Rupert Neve Designs' Shelford 5051 Inductor EQ/Compressor module delivers the magic. Made to fit the 5088 console or any of three vertical racks for stand-alone use, the 5051 combines a classic 3-band EQ based on Mr. Neve's vintage designs with the power and flexibility of the Portico II compressor. With its fully-discrete, Class A signal path and beefy input and output transformers, the 5051 delivers the impeccable performance and sweet musicality you expect from a Rupert Neve Design. Modern design and components, classic Neve sound - have it all with Rupert Neve Designs' Shelford 5051.
- The best of old and new
- The Neve recipe: transformers and Class A amplifiers
- Compression, perfected
- Vintage or modern: you decide
- Classic Neve EQ
- The magical sound of Neve
The best of old and new
Neve uses low-feedback, Class A gain blocks in each EQ section, and these make a vital contribution to the 5051's overall sound. And while these design elements are very much "vintage Neve," the 5051 also leverages contemporary components and techniques that weren't possible back in the day, giving you the best of old and new. Among its user-friendly modern features are two XLR balanced inputs that you can select from the front panel. This lets you have both a mic preamp and a line input from your DAW pre-patched and ready to rock.
The Neve recipe: transformers and Class A amplifiers
Rupert Neve Designs modules use input and output transformers and Class A amplifiers to deliver their deliciously musical signature sound. These are factors that let the 5051 work flawlessly within your high-quality audio chain. The 5051 also employs an ultra-accurate, low-noise VCA that has no sonic signature of its own, which enables the use of proven amplifier/transformer combinations to produce warm, punchy, transparent sound.
Compression, perfected
In the Shelford 5051, a portion of the audio signal is rectified and smoothed to produce an appropriate control voltage for the quick-response, low-distortion VCA. From a design perspective, this is a tightrope act: if the response is too fast, low frequencies will themselves be gain controlled. On the other hand, if the response is too sluggish, the signal will overshoot and the first few cycles will not be compressed. The accuracy and speed of the response (attack), and the time that gain remains under the initial control (release) play a large part in the way a compressor sounds. And the compressor in the 5051 sounds amazing!
Vintage or modern: you decide
The 5051's compressor puts you in control by letting you select between modern feed-forward topology or traditional feedback-style compression. Each has advantages depending on your source and desired results. There's a 12dB/octave 250Hz highpass filter you can switch into the side-chain to reduce the possibility of loud low-frequency material interfering with gain reduction. A link switch and associated 1/4" jacks let you use multiple 5051's in stereo. You also get a pair of sidechain jacks to patch in your own EQ for de-essing and finessing compression response. The 5051 sports two accurate 8-segment LED meters to indicate gain reduction and output level.
Classic Neve EQ
The Shelford 5051's EQ takes you back to some of Rupert Neve's legendary equalizer designs from the 1970s, and while this may not provide as many variables as some of Rupert's more recent designs, the 5051 does indeed give you the acclaimed, sough-after sound of classic "British" console EQ. You can switch both the high and low band from peak to shelf and boost or cut by 15dB. You can switch the high band from 8kHz to 16kHz, and the low band is selectable at 35, 60, 100, or 220Hz. The inductor-based mid band gives you a choice of six center frequencies: 200Hz, 350Hz, 700Hz, 1.5kHz,3kHz, and 6kHz. The mid band also boasts a Hi-Q switch to narrow the bandwidth. The 5051 also gives you an 18dB/octave highpass filter with cutoff frequencies on a button that toggles you through Off, 60Hz, and 120Hz, with an LED keeping you informed of status. The EQ can even be switched pre/post compressor. Now, that's what we call comprensive control!
The magical sound of Neve
Rupert Neve is an audio legend whose electronics designs defined the golden age of analog. Those of us who have had the privilege of working on a Neve 8078 or its predecessors can attest to the fact that Neve's Series 80 consoles were indeed the pinnacle of hand-wired analog mixing desks. Mr. Neve has remained at the forefront of audio-circuit innovation for over half a century, and his current company, Rupert Neve Designs, continues to advance the state of the art with cutting-edge products that sound incredible and intelligently address the challenges of the digital age. If you're not quite sure what the fuss is all about, check out Dave Grohl's documentary, "Sound City."
Features:
- Modern design and components, classic Neve sound
- Selectable feed-forward or feedback-style VCA compression
- Deliciously musical, classic 3-band Neve EQ
- Made to fit Rupert Neve Designs 5088 console or any of three available vertical racks
- Link switch and associated 1/4" phone jacks let you use multiple 5051's in stereo
- Sidechain jacks let you de-ess and finesse your compression response
- Requires standalone power supply (not included), which will power up to 25 Shelford modules
- Made in the USA