amplifier
• Design minimizes tube heat generation
• High stability components used throughout
• Steel Chassis built to last
• Manufactured in the USA
• Full factory support

INSIDE THE BOX—Retro Powerstrip Recording Channel

A vintage studio in a box, the Retro Powerstrip captures the tone of a vintage broadcast console, Pultec-style tube EQ, and British variable-mu compressor all in one compact 2U rackspace. It has the inputs you need and enough gain for every microphone and instrument you can throw at it. To take advantage of its incredible sonics during mixdown, it has a balanced line level input, which is also useful for pro-interface instruments.

As with all Retro products, keeping noise at a minimum is paramount and built into the Powerstrip in the form of fully floated, transformer-balanced I/O. For stereo recording, the Powerstrip has a rear-panel jack that enables you to link two units together. The Powerstrip has two additional 1/4″ jacksincluding an Instrument Thru, which is a mult of the DI input, plus a Hi-Z output. An IEC connector provides 120/240 VAC 50/60Hz selectable power input.

RCA-Based Tube Preamp

The preamp section of the Retro Powerstrip is derived from the RCA broadcast console, the BN-2A, which in its finial revision combined the OP-6 preamp (see Retro OP-6) and OP-7 mixer. The Powerstrip preamp has 74dB gain for ribbon mics, and a pull out switch on the input gain knob that affects rise time, resulting in a smoother, darker sound for harsh or overly bright sources. In the normal setting, the response is faster with a more traditional sound.

Pultec-Style EQ

The EQ section of the Powerstrip is a passive Pultec-style EQ that remains faithful to the sound of the original. Like the Pultec it has both low-frequency boost and cut, as well as high-frequency boost and cut. Also like the Pultec, the high- and low-frequency attenuation controls don’t negate their respective boost controls, but rather create a dip in the EQ curve near neighboring frequencies for added clarity. In keeping with Pultec layout and functionality, the Powerstrip EQ also has a 4-position low-frequency selector (20Hz, 30Hz, 60Hz, 100Hz), bandwidth control from sharp to broad, and a high-frequency rotary selector ranging from 1.5kHz to 16kHz (see features list for individual settings).

Sub-Sonic Filter

Unique to the EQ section of the Powerstrip is an inter-stage transformer with a sub-sonic filter (40Hz, 90Hz), the purpose of which is to keep the bass boost of the EQ from overwhelming digital recordings.

Variable Mu Compressor

The compressor section of the Powerstrip is based on a variable-mu compressor built by EMI engineers for Abbey Road in the late 1950s. The original compressor was the Altec 436, which proved insufficient for Abbey Road standards, until EMI engineers had at it and came up with what was known as the RS124, the compressor used on nearly all Beatles recordings. The RS124 was never made available to the public.

The Powerstrip’s version of this extremely rare and venerable compressor has six selectable attack/release time-constants and a four-position selectable side-chain filter switch. The filter switch positions include off, 90Hz, 250Hz, and compressor bypass. Like many compressors of the day, the threshold is fixed. More gain reduction is achieved by increasing the input. When the compressor is bypassed, the input control is still actively controlling the input gain.

Shorter Signal Path

For those wanting the shortest signal path between mic and recorder, both the EQ and compressor sections of the Retro Powerstrip can be switched out of the circuit path or independently bypassed. This enables you to record with EQ or compression alone, both together, or just the preamp.

Tube Options

For the tube-sniffing tone snobs among us who require authenticity or more tonal options, the Retro Powerstrip provides the ability to use NOS (new old stock) tubes or new tubes currently in production. Better still, for the less electronically inclined, changing tubes is as simple as plugging them is, since no alignment adjustments are needed.

OUTSIDE THE BOX—Retro Powerstrip Recording Channel

Like all other products in the Retro Instrumentsstable, the2U Powerstrip is solidly built with a classic gunmetal gray steel chassis and boat-anchor heft. Retro uses only the finest components for the epitome of sound quality, stability, and long life.

The front-panel controls of the Powerstrip include toggle switches for phantom power, phase reverse, subsonic filter, EQ in/out, and power (with indicator light). The top row of knobs includes LFboost, LF attenuation, HF boost, HF attenuation, input gain with pullout feature, and output gain. All of the top-row knobs have precision 100-position scales for accurate recallability. The front panel also has a 1/4″ instrument input and a VU meter with zero-meter adjustment.

The rear panel has an XLR mic input and an XLR line input that lets you take advantage of the Powerstrip’s EQ and/or compressor for mix processing. Outputs include XLR out, 1/4″ Hi-Z output jack, and 1/4″ instrument thru jack, which is a mult of the DI.

Who’s Using Retro Instruments?

Notable users of Retro gear including Grammy-winning and platinum-selling producers and engineers, such as Chris Lord-Alge (Retro 176), Joe Chiccarelli (Retro 2A3), Silvia Massey (Sta-Level), Ross Hogarth (Sta-Level, 2A3), Jacquire King (Retro 176), Michael Brauer (Retro 2A3), Glenn Rosenstein (Retro OP-6, Sta-Level), and many more world-class producer-engineer-mixers and artists.

With three Holy Grail recording devices in one solid, stylish box, the Retro Powerstrip is your launch pad to stellar recordings. For more information, call or chat with your Westlake Pro audio representative today.