Description
The Shelford 5051 combines a classic three-band EQ based on Mr. Rupert Neve’s vintage designs with the power and flexibility of the Portico II compressor
The Rupert Neve Designs 5051 EQ/Compressor offers a modern take on Rupert’s classic inductor EQ designs along with his present-day feed-back/feed-forward compressor from the Portico II. Combined with RND’s Shelford 5052, you have a channel strip par-excellence, combining vintage character with modern sound and functionality. The Shelford 5051 offers advantages that are the byproduct of manufacturing techniques simply not possible 35 years ago, as well as improvements in electronic components, and of course, Mr. Rupert Neve’s decades of design experience. While the 5051 embodies the Neve heritage, it’s not a reissue or a clone. If any EQ/Compressor is worthy of the title, “modern classic,” it’s the Rupert Neve Designs Shelford 5051.
Rupert Neve Designs Shelford 5051 EQ/Compressor in one take:
- A modern take on classic Neve EQ bands
- Low-feedback, class-A discrete electronics
- Selectable feed-back or feed-forward compression
- Intended for 5088 consoles or 5285 vertical frames
The equalizer
The EQ design on the 5051 evokes sonic similarities with some of Rupert’s classic EQs. The 5051 uses a custom tapped inductor with selected capacitors to form the mid range equalizer band, and the shelf curves are based on Rupert’s vintage modules, including very similar frequency choices. Each EQ section also uses low-feedback, class-A discrete electronics to prevent low-level artifacts and harshness from detracting from the tonal shaping.
Both the High and Low Band can be switched from Shelf to Peak curves and offer 15dB of boost or cut. The High can be switched from 8kHz to 16kHz and the Low Band selected at 35Hz, 60Hz, 100Hz or 220Hz. The inductor based Mid Band offers 6 center frequencies; 200Hz, 350Hz, 700Hz, 1.5kHz, 3kHz and 6kHz. The Mid Band also has a High Peak switch to narrow the bandwidth or increase the Q of the filter. The 5051 includes an 18dB/octave High Pass Filter with two corner frequencies on a lit button that toggles through “Off, 60Hz then 120Hz indicated by a blue or red LED respectively.
Additionally, the EQ can be switched Pre or Post the compressor. Normally the EQ precedes the compressor but the order can be selected so that the EQ follows after the Compressor. The 5051 also has two XLR balanced inputs that can be switched from the front panel. This allows the user, for example, to have a mic preamplifier and line input from a DAW to be pre-patched and easily selectable.
The compressor
The 5051 Compressor also features a discrete class A signal path proven used in the Portico Series, with individually controllable threshold, attack, release, makeup gain, ratio, side chain HPF, Feed-Forward/Feed-back selection and Peak/RMS detection modes. With the compressor inactive, the 5051 may be used as a transformer-coupled, high-performance line amplifier, and two 5051’s may be linked for stereo operation as well.
Feed-forward or feed-back?
The 5051 also has the ability to switch between feed-forward and feed-back modes. If the VCA. Control voltage is taken from the 5051 output, (i.e. after the VCA) it cannot act immediately on the VCA because it has already been modified by settings of the VCA and circuits through which it has passed. This is known as a “Feed-Back” compressor. The two compression characteristics are quite different; there is more “Overshoot” and both the attack and recovery ramps are changed, providing the user with powerful choices.
In most of Mr. Rupert Neve earliest designs, feed-back detection controlling the VCA with a rectified voltage from the unit output was intrinsic to the musical dynamic response. However, the very nature of a feedback compressor limits the attack time of the compression circuit. To offer faster, more technically accurate response times, feed-forward detection was implemented on Mr. Rupert Neve’s more modern designs. With the FF/FB switch, both classic and modern VCA responses are available.
The power supply
The 5051 is intended for 5088 consoles or 5285 vertical frames. There are two ±24V power supply options; The 5-way supply is designed to sit in the bottom of a rack, and the 25-way supply is a 2U enclosure. The external ±24V supply provides exceptionally clean power, and reduces heat build-up within modules associated with DC-DC up-conversion.
Expand your sonic palette with a The Rupert Neve Designs Shelford 5051 EQ/Compressor. For more information, call or chat online with your Westlake Pro Sales Consultant today.
Rupert Neve Designs Shelford 5051 specifications:
Frequency Response:
Main Output, no load, –3dB @ 2.5Hz
–3 dB @ 125kHz
Noise:
Measured at Main Output, un-weighted, 22Hz-22kHz, Terminated 40 Ohms, With gain at unity
- better than –102dBu
Maximum input:
- from 20 Hz to 20 kHz, +25dBu.
Maximum output:
from 20 Hz to 20 kHz is +25dBu. Total Harmonic Distortion and Noise: from <10 Hz to 80 kHz,
- @ 1kHz, +20dBu output: Better than 0.002% @ 20Hz, +20dBu out Better than 0.120%
13 - @ 20kHz, +20dBu out Better than 0.010%
Maximum input:
- from 20Hz to 20kH, +24.5dBu
Maximum output:
- from 20Hz to 20kHz, +24.5dBu
Total Harmonic Distortion and Noise:
from <10Hz to 80kHz, @ 1kHz, +20dBu output: Better than 0.007% @ 20Hz, +20dBu out
- Better than 0.120% @ 20kHz, +20dBu out Better than 0.070%
The Compressor
(Threshold at +20 dB, Ratio at 1.1:1, Gain at 0)
Noise:
- Measured at Main Output, un-weighted, 22Hz-22kHz, Terminated 40 ohm
Better than –92dBu
Maximum input:
- from 20Hz to 20kHz, +25dBu.
Maximum output:
- from 20Hz to 20kHz, +25dBu.
Total Harmonic Distortion and Noise:
from <10Hz to 80kHz @ 1kHz, +20dBu output: Better than 0.020% @ 20Hz, +20dBu output
- Better than 0.140% @ 20kHz, +20dBu output Better than 0.070%
Power Supplies
- 25-Way Power Supply (2U)
- 5-Way Power Supply