| Content | The UAD-2 Satellite USB DSP Accelerator is a sleek, powerful way for Windows-based PC users to “supercharge” their systems and run larger mixes filled with acclaimed UAD plug-ins. This convenient desktop unit gives you full access to UA's award-winning plug-in library, including exclusive titles from Studer, Lexicon, Neve, and more.
With improved performance and reduced plug-in latency versus FireWire, UAD-2 Satellite USB makes the perfect introduction to UAD plug-ins, or ideal DSP expander for Apollo Twin USB audio interfaces.
UAD Plug-In Craftsmanship: The Science Behind the Scenes
In developing UAD plug-ins, UA’s engineering group undertakes a thorough physical modeling of classic audio hardware — “rebuilding” vintage analog gear in the digital world, component by component. That’s how UAD plug-ins replicate the exact, sometimes quirky, behavior of analog hardware — bringing its rich, three-dimensional sound and harmonics "in the box."
- Run UAD Powered Plug-Ins via USB 3 on PC's running Windows
- Access over 100 plug-ins from Ampex, Lexicon, Marshall, Studer, Neve, Manley, SSL, EMT, Empirical Labs, MXR and more
- Take UAD plug-ins “on the road” for mixing on USB 3-equipped Windows PC's
- Available in QUAD and OCTO models w/ 4 or 8 SHARC processors
- Gives native systems a DSP boost for running larger mixes, with rich, sonically complex plug-ins
- Available in Core, Custom & Ultimate packages
- All packages include Analog Classics Plus plug-in bundle
- Compatible with Pro Tools, Cubase, Live, and more (VST, RTAS, AAX 64)
- Combine with other UAD-2 devices, including UAD-2 PCIe card(s), UAD-2 Satellite FireWire, and Apollo Twin USB
- Supports Windows 7, Windows 8.1, Windows 10 (64-Bit Editions)
- Try before you buy with the 14-day full function demo for all plug-ins
- Access to UAD Powered Plug-Ins Library/Online Store
- Fan-free design for silent operation
- Fan-less USB 3.0 external enclosure w/ external power supply
- Desktop dimensions: 7” wide x 6 3/4” long x 1 3/4” high (weight: 2.24 lbs)
- 4 or 8 Analog Devices SHARC floating-point processors
- Compatible with VST, RTAS, and AAX 64 plug-in formats
- 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, and 192 kHz sample rate support (DAW dependent)
| As with ELI’s other signal processors, the Lil FrEQ Equalizer takes a somewhat unique approach to its job. Instead of daisy chaining several equalizers and frequency processors, we combined most of the sound sculpting tools an engineer needs into a compact single rack space box, while still offering the highest performance of any design in its class.
Eight Sections of Processing
There are eight sections of processing – what other EQ offers that? Even better – in addition to a master bypass, each of the Lil FrEQ’s sections features its own dedicated bypass switch, letting you instantly A/B the effect of each section as you adjust and fine-tune them.
HIGH PASS – The High Pass section is a really easy to use sharp filter that cuts all content below one of eight preset frequencies from 30-330 Hz. This filter is very steep and has a special shape that prevents frequencies from thinning out just above the cutoff point. The corner frequency is selected using up/down buttons, and indicated by LEDs that glow softly when the section is bypassed, and brightly when the section is engaged.
HIGH & LOW SHELVING – These two knobs function similarly to the familiar “bass and treble” tone controls found on many consumer audio playback systems; however, these are designed to a much higher performance standard, providing exceptionally smooth and musical boost and cut on the high and low frequencies.
PARAMETRIC EQ – The Lil FrEQ has four sections of fully parametric EQ (LF, Lo Mid, Hi Mid and HF), with each section featuring individual gain, bandwidth (Q) and frequency controls. It may be the cleanest parametric EQ section ever produced, operating below .0007% THD (Total Harmonic Distortion) even at extremely high audio levels. Try finding those specs anywhere else!
