DRAWMER / 1960

This microphone preamp with built-in compressor combines active tubes and low-noise semiconductor elements. The combination of four active tubes with lively warmth and the latest low-noise semiconductor elements creates a charming vintage sound.

Features
- Equipped with two ultra-low-noise vacuum tube microphone preamps with phantom power supply
- Equipped with an AUX input on the front panel for connecting a guitar, keyboard, etc.
- Equipped with a high/low two-band equalizer control, HF boost, sensitivity switch, and EQ bypass switch, and an input gain controller with sufficient gain to support guitar sustain effects
- The AUX output can be routed to one or two compressors, allowing you to extract stereo outputs with different compression levels from a mono source
- Release time can be switched between six stages, including fixed and auto
- Dual channel stereo linking is possible
- Equipped with insert input/output jacks with -10dB/+4dB support Can be combined with external effects and EQs.
- Sidechain access to external EQ allows for frequency-selective compression.
- LED VU meter allows for switchable monitoring of gain reduction and output level.

Specifications
- Input: BAL XLR/20kΩ (LINE), 150-600Ω (MIC), 20dBu (max), UNBAL φ6 jack/47kΩ (AUX), 20dBu (max)
- Output: BAL XLR/50Ω 22dBu (max)
Frequency Response: 10Hz-22kHz/-1dB
Crosstalk: Over -80dB (10kHz)
Microphone Preamp:
Noise: 129dB
Dynamic Range: 150dB
Headroom: 21dB
Noise: -88dB (22Hz-22kHz)
Distortion: Under 0.3% (1kHz)
Power Supply: AC100V/24W
Dimensions: W482 x H88 x D253 (mm)
Weight: 6.2kg

Many engineers and producers recognize the unique sonic qualities of vacuum tubes, providing a ""warmer, more vibrant"" sound. Combining eight active vacuum tube stages with the low noise and reliability of solid-state electronics, the Drawmer 1960 provides the ultimate direct interface between your audio source and recording media. The Drawmer 1960 is a two-channel unit, each featuring a completely natural-sounding ""soft-knee"" tube compressor and an extremely low-noise microphone preamp with switchable 48V phantom power. An additional instrument preamp with EQ is provided as an auxiliary input. This powerful combination of a classic valve circuit delivering unparalleled sound quality and a low-noise, balanced microphone input with up to 60dB of gain has enabled engineers worldwide to fully utilize the potential of high-performance condenser microphones. An example of this is recording live classical music directly to digital stereo without the need for a mixing console.

Because the compressor is a soft-knee type, few controls are required. Strictly speaking, a soft-knee design does not have a strictly defined threshold, but for clarity, ""THRESHOLD"" is used in the title of the ""Compression Amount"" control. The threshold range is continuously adjustable from infinity to -24dB. In theory, signals below the threshold are essentially unprocessed, while signals above this threshold receive increasing amounts of gain reduction depending on how far they exceed the threshold.

Attack and release times are not continuously variable, but are stepped. Attack only offers slow, medium, and fast options, while Release has six settings. Positions 1 through 4 have fixed release times, while positions 5 and 6 offer two different program-dependent release time modes, making this unit ideal for program material with complex dynamics, such as complete stereo mixes or vocals. Interestingly, the attack time is further modified by the selected release setting, providing a wider range of options than meets the eye.

Since compression is a form of controlled gain reduction, there is a makeup gain stage after the compressor section, providing +20dB. The VU meter can be switched to monitor the amount of gain reduction occurring or the output signal level, and depending on the setting of the stereo link switch, the two channels can be used independently or as a stereo pair.

The sidechain access point can also be used to patch in an equalizer, allowing the compressor to function as a de-esser. As with other Drawmer products, the bypass switch selects normal, bypass, or sidechain listen mode, making it easy to monitor the effect of additional sidechain processing if it's patched in.

In addition to the balanced mic/line inputs on the rear of the unit, the front-panel auxiliary input allows for direct connection of guitars and electric instruments. Equalization is provided with enough gain to overload the tube preamp for sustain effects. The auxiliary input is a valuable addition, combining the advantages of a D.I. box and equalizer with a compressor, allowing instruments to be processed simultaneously and routed directly to a mixing console or recorder.