SPL Crescendo 8-channel microphone preamplifier featuring 120V Technology.
‘Our new Crescendo microphone preamp is absolutely unique because – with the 120V technology – it is nearly impossible to overdrive this preamplifier,’ says SPL Managing Director, Hermann Gier. ‘The Crescendo excels with absolute signal fidelity and clarity. Crescendo has a dynamic range and distortion limit so huge, that you can record all the dynamics of your microphone almost without limitations. Engineers will rediscover their microphones, as they have never been amplified like this.’
SPL explored the use of an internal operating voltage of 120V in its Mastering Series hardware – including the PQ Equalizer and Iron Compressor – and has now brought 120V working to its recording products. The other key design feature of the Crescendo is the transparency of the preamp electronics. The proprietary Supra Op-Amp is at the core of its 120V Technology and Crescendo. The discrete build-up of the high-voltage amplifiers creates an internal operating voltage of ±60V, allowing it to handle fast transients and sonic detail, and deliver an extremely wide frequency range, very cleanly, and almost without any distortion.
Each of Crescendo’s eight preamplifier sections has individual gain control, its own vu meter, phase reverse switching, phantom power, a -20dB pad, and a reduction for the display of the level on the vu meter (VU -10). Crescendo offers 18dB to 70dB of preamplifier gain, or when using the -20dB pad for extremely high-level signals, the preamplifier range shifts to -2dB to 50dB of control.
Precise matching of the transistors, as well as thermal coupling, guarantee a high common mode rejection and extremely low THD.
The discrete op-amps of the output stage are able to drive long signal paths without signal loss or distortion. The output stages operate as current ampliers, which, with 6mA quiescent current in class-A topology. With no coupling capacitors, active servo circuits are used to eliminate DC voltage.
To avoid electrical interference from the power supply in the preamplifier, it is shielded with a special Mu-metal sheet, and the transformer itself is also encapsulated in Mu-metal.
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