The Family Day Tube Channel Strip

Built for Bendik Toming– Family Day Recordings

It’s often the case that a customer asks for in all-in-one box. Just as often, we try to discourage the request as packing a lot of effects or features into one box involves compromises that undermine the quality of the original signal. However, sometimes a good balance can be found if the effects match well with the intention. Such is the case here.

Bendik first contacted us about a vocal preamplifier for the studio but he wanted also some flexibility and a reverb unit inbuilt. As spring reverb combines so well vocals, and the fact that we had this great case lying around that fit a 42cm spring perfectly, it was agreed to put the two units together for a channel strip. The microphone preamplifier section, which can also accept high- impedance signals from a guitar for instance, includes the requisite phantom power as well as a tilt equalizer circuit. Because there is a gain as well as a level control, overdriving the signal is possible when desired. Otherwise, the 60dB of gain offers the chance to use most microphones on a variety of different sources.

The spring reverb section is a simplified version of the common Rerun Electronics circuit– this time however, a Dwell control is added which determines the amount of signal which is sent to the spring. As well, there are controls for high pass and low pass filters. Additionally, a send/return section allows the user to add a compressor or any other effect which might be needed in a studio setup.