MBT

Tone Shaping with Custom Transformers: Uses Rupert Neve's bespoke transformers to enhance and color audio with warmth, depth, and character.

Elegant Shelf EQ: Smooth 2-band shelf EQ for adding clarity or weight, with broad frequency ranges and gentle curves.

Colorful Optical Compression: Adds harmonic richness and dynamic control with blendable compression and sidechain high-pass filtering.

Stereo Image Enhancer: Widens the stereo field while keeping low frequencies focused, with adjustable width and HPF controls.

Advanced Harmonic Control with Super Silk: Fine-tune harmonic content using Red and Blue Silk modes, plus Harmonics and Zener Drive for added edge.

Flexible Routing and Control: Each processing section can be independently engaged, encouraging creative sound shaping and experimentation.

High-Quality Metering and I/O: LED input/output meters, detented controls, and XLR combo inputs with output transformers for robust performance.

General Specifications

Application: Analog tone shaping and harmonic enhancement for mixbus, stems, or individual tracks

Input Impedance: 10 k ohm

Max Input Level: +25.5 dBu @ 1 kHz

Output: Balanced XLR with custom RND transformers, +25.5 dBu @ 1 kHz max

Input: Balanced XLR combo jack

Frequency Response: <5 Hz - 30 kHz: +/-0.1 dB, <5 Hz - 60 kHz: +/-0.25 dB, <5 Hz - 180 kHz: -3 dB

Crosstalk: Better than -95 dB @ 1 kHz

Power Input: 100"240 VAC, 70W max, IEC connector

Ground Lift: Slide switch for XLR Pin 1

Product Dimensions: 19" x 10.125" x 3.5" (48.3 x 25.7 x 8.9 cm)

Shipping Dimensions: 22" x 18" x 8.7" (55.9 x 45.7 x 22.1 cm)

Shipping Weight: 17 lbs (7.7 kg)

Noise and Distortion (THD+N, 22 Hz - 22 kHz)

No Features Engaged: < -95 dBu, THD+N @ 0 dBu: < 0.004%, @ +20 dBu: < 0.002%

HPF Engaged: Noise < -95 dBu, THD+N < 0.002%

EQ Engaged: Noise < -93 dBu, THD+N < 0.002%

Compressor Engaged: Noise < -92 dBu, THD+N < 0.002%

Width Engaged: Noise < -88 dBu, THD+N < 0.002%

Silk Engaged: Noise < -95 dBu, THD+N < 0.003%

Shelf EQ Section

Type: 2-band with gentle slopes and low phase shift

LF Gain: +/-9 dB

LF Frequency Range: 30 Hz to 240 Hz

HF Gain: +/-9 dB

HF Frequency Range: 3 kHz to 24 kHz

EQ In/Out: Push-button switch with green LED

High-Pass Filter

Slope: 6 dB/octave

Frequency Range: 15 Hz to 100 Hz

Engage Switch: Green LED indicator

Color Comp Section

Compressor Type: Optical

Ratios: LO = 2:1, HI = 5:1

Threshold: 0 dBu to +24 dBu

Release Time: 100 ms to 1.5 s

Side-Chain HPF: 20 Hz to 350 Hz

Blend Control: 0% (dry) to 100% (wet)

Make-up Gain: 0 to +20 dB Class-A

Gain Reduction LED: Green indicator

Engage Switch: Green LED

Width Section

Width Control: Additive stereo widening

HPF Range: 50 Hz to 800 Hz

Engage Switch: Green LED

Super Silk Section

Silk Red: Upper mids/highs harmonic emphasis

Silk Blue: Low/low mids harmonic emphasis

Harmonics: Overall harmonic content control

Zener Drive: Diode-based soft clipping (Amber LED)

Engage Switch: Purple LED

Front Panel Controls

Input Trim: +/-12 dB

Output Trim: +/-12 dB

Output Meters: Stereo 16-segment LED

Input Level LEDs: Green @ -20 dBu, Red @ +23 dBu

Drive LEDs: Red indicators show optimal transformer harmonic level

Bypass All: True hard-wire bypass, Red LED