The SBS Designs SP-1PRO is a Vacuum 2UBE Processor with 7 front panel useable controls designed to let the end user Sweeten up and improve the dynamic range of any full range source. A carefully designed expansion process will bring out exciting detail that is so often masked by recordings that are compressed and engineered to be mono compatible. The SP-1PRO will also bring back amazing detail to digitally stored / processed recordings which where subject to data reduction processing.
SP-1 PRO
The unit has a sub bass expander and an extended range of top treble expander. These expanders are top quality fully analog which use no vca’s and contain no noise or distortion generators. They add dynamic range by controlling the target frequencies with photo resistors.
Front Panel Low & High Thresh Controls
SP-1 PRO offers front panel Bass & High threshold pots that allows the end user to adjust at what level the low frequency and high frequency expanders begin to increase dynamic range, turning down a control all the way bypasses that expander.
These expanders are subtle and employ control feedback systems to monitor the depth of expansion and prevent obtrusive runaway operation, even if the controls are turned up too high. The low frequency expander has a program dependent release time limit, so it will not add any annoying droning or rolling bass to a source.
The high frequency expander operates relative to the overall spectrum of the music being played, so it will not produce over pronounced highs that sound like someone turned up a treble control too far. These expanders will not create something that is not in the recording. The material must contain low and high frequency information for the processor to work with.
The expansion circuit in turn feeds a two stage zero feedback tube amplifier, these tube amplifiers are the same class A types used as gain stages in vintage recording equipment. They are not designed to create tube distortion like a guitar amp, but they will warm the sound by imparting the natural characteristics of the triodes.
SP-1PRO Specifications
Freq resp: 12 Hz to 30 kHz +/- .1 Db
Roll off: low = – 2 Db @ 8 Hz, high = – 2 DB @ 44 kHz
Max line level in = + 21 DBu depending on rear pot setting
Max line level out = + 19 DBu
THD thru solid state circuits = .03%
Second harmonic distortion thru tube output section = .3%
AC Power Draw: 25 watts
SP-1PRO Applications
Recording Studios
Mastering Labs
Live PA
Price: $3,090.00. The SP-1 Pro is expected in may 2014.
