SPL GainStation 1

SPL GainStation 1

Microphone and Instrument Preamplifier

The GainStation 1 is a single channel high-end preamplifier featuring a 60V audio rail. This preamplifier combines Class-A Clean Gain with sound-shaping Tube Gain in a compact design that allows for free placing close to the microphone or on top of an amplifier. The GainStation 1 is the premium recording front end, ensuring that any microphone and instrument signal is pre-amplified with the highest quality. The quality of your recordings has a major influence on the subsequent mixing process – good recordings require less processing in later stages. Improved transparence and understandability can be achieved with less equalization and compression if the signals are recorded optimally, often allowing individual signals to be mixed at lower levels without compromising their presence. This cutting-edge technology ensures that signals recorded with the GainStation 1 have more presence and substance and will easily cut through a mix even at lower levels. Extremely low-frequency signals are tight and transparent with clear intonation. Percussive transients are interpreted more precisely, which leads to a clearer rhythmic content and in turn a more solid rhythmic performance and perception.

60V DC Audio Rail

The GainStation1 Class-A preamplifier stages are based on proprietary discrete op-amps operating on a 60V rail. That doubles the voltage of traditional preamplifier designs, resulting in a superior 130dB dynamic range and an extraordinarily alive, detailed image.

Clean Gain

The first amplification stage is the Clean Gain stage, so-called because this is an extremely fast Class-A stage exclusively built with discrete 60V rail op-amps. This stage is designed to capture the pure sound as is.

Tube Gain

The GainStation 1 offers effective sound-shaping capabilities most notably via the tube stage, which can be completely bypassed or continuously added to the Class-A preamp circuit, allowing everything from subtle warmth to a noticeable tube saturation effect.

Peak & FET Limiters

The pre-output stage Peak and/or FET mode limiters can be used to protect an AD converter from clipping, or for example to add punch to drum tracks, which in turn reduces or in many cases even eliminates the need for subsequent compression.

Mic Input Impedances

The GainStation 1 offers three input impedances to perfectly match the preamplifier to the microphones. The mic impedances are 200 Ohms, 1,2 & 10 kOhms.

Features

• Separated Class-A and tube preamps.
• Tube saturation from subtle to brutal
• A tube stage utilizing premium MKP foil condensers and a select 12 AX7 LPS tube for clear, dynamic audio
• Peak/FET Limiter
• Polarity Reversal
• 48-volt phantom power,
• LED level indicators.
• Switchable Mic Input Impedance (200 Ohms, 1,2 & 10 kOhms)
• Custom-made, fully discrete, Class A op-amps
• 60V DC Audio Rail operating voltage—twice as high as most common op-amps—for an extended dynamic range.
• Extreme amplifier slew rate of <40V/µs, ensuring clean transmission of high-frequencies and rapid transients
• All switch functions are handled by encapsulated relays with gold-plated contacts.
• Optimized layout guarantees the shortest possible signal paths, while generously proportioned grounding surfaces ensure low impedance and maximum shielding
• All resistors are within 0.1% tolerance and were selected after extensive listening tests
• A no-compromise power supply with extensive additional shielding and seven separately wound and regulated voltages

Options

Optionally the GainStation1 can be equipped with a Lundahl microphone input transformer and a 24/192 AD Converter. For those who want to put their GainStation 1 into a 19" rack a special rackframe is available that houses up to four GainStation 1.

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Specifications

Frequency response: ‹1Hz-310kHz (Clean Gain 30dB, Tube Gain off) ‹1Hz-125kHz (Clean Gain 30dB, Tube Gain 1dB) THD+N: 0.0005% (Clean Gain 24dB, Tube Gain off, output level +6dB, 20-22kHz) 0.032% (Clean Gain 23dB, Tube Gain 1dB, output level +6dB, 20-22kHz) Noise: -95.4dBu (Clean Gain 10dB, Tube Gain off, A-weighted) -91.8dBu (Clean Gain 30dB, Tube Gain aus, A-weighted) -67.2dBu (Clean Gain 60dB, Tube Gain aus, A-weighted) -86.4dBu (Clean Gain 20dB, Tube Gain 10dB, A-weighted) E.I.N.: 127.2dB (Clean Gain 60dB, Tube Gain off, A-weighted, 40Ohm) Dynamic range: ›130dB (20-22kHz, A-weighted) Common Mode Rejection: ›80dB (Clean Gain 30dB, Tube Gain off, 1kHz, Input -30dBu) Maximum Output Level: +34dBu Max. Input Level: (Mic Input, Hi-Z Input): +17dBu Input Impedance: (Instrument Input): ›1MOhm Output impedance: ›75Ohm Slew Rate: ›40V/µs (Clean Gain 30dB, Tube Gain off, output Level +6dB) Phantom power: 48V +/-2V Power consumption (w/o AD converter): 25W Housing & Weight: (W x H x D): 106 x 122 x 271 mm; 4.17“ x 4.8“ x 10.67“ Weight (without Lundahl transformer and AD converter): 2,65 kg, 5.84lbs