Montreal, Canada – SPL of Germany has shipped its new Crescendo 8-channel microphone preamplifier, which operates with an internal operating voltage of 120 V.
SPL’s proprietary “SUPRA Op-Amp” is at the core of its 120V Technology and featured in the new 8-channel Crescendo. The discrete buildup of the high-voltage amplifiers creates an internal operating voltage of +/- 60V.
Each of the eight pre-amplifier sections of Crescendo provides individual gain control (Mic Gain), its own VU meter, a phase reversal switch, phantom power, a -20 dB PAD switch, and a reduction for the display of the level on the VU meter (VU -10). Crescendo offers 18 dB to 70 dB of pre-amplifier gain, or when using the -20 dB pad for extremely high-level signals, the pre-amplifier range shifts to -2 dB to 50 dB of control.
The differential amplifiers in the input stage of Crescendo are built-up with transistor pairs, consolidated in a special housing. A precise matching of the transistors, as well as thermal coupling, aid a high common mode rejection and low total harmonic distortion (THD) values, according to the company.
The discrete op-amps of the output stage are able to drive long cable paths. The output stages operate as current amplification, which, with 6mA quiescent current, also provide ‘Class A’ operation. SPL chose not to use coupling capacitors to avoid their sonic disadvantages such as blurring and loss of dynamics. However, to eliminate DC voltage, active servo circuits are used in Crescendo.
The toroidal transformer power supply is integrated in the housing of the Crescendo. To avoid electrical interference from the power supply on the preamplifier, the power supply is shielded with a special Mu-metal sheet, and the transformer itself is also encapsulated in Mu-metal.
The new 8-channel Crescendo microphone pre-amplifier is available now and retails for $6,499 USD.