DS (DYNAMIC EQ) – The DS section provides the highest performance, easiest to use, and possibly most natural sounding “De-esser” ever built. This powerful tool combines tunable filters with a compressor-like circuit that can help contain and control excessive high frequency content such as sibilants or other sharp transients, especially in the absence of other lower frequency content. It can also function as a one of a kind soft knee High Frequency limiter, which is one of the main things responsible for the Lil FrEQ becoming the go-to vocal EQ for engineers everywhere. It has been used on many acclaimed albums and major live performances all over the world, becoming the “go to” EQ for key tracks like lead vocals, snares, and bass. There are now dozens of hit record vocals that were processed thru the Lil FrEQ.
Frequency Response: 5 Hz to 140 kHz on transformerless inputs and outputs. Transformer output 10Hz to 110 kHz.
Dynamic Range: 120 dB from maximum output (.1% clipping) to minimum output. Greater than 110 dB signal to noise.
Distortion: Ranges between .00056% and .005% depending on mode and settings. DS section has THD < .005%.
I/O: DC coupled inputs and outputs and one transformer coupled output.
Dynamic Time Constraints: Attack is approximately .5 ms. Release .04 sec fixed internally.
Power Consumption: 15 Watts Max.
Metal Chassis: single height 1.75″ high, 10″ deep, 19″ wide. | FEATURES
- World-class, transformer-coupled preamp, compressor, and DI
- Gain: 0 - 66dB in 6dB increments
- Compressor: Single-knob opto-coupler compressor with 2:1 ratio
- Blend: Determines balance of mic and DI inputs
- Instrument gain: 0 - 30dB on instrument input
- 48V phantom power
- Silk: Adds nostalgic warmth and presence when engaged
- Instrument input: Front-panel TRS input and passive-through for Hi-Z sources
- Polarity reverse
- Threshold: When signals exceed threshold level, gain is reduced at a controlled 2:1 ratio with fixed attack and release time constants
- Indicators: Signal presence and clipping on both mic and DI signals, as well as compressor activation.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION
Rupert Neve Designs Portico 517: 500 Series Mic Pre / DI / Comp
- Frequency Response: Main Output, no load, -0.2dB @ 10Hz -3dB @ 160kHz
- Noise measured at main output, unweighted, 22Hz - 22kHz, terminated 150 ohm: Gain at unity: better than -100dBu; gain at 66dB: better than -62dBu Equivalent Input Noise: better than -128dBu, noise factor 1.5dB
- Maximum output level from 20Hz to 40kHz: +23dBu
- Total Harmonic Distortion and Noise: @ 1kHz, +20 dBu output: Main Output: Better than 0.001% @ 20Hz, +20 dBu output: Main Output: Better than 0.002% Silk Engaged: Better than 0.2% Second harmonic
- Crosstalk: Measured channel to channel: Better than -90dB @ 15kHz.
- Phantom Power: +48 Volts DC +/- 1%
| The vintage EQ tones you know & love.
The 551 is the only equalizer for the 500 Series actually designed by Rupert Neve. Featuring 3 bands of EQ inspired by Mr. Neve’s most prized vintage designs, along with custom-wound inductors, transformers and class-A gain blocks, the 551 brings the thick, powerful lows and sweet highs of Rupert’s classics to the 500-Series format.
The “Best-Of” EQ
The 551’s 3-band, custom-tapped inductor EQ was inspired by our favorite elements of Rupert’s vintage EQ designs. The low frequency band is designed to produce a creamy, resonant bass response similar to a vintage 1064 – but unlike the vintage modules, the LF band on the 551 can be used as either a shelf or a peak filter, adding punch, dimension, and control to your low end.
The midrange band is based on that of the 1073, ideal for sweetening vocals and instruments while bringing them forward in a mix, and its proportional “Q” response makes it well-suited for minimizing problematic frequencies. The high frequency band is a hybrid vintage / modern design, blending inductor circuitry with capacitor-based topologies to achieve vintage tones with enhanced control. The High Pass filter is a 12dB/octave design with a fixed 80Hz frequency, and can be used in tandem with the low frequency EQ to add low-end presence without clouding the source material.
