The stereo version of SPL's 120 volt mastering consoles.
The aim in the development of 120V mastering equipment was the creation of a technology that would be superior in audio quality to all known and foreseeable audio formats, whether analog or digital. Such a console would provide both for an unaltered reproduction of the sonic quality of SACD and DVD-Audio and in the process, remain a safe capital investment for many years.
Digital audio formats have undergone continuous development and change and will continue to do so. The degree of incompatibility created by the “format war” between PCM and DSD is a main argument for a technology that is superior in dynamic range, headroom and sound quality to either or any other such format – and that is discrete analogue technology in its most advanced implementation.
Moreover additional aspects speak for the employment of high-performance analog technology:
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- The number of necessary AD/DA conversions should be reduced to a minimum. With the DMC, digital sources can be connected to a digital router, which outputs the selected source through the preferred DA converter. This ensures that the sound quality remains comparable and is not affected by converter differences.
- From a purely aesthetic standpoint, high quality analog outboard processing consistently proves itself superior to digital processing. The analog concept allows for problem-free integration of such analog processors.
- Monitors and power amplifiers are almost exclusively analog in design. Yet another converter at this point in the chain only degrades monitoring signal paths. Furthermore, DSD signals cannot be monitored on a digital monitoring that operates in PCM.
New Analog Technology:
SPL’s SUPRA operation amplifiers are used throughout. They perform at an industry benchmark of 120 volt. The SUPRA op amp achieves a signal-to-noise ratio of 116dB with a headroom of 34dB. The dynamic range amounts to 150dB with a frequency bandwidth of 200kHz.
With such specifications, the DMC rides comfortably beyond the requirements of either the current maximum 24Bit/192kHz PCM format or 1Bit/256 fs DSD format.
The DMC configuration:
Sources-The Sources section provides for the selection of four stereo inputs and four returns. The inputs are fed to the mastering path, the returns are fed to the monitoring section.
The Source section is divided into two parts. At the left are the input selectors, which are fed to the mastering path. The DMC accepts four stereo inputs here. The returns provide selection options for returns from recorders, DAW, audio players, and so on.
All Input buttons allow for switching between the input monitoring mode and the output monitoring mode for a direct comparison what comes in and what goes out of the console.
Input-Any input selected in the Source section is routed to the Input section. The signal passes passive L/R Phase Reverse switches, balanced input receivers and active L/R On as well as Mono L/R switches.
Pre and Post Insert Trims Sophisticated rotary trim switches with 32 steps are used for precise gaining from -10dB to +10dB for each Pre Insert L/R as well as Post Insert L/R channel. These switches route the signal through one precision resistor at any position only, keeping thermal noise and tolerance at an unrivalled minimum.
Insert-The DMC offers a switchable Insert point between the Pre Insert Trims and the Post Insert Trims to include external processors into the signal path.
Monitor Section-Besides the central high-end Monitor Level control the DMC’s monitor section features L/R Solo switches as well as L/R Phase Reverse and L/R Mono switches. Three signal paths can be monitored: input, output and return.
