Rupert Neve Designs Master Buss Transformer

Rupert Neve Designs Master Bus Transformer:

Whether you’re tracking, printing mixes, or mastering, the Master Buss Converter redefines the quality and functionality of A-D conversion technology. The analog drive circuitry enables the MBC’s converter to be powered by either a class-A transformerless path for maximum transparency or custom inter-stage audio transformers with variable Silk for a wide range of tonal modifications. When combined with an astonishingly musical limiter, the MBC is always the ideal choice for capturing analog signals with breathtaking three-dimensional accuracy.

A long time is coming.
With more than seven decades of analog circuit design experience, Mr. Rupert Neve had never deemed a converter worthy of his name until the RMP-D8 Dante-connected microphone preamplifier was released in 2018. The RMP was originally created as a mic preamp, but its popularity among engineers in recording, mastering, and touring led to the development of the MBC, which set a new bar for PCM conversion quality.

Dual-Path Analog Design
Converter drive circuitry, as the final link in the analog chain before digitalization, plays an important role in defining the imprinted digital sound quality. The MBC was designed from the ground up to deliver reference performance regardless of genre or desired sonic character, and the key to this is the quality and versatility of the analog drive circuitry.
To replicate the classic tone of Rupert’s vintage designs, a custom-designed inter-stage transformer with his renowned silk circuitry can be added. Unlike our audio transformers meant for line-level output, this new transformer is designed to produce output transformer harmonic content characteristics at a level suitable for converter input. With the inclusion of changeable silk, the engineer can carefully dial in the required amount of harmonic content, with the red mode focusing on harmonics in the mid and high frequencies and the blue mode emphasizing harmonics in the bottom end. From a modest transformer tone without silk to much more color than antique modules with the silk/texture circuit fully pushed, the configurable transformer path adds dimension and power to your tunes.
When maximum transparency and accuracy are needed, the transformerless method delivers exceptional detail and clarity. While many transformerless circuits have weak tonal balance and lack punch, the MBC’s Class-A circuitry was meticulously developed to provide a wonderful feeling of clarity with lively detail at both high and low frequencies. The transformerless way is a crucial complement to the transformer path’s hefty, classic sound, providing an alternate tonal palette for recording your compositions. Whatever aural character you’re looking for, the MBC can give it to you with a single button press.

Compound Active Release Analog Limiter.
The objective here was to create a limiter that could function as both a melodic sculpting tool that outperformed existing plug-in limiters and a transparent safety limiter for tracking, live performance, and broadcasting.
To do this, we improved our compound active release architecture to improve the accuracy and melody of the limiter response. The resulting limiter delivers both transparency and the capacity to push track or mix levels while preserving the source’s integrity.

To further customize the limiter’s sound, we’ve introduced several options to fine-tune its responsiveness. The built-in Side Chain High-Pass Filter, which can be swept from 20 to 250 Hz, reduces the limiter’s response to low frequencies, which are typically more sustained than high frequencies. The threshold control determines the maximum levels for your digital signal, while the variable release time constant adjusts the response characteristic to better match diverse source materials. To push volumes even further into the limiter, the class-A line amp stage may add 20 dB of ultra-clean gain. The limiter can be configured as a dual mono or stereo-linked design using the Link switch, depending on the application.

Mastering-Grade Conversion
Years of attentive listening resulted in the development of the MBC’s 24-bit/192kHz converters, which constitute a step forward in the RMP-D8 design. The MBC’s precision-controlled internal clock reduces jitter and phase noise, resulting in an accurate digital representation of analog signals.

Make connections.
The MBC has AES, S/PDIF, and TOSLINK outputs that can be used to connect to your interface or digital console. It can even output to multiple destinations simultaneously. The MBC can function as a high-end master clock for your setup, while the word clock input enables external sync to a different master clock if needed. Finally, to effortlessly incorporate the MBC into a multichannel conversion environment, four standard levels ranging from -14 dBFS to -20 dBFS can be chosen to precisely match your other converters. The Reference Level calibration standards are highly accurate thanks to high-precision resistors and relay-controlled graduated attenuation. Ultra-Precise Metering Rupert Neve Designs’ 22-segment meters offer exact level metering of the input to the converter stage, with the highest resolution LED metering in their product line. There are 8-segment gain reduction meters available for monitoring the limiter’s gain reduction, which is designed to depict transient reductions with extreme precision. The level meters can be further modified with a 1-second or 3-second peak hold time.

Features:

• Top-of-the-line chips are used for 24-bit/192 kHz reference conversion, providing unparalleled analog recording and accurate clocking.
• Connect to any digital device using AES, S/PDIF, and TOSLINK concurrently.
• Precision clocking ensures maximum accuracy with minimal jitter and phase noise. It can function as a master clock or sync with another master.