NAMM 2014: Manley Debuts The Core Reference Channel Strip

US Tube-deriven mic preamplifier, compressor, equalizer, and limiter 23/01/14

Buying Choices

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Manley Labs has announced the CORE, an analog channel strip, which they describe as an innovative and affordable mic preamplifier, compressor, equalizer, and limiter combo-unit that combines the greatest hits of the Manley product line with fresh technology. T. Manley believes that the intuitive design incorporates musical and forgiving circuitry that allows the user to concentrate on performance rather than be lost in a sea of knobs. They say that no other channel strip at this price point offers higher headroom or higher end sound than the CORE, which is, like all Manley products, handcrafted in Southern California.

EveAnna Manley, president of Manley Labs, told us, "As more musicians are contributing to a project remotely, coached by the recording engineer over the telephone, we saw the need to provide an affordable and easy-to-use, excellent sounding recording channel for these guys. They aren't engineers, they are musicians! The CORE is feature-laden without being confusing. Its whole purpose is to give the musician the tools he needs to turn in a great sounding track."

FRONT PANEL CONTROLS
48V Phantom power switch
120Hz High Pass Filter switch
Phase Invert switch
Input Attenuator (Variable Pad)
Mic Pre Selectable Gain 40 dB or 60 dB (Total Gain >70 dB)
Line Amp Selectable Gain 20 dB or 40 dB

MIC / LINE PREAMPLIFIER
Hand-wound Manley IRON® input transformer with nickel laminations in a mu-metal can
Class A tube amplifying stage circuit topology (similar to the Manley VOXBOX® and Manley Dual Mono & Mono Microphone Preamplifiers)
All-triode high voltage vacuum tube circuit
Regulated 300 Volt B+ supply

¼" DIRECT INPUT
Similar to the DI in the Manley SLAM!®
All-discrete solid-state circuit
10 Meg Ohm input impedance (ideal for guitars, bass, keyboards, etc.)

COMPRESSOR
ELOP® technology also found in the Manley VOXBOX
Compressor placed before the mic preamp--virtually impossible to clip
Ratio 3:1
Continuously variable Attack, Release, and Threshold controls
Silent Bypass switch

EQUALIZER
Low and High Baxandall shelves (80 Hz and 12 kHz) with ± 12dB range
Sweepable Midrange Bell EQ (100 Hz – 1 kHz) or (1–10 kHz) with ±10dB range

LIMITER
Fast attack FET brickwall limiter
Continuously variable Threshold and Release controls
Peak Limit LED indicator
10dB range output gain control

METER
Large illuminated analog display
3-way meter select to read Compressor gain reduction, Mic Preamp Output level, and Main Output audio levels.

INPUTS AND OUTPUTS
·      Balanced XLR mic input
·      Balanced XLR line input
·      Front panel direct instrument 1/4" input
·      Insert point between Mic Preamp/Compressor and EQ/Limiter via 1/4" TRS jack
·      Balanced XLR direct output (after Preamp/Compressor section)
·      Balanced XLR main output

Pricing and Availability:

The Manley Core is available Q2 2014 at a MSRP of US $2250.00.

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