As with Rupert’s most prized classic designs, each EQ section uses low-feedback, class-A discrete electronics to prevent low-level artifacts and harshness from detracting from the tonal shaping. However, this new circuit is a decidedly modern design with updated techniques and components that were simply not available 50 years ago, and is definitely not a “clone”.
What Are Inductors?
Inductors are wires wound around a coil that provide a form of frequency-dependant resistance. When they saturate, they bring out beautifully musical harmonics that give your tracks the smooth, polished sound that has made Rupert’s consoles and equipment so desirable for over fifty years. This is what makes them different from capacitor-based EQ designs, which do a great job at surgical equalization. But inductors provide the tone.
While it is certainly possible to create a functioning EQ using off-the-shelf inductors, we choose to use our own custom inductors for the 551. This attention to detail in controlling variables such as the winding and core materials in relation to the surrounding circuitry allows the 551 to capture the vitality and personality of Rupert’s classic designs.
NOISE
- Measured at Main Output, un-weighted, 22Hz-22kHz, source impedance 40 Ohm balanced.
- Better than -102 dBV
FREQUENCY RESPONSE
Main output, no load: +/- 0.1 dBu from 20 Hz to 31.5 kHz, -1 dB @ 120 kHz
MAXIMUM OUTPUT LEVEL
23.25 dBu
TOTAL HARMONIC DISTORTION AND NOISE
- @ 1 kHz, +20 dBu output level, no load: Better than 0.0025%
- @ 20 Hz, +20 dBu output level, no load: 0.13% Typical (2nd and 3rd harmonic)
HIGH PASS FILTER
- -2.7 dB @ 80 Hz
- Slope: 12 dB/Octave
NOISE
- Measured at Main Output, un-weighted, 22 Hz - 22 kHz, source impedance 40 Ohm balanced.
- Better than -94 dBV
FREQUENCY RESPONSE
Main output, no load: +/- 0.25 dBu from 20 Hz to 45 kHz, -2 dB @ 120 kHz
MAXIMUM OUTPUT LEVEL
23 dBu
TOTAL HARMONIC DISTORTION AND NOISE
- @ 1 kHz, +20 dBu output level, no load: Better than 0.009%
- @ 20 Hz, +20 dBu output level, no load: 0.13% Typical (2nd and 3rd harmonic)
POWER REQUIREMENTS
- 120mA on +16VDC
- 110ma on -16VD
| In today’s modern age of digital recorders, DAWs and software plug-ins, Mike-E is the ultimate solution for getting a clean and strong, yet warm and musical signal into the box…and it couldn’t be easier to work – its front panel layout is so straight ahead that even inexperienced engineers will have no problem moving around on it right away.
When the engineering team at Empirical Labs sets out to build a microphone preamp, you can be sure it’ll deliver spectacular sound, be effortless to work, and will provide features unlike any other device in its class. To that end, we proudly present Mike-E, a high performance transformer-coupled mic preamp with a noise floor far below any microphone’s self noise, combined with a one-of-a-kind compressor/saturator circuit that delivers classic knee compression as well as versatile tonal ‘coloring’ that can replicate many of the best characteristics of vintage analog recording equipment.
Mic Preamp
The Mike-E features a super low noise transformer input amplifier section with the gain under precise digital control. The signal to noise far exceeds any microphone in existence. Having used many mic preamps over the years, we’ve implemented a unique stepped gain control that should be impervious to the normal flakiness that age causes to pots and detented switches. A “Bad!” LED indicates when the input signal is overloading the circuit.
CompSat
The CompSat’s unique circuitry sets the Mike-E apart from all other mic preamps.
- SATURATOR – a multi stage soft-clipping circuit. At lower levels, a triode-type saturation affects the signal. As the level increases, a second unique clip circuit starts to more severely flatten out the peaks.
- COMPRESSOR – based on ELI’s world famous Distressor, but with other characteristics (including a much longer attack time). Preset ratios include: 2:1, 4:1, 8:1…and, of course, Nuke.
- EMPHASIS – a two-stage circuit that boosts and soft clips high frequencies before the CompSat™ circuit, and then cuts the frequencies after it. Emphasis has the added perk of improving signal to noise, and is the reason analog tape decks used emphasis to begin with.
