Published 14/2/08
Chimera hybrid preamplifier
Sontronics have announced a new product in the form of the Chimera, an interesting single-channel mic, line and instrument preamplifier that has both tube and solid-state signal paths. Simply flick a switch on the Chimera's face, and you can transform the character of your preamp from sparkling solid-state cleanliness to silky tube tones.
Built into a chunky box, as opposed to the familiar long, thin rackmount form factor that we're more than familiar with, the Chimera has mic, line and instrument connections on both the front and rear panels for convenience, plus an insert point on the back, for adding external dynamics-processing to your signal.
Front panel controls include an input gain knob and an output level attenuator, so you can overdrive the gain stage. Also, there are switches for engaging a pad and flipping the phase through 180 degrees, as well as for applying a high-pass filter at various frequencies to the input signal.
Sontronics say that the Chimera is "100 percent made in Europe", with design and manufacturing teams in England and Portugal. It's due to retail for £799, and should be shipping very soon.
Note that the picture shown here is of a pre-production unit.
Also new from Sontronics is the STC6 handheld condenser mic. Building on the reputation of the STC5, which Sontronics launched back in 2005, the new model has a newly designed internal capsule mount, and a 'multi-point electrode post', which apparently increases signal integrity and reliability of the mic.
Other features include a -10dB pad and a 75Hz high-pass filter, which are no doubt useful, if unusual, features for a handheld vocal mic. It costs £112.
Sonic 8 +44 (0)8701 657456
www.sonic8.com
www.sontronics.com
Sontronics have announced a new product in the form of the Chimera, an interesting single-channel mic, line and instrument preamplifier that has both tube and solid-state signal paths. Simply flick a switch on the Chimera's face, and you can transform the character of your preamp from sparkling solid-state cleanliness to silky tube tones. Built into a chunky box, as opposed to the familiar long, thin rackmount form factor that we're more than familiar with, the Chimera has mic, line and instrument connections on both the front and rear panels for convenience, plus an insert point on the back, for adding external dynamics-processing to your signal.
Front panel controls include an input gain knob and an output level attenuator, so you can overdrive the gain stage. Also, there are switches for engaging a pad and flipping the phase through 180 degrees, as well as for applying a high-pass filter at various frequencies to the input signal.
Sontronics say that the Chimera is "100 percent made in Europe", with design and manufacturing teams in England and Portugal. It's due to retail for £799, and should be shipping very soon.
Note that the picture shown here is of a pre-production unit.
Also new from Sontronics is the STC6 handheld condenser mic. Building on the reputation of the STC5, which Sontronics launched back in 2005, the new model has a newly designed internal capsule mount, and a 'multi-point electrode post', which apparently increases signal integrity and reliability of the mic. Other features include a -10dB pad and a 75Hz high-pass filter, which are no doubt useful, if unusual, features for a handheld vocal mic. It costs £112.
Sonic 8 +44 (0)8701 657456
www.sonic8.com
www.sontronics.com
