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TL Audio Previews 5052 Stereo Processor

(Click for a close-up)

The 5052 Stereo Valve Processor is the latest addition to the Ivory 2 series from TL Audio. The 5052 provides everything you would expect from a channel strip product, and then doubles it - making it a front end and stereo mixdown and mastering device. While most channel strip products provide a single mono channel made up of single preamp, dynamics and EQ stages, the 5052 provides two channels of each with independent stereo linking of the compressor, EQ and limiter sections. Recording a stereo source to hard disc through the 5052 becomes simplicity itself, yet when it comes to mixdown the 5052 come into its own by offering full stereo linked EQ and dynamics, allowing processing of the stereo mix buss signal while recording to 2-track.

Each channel of the 5052 boasts a valve preamp stage, a valve compressor, a four band valve EQ section and a peak optical output limiter, with the following features:

• Valve preamp stage accepts mic, line and instrument inputs with variable input gain, 90Hz filter, 30dB pad and phase reverse.
• Valve compressor section offers variable threshold, ratio, attack, release and gain make-up controls, with hard and soft knee modes.
• Valve EQ section features swept LF and HF bands switchable between peaking and shelving modes, and two fully parametric mids. The EQ can be switched 'pre' or 'post' compressor, and can also be switched into the compressor sidechain for frequency conscious compression.
• Optical output limiter provides transparent brick wall limiting of the output signal, and provides a variable threshold control.
• VU metering is provided for the input & output levels, and the gain reduction of the compressor and limiter stages can be separately monitored. A '+10dB' setting attenuates the meter reading to allow high input/output levels to be accurately tracked.
• The compressor, EQ and limiter stages can be individually stereo linked, so that channel A becomes the master and channel B is slaved to it.
• An output level control is provided, and a complete 'system bypass' switch allows A-B comparison of the original and processed signals.
• Full connectivity is built in, with balanced mic & line ins/outs (duplicated on unbalanced connectors), balanced inserts, compressor sidechain inserts and front panel instrument inputs. The optional DO-2 digital card can be fitted, and this provides 24 bit A-D conversion of the unit's main outputs, with switchable 44.1/48kHz sample rate and a wordclock input.

The 5052 utilises six triode valve stages shared between the two channels, run from a high quality internal 150V stabilized DC supply.

For more information, visit their web site at http://www.tlaudio.co.uk/.

Recent TL Audio headlines

• TL Audio Adds New Compressor to Ivory 2 Line (2004-01-26)
• TL Audio Offers Mic/Preamp Combo (2003-07-29)
• TL Audio Previews 5052 Stereo Processor (2002-12-16)
• Digital Output Card Ready for TL Audio Gear (2002-08-08)
• TL Audio Updates Ivory Series Processors (2002-03-19)
• TL Audio's "Valve Classics" Tube Processors on Display at AES (2001-12-03)
• TL Audio Launches M3 TubeTracker Mixer (2001-10-01)
• TL Audio Launches VP-1 Tube Processor (2001-01-18)

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