Frequency Response: 3 Hz to 200 kHz on (No CompSat). CompSat is 3Hz – 150Khz. Optional Transformer output is 6Hz–80kHz.
Signal to Noise: 130 dB signal to Noise.at 40dB gain. Maximum output is +28dBu.
Distortion: Ranges between .0006% and 15% depending on mode and settings.
I/O: Transformer coupled Input, Active and Transformer Outputs available. High quality audio caps used internally.
Impedance: Input Impedance is above 600 Ohms at all frequencies, transformer coupled. Output impedance is less than 38 ohms. Instrument In Impedance is 332K Ohms.
Attack/Decay Range: .9 – 70mS attack. .15 – 1 Sec.
Power Consumption: 15 Watts Max.
Metal Chassis: single height 1.75″ high, 10″ deep, 19″ wide. |
The Cranborne Audio 500R8 is, essentially, a studio in a rack. It’s an 8-slot high-current 500 Series chassis, a 28-in/30-out USB interface, an analog summing mixer, a zero-latency artist mixer, and a monitor controller — everything you need to build your dream hybrid analog/digital studio. The 500R8 is fitted with high-performance AD-DA conversion, reference-grade headphone amplifiers, a reference-quality master clock, and more. In fact, there’s very little you can’t do with the Cranborne Audio 500R8. Configure it to suit your preferred analog flavoring for any source. Pack it with vintage-style 500 Series preamps for recording drums; clean, pristine preamps for vocals; and EQ, compression, and saturation modules when it’s time for mixdown.
USB audio interface
Connect the 500R8 directly to your Mac or PC via USB and utilize the 500R8’s onboard 28-in/30-out USB audio interface for recording and playback directly to and from your digital audio workstation of choice.
Discrete summing mixer
Give your mix the crowning touch of analog character by sending submixes and stems back through your 500 Series modules, into the 500R8’s discrete analog summing mixer, and back into your DAW.
Monitor controller
Use the 500R8’s onboard high-headroom monitor controller to switch between two sets of speakers, toggle mono sum, mute, dim, and talkback facilities while monitoring the peak level of your mix on the high-resolution 28-segment LED meter.
 Shown with optional 500 Series modules
Audiophile headphone amps and zero-latency artist mixer
Drive any headphones with 500R8’s two reference-grade headphone amplifiers — they have enough power to drive low-impedance ’phones with gobs of headroom and a linear frequency response to below 1Hz! Use the 500R8’s two aux buses to create pristine analog cue mixes that you can blend with DAW playback and send to the talent with zero latency.
World-class conversion and clocking
For the musician who wants to get down to business, it may be hard to get excited about conversion and clocking. But engineers at Sweetwater get to check out the best of them — and we’re amped about these converters. They’re touted as best-in-class and flaunt truly impressive specs such as under .5 picoseconds of jitter. But none of that really matters when you hear the fullness of your stereo image bloom with jaw-dropping sonic clarity.
Connect the 500R8 to your macOS or Windows computer and capture every nuance of your sources with reference-grade AD/DA conversion and world-class internal clocking. Effortlessly pass audio between analog and digital worlds without the digital artifacts that color, cloud, and degrade your recordings. The only coloration you will hear is intentional — your microphone placements, mixing decisions, and the 500 Series modules you’ve chosen to use. And with word clock I/O, you can even share the 500R8’s world-class clocking with the rest of your digital gear.
Ample I/O and configurable front end
The 500R8 has generous I/O to integrate with all of your analog and digital hardware, so you can mix and match your 500 Series modules and find the best combinations during recording and mixing to help create your own signature analog sound. You can even integrate your 19" rack units via the 500R8 s dedicated per-slot TRS insert jacks.
C.A.S.T. away
Spec’d with Cranborne’s innovative C.A.S.T. system, the 500R8 does away with excess cable spaghetti, delivering a cost-effective, low-maintenance, plug-and-play solution by transmitting four channels of balanced analog audio over shielded Cat 5 Ethernet cable directly to the destination of your choice.
