TK AUDIO / M/S Station

The TK AUDIO/M/S Station is a 1U processor that allows you to process and blend external effects separately for Mid and Side. It also features an EQ to unify the low frequencies into mono and a stereo width adjustment function. It is recommended for those who want to pursue a wide sound and unified low frequencies in their mixing and mastering.

■ M/S Blend Control, 1U

Parallel insert with M/S blend control

Independent Mid and Side blend controls

Elliptical EQ for low-end mono makers

Wise control from mono to extra-wide

Advanced cue function for monitoring almost every step of the path

The TK audio M/S Station is designed to cover all the needs of producers/engineers who want to maximize M/S processing to extend the stereo processing of their sound, and is designed for intuitive control. The advanced cue section makes step-by-step monitoring extremely easy.

Parallel insert with M/S function

The insert section allows you to connect external processors such as EQs, compressors, and distortion units to adjust the mix of processed (wet) and unprocessed (dry) signals.

For maximum precision, this blend control has 16 steps from dry to wet.

When the M/S function is enabled, the signal is coded into mid (L+R) and side (L-R). Normally, the mid signal contains all center information, such as bass, kick drum, and lead vocals, while the side signal contains all elements panned to the left and right. Turning on the M/S function allows the center and side signals to be processed separately by different types of processors.

The Blend Split function allows for independent blend control of the mid and side signals. In M/S mode, the blend function is performed before the signal is decoded to the left/right.

All inputs and outputs in this section are balanced.

Elliptical Equalizer

This EQ makes all frequencies below the selected frequency mono.

Too much low-end in the side channels can cause distortion, so this EQ is used to concentrate the low frequencies without scattering them. This is a technique that has been used for a long time in record mastering.

This Elliptical Equalizer uses a 12dB high-pass filter to set the frequency at which the signal is processed mono. Phase correction is added to the mono channels to maintain the best possible channel separation.

The selectable frequency range is 36Hz to 302Hz, with 16 step-by-step selection options. The cue function allows you to monitor the signal being mixed between channels.

Stereo width control

The width control adjusts the amount of side elements in the stereo mix, allowing for step-by-step adjustment of the stereo's width from fully mono to extra-wide. This control allows for fine-tuning of the stereo image after using an M/S insert.

Cue function

The cue function allows you to individually monitor the left, right, middle, or side signals.

The insert cue function allows you to individually monitor the Mid or Side blend when the M/S function and split blend are active.

If the M/S station is not linked, the signal is sent directly from each blend control to the output without passing through the Elliptical EQ, width control, or other gear.

Selecting the EEQ switch in the cue section allows you to monitor the low frequencies supplied from left to right or right to left.

This cue section is a passive design that uses relays to select the cue source.

""M/S Station maximizes the potential of vintage EQs for mastering. The ability to use these on the mid/side and blend them to your liking is fantastic. Furthermore, the Elliptical Equalizer sounds superb, and the stereo width control is very useful if adjustments are needed after M/S processing."" - Fredrik Kinbom, Madame Vega’s Boudoir ? Berlin

Product Specifications

Max input and output: +26dBu

Dynamic range: 119dB

Frequency response: 20Hz ? 80kHz +/-0.1dB

Insert section

THD+N Dry: 0.00022% @ +4dBu / 0.00015% @ +20dBu

THD+N Wet: 0.00025% @ +4dBu / 0.00015% @ +20dBu

THD+N M/S Wet: 0.0004% @ +4dBu / 0.0004% @ +20dBu

S/N Dry @ +4dBu: 103dB

S/N Wet @ +4dBu: 102dB

S/N M/S Wet @ +4dBu: 97dB

Elliptical EQ section

THD+N: 0,0004% @ +4dBu / 0,0004% @ +20dBu

S/N: 98dB

Crosstalk: Better than 70dB

Width section

THD+N: 0,0003% @ +4dBu / 0,0003% @ +20dBu

S/N: 98dB

All sections active

Dynamic range: 115,5dB

THD+N: 0,0005%

Power consumption：15VA

Voltage：115v or 230v selected via an internal volt selector switch.

Inspired by circuits designed by Wayne Kirkwood (used by permission)