German high-end processor manufacturer elysia has added the karacter 500 to its line of 500-Series studio outboard products, a discrete class-A stereo saturator.
As a discrete class-A device, the karacter 500 offers ‘mastering-grade’ saturation, accompanied by tube distortion, harmonic distortion ‘with soft touch’, and wide ranges of asymmetrical, low-noise clipping.
The processor’s two channels can be used in dual mono, linked stereo and mid/side configurations for studio or live use. Its Color filter network allows subtle or extreme harmonic-frequency relation tweaks, and an integrated Mix control for parallel signal processing. Stepped potentiometers ensure fast and precise recall of earlier settings.
‘Gone are the days when only racks full of outboard gear could achieve these elusive and highly-desirable styles of tonal coloration,’ says elysia Head of Development Ruben Tilgner. ‘The karacter 500 is the perfect all-in-one solution – it offers a wide palette of different colours, and all of them sound beautiful, no matter how hard or gentle you drive it.’
The karacter 500 is made in Germany using top-quality components, gold-plated PCBs, a rugged 4mm aluminium front panel and solid aluminium knobs. It is priced at US$975 MAP (US$1,049 MSRP)/€649 net (plus VAT where applicable), and is shipping now.
More: www.elysia.com