Handy source select
Re-patch your 500R8 at a flick of a switch. Dedicated source select switches for each 500 Series slot adjusts signal routing to send analog, C.A.S.T., or USB sources through each of your modules. Unused 500 Series slots? Bypass them using the 500R8’s dedicated slot-bypass switch.
 Shown with optional modules and Cranborne 500ADAT
Expandable, in the studio or on the road
When you’re ready for additional 500 Series connectivity, connect your 500R8 with Cranborne Audio’s 500ADAT via ADAT for 16 channels of 500 Series modules. Housed in a 19" 4U rack-mountable rugged steel frame, the 500R8 makes an ideal 500 Series chassis for mobile recording setups. Packed with cool, useful features, the Cranborne Audio 500R8 is one of the more innovative pieces of pro audio gear we’ve seen at Sweetwater. Trust us — you will be impressed.
Cranborne Audio 500R8 8-slot 500 Series Chassis and USB Audio Interface Features:
- 28-in/30-out USB interface, summing mixer, artist mixer, and monitor controller
- Low-latency USB 2.0 interface:
- Compatible with macOS and Windows computers
- ADAT I/O (16x16 channels @ 44.1/48kHz, 8x8 channels @ 88.2/96kHz)
- S/PDIF I/O; 5-pin MIDI I/O
- High-performance A/D conversion:
- Dynamic range: 121dB A-weighted dynamic range, 20Hz–20kHz
- Frequency response: 2.2Hz to >80kHz (-1dB)
- THD+N: <0.00032% (-110dB) @ -4dBFS, 20Hz–40kHz (1kHz, A-weighted)
- Max input level: +24dBu
- High-performance D/A conversion:
- Dynamic range: 121dB A-weighted, 20Hz–20kHz
- Frequency response: <1Hz to >61kHz (-1dB)
- THD+N: <0.0003% (-110.5dB) @ -4dBFS, 20Hz–40kHz (1kHz, A-weighted)
- Max Output Level: +24dBu
- Reference-quality internal master clock:
- Sample rates: 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, and 192kHz; <0.5ps jitter
- Dedicated word clock I/O via BNC
- External sync options using word clock BNC, S/PDIF, or ADAT
- Monitor controller with talkback:
- Speaker A/B switching, mono check, dim, mute, and 28-segment peak meter
- Dedicated talkback input with phantom power, push-to-talk activation, and automatic routing to all headphone and C.A.S.T. facilities
- Easy-access illuminated front panel controls for all monitor controller functions
- Analog summing mixer:
- 8x2 analog summing mixer with +26.5dBu of headroom and dedicated ADC
- Balanced 1/4" jack outputs
- C.A.S.T. link port for increasing Summing Mixer to 16x2 using Cranborne Audio 500ADAT
- Zero-latency Artist Mixer:
- Analog Artist Mixer with per-channel physical level/pan controls and DAW return blend controls
- 2 high-power headphone outputs with independent blend and level controls
- Reference-grade headphone amplifier:
- THD+N: <0.0006% (-104.4dB) @ 20dBu, 1kHz A-weighted, 300 ohm load
- Output wattage (1kHz): 250mW x 2 @ 600 ohms, 650mW x 2 @ 220 ohms, 1.21W x 2 @ 100 ohms, 500mW x 2 @ 32 ohms
- Frequency Response: <1Hz to >70kHz (1dB)
- High-current 8-slot 500 Series rack:
- Per-slot current: 250mA , 2A total for all slots
- XLR inputs, XLR line outputs, and TRS Inserts (pre-ADC) per 500 Series slot
- Module source switching options to send Analog, USB or external C.A.S.T. signals through 500 Series modules
- Per-slot module bypass switches allowing 500R8 to be used without 500 Series modules installed
- C.A.S.T. compatible:
- C.A.S.T. ports per channel for routing analog I/O using passive or active C.A.S.T. breakout boxes via standard Cat 5 cable
- External power supply:
- 24V, 5A external locking power supply for improved analog audio performance and heat dissipation
- Designed and engineered in the UK:
- Each 500R8 is extensively tested by a team of dedicated engineers to ensure reliability and consistency.
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