New from the Mercury Custom Shop is Mercury’s twist on the professional studio channel, the Mercury Studio Channel 76.
The MSC-76 is two independent channels of a Mercury M76m Studio
Microphone Amplifier and a Mercury EQ-P1 Program Equalizer. Each
amplifier, the mic amplifier and EQ’s gain make up amplifier are fully
transformer balanced, with the option to use them together or
independently with separate XLR inputs and outputs on the rear of
chassis. The MSC-76 is simply two great Mercury products in one 3U
chassis.
Looking at other choices of "combo boxes," especially ones with
compressors along with pre-amps and EQs, choosing to cut corners to
either be able to save costs, which usually means less transformers, and
or to save space to be able to fit all the components in the products
chassis, we wanted to do something much different. Unlike many "channel
strips" or "combo boxes" in the marketplace no corners were cut in the
Mercury Studio Channel 76.
With the philosophy that each part of your signal chain is important
but, after your choice of microphone for a specific source, the
foundation starts with your microphone amplifier. We designed our
Mercury Studio Channels to be an obvious choice to follow any microphone
in your signal chain by matching up our tube, Mercury Studio Microphone
Amplifiers with our tube, Studio Program Equalizers. We did not
consider a compressor or limiter to be part of the product from the very
beginning, thinking just like a microphone, the compressor is going to
vary much more often depending on application or source you are
recording concentrated on the heart of the signal chain. This would
allow you to use it with any microphone you have in your mic locker and
any compressor in your rack, making a Mercury Studio Channel an obvious
choice for engineers and producers who are looking for tone, warmth and
musicality.
The MSC-76 Mic Amplifier
The Mercury M76m Studio Microphone Amplifier is a recreation of the
original German designed Telefunken/Siemens amplifier module used in
many European broadcast and recording desks in the 1960s. However, the
V76 modules are known as an outboard rack mounted mic pre-amp and are
highly sought after by studios and engineers all over the world.
Drawing on years of experience, repairing, rebuilding, and most
importantly listening to the Telefunken/Siemens V76 modules it was our
first priority to build a modern Studio Microphone Amplifier that sounds
identical to the original. Mercury Recording Equipment Co. kept the
integrity of the original circuit, the M76m has the same open, warm
tonality created with the transformer balanced, dual stage, high gain
amplifier, and uses four transformers and four tube per channel. Mercury
has built what is quite possibly the ultimate combination of vintage
sound and modern features to be the benchmark in a modern tube
microphone amplifier.
"With it's stellar sound, faithfulness to the original V76, unique tonal
flexibility, and helpful array of modern conveniences, the M76m could
very well be the ultimate 'vintage-style' mic preamp available today." - Pete Weiss, TapeOp Magazine
Tubes
The Mercury M76m amplifier uses 3x EF806s and 1x E83F, per channel
Features and Controls
The Mercury M76m has Gain Control of 0 to +60dB in 6dB increments, that
works in conjunction with the Level control and Output Attenuation. The
Level Control, which will work as a fader, increasing (clockwise) and
decreasing (counter clockwise) the amount of gain from the first stage
to the second stage of the amplifier. This also allows you the ability
to add musical "fuzz" by turning down your level (control) and adding
more (course) gain. The Output Attenuation Control (-0 to -10dB) has
been added for even more control, including the ability shape tones in
several different ways, if desired. Unlike the original we have added an
Impedance Select Switch for both high and low impedance devices, as
well as all the staple features one expects from a modern piece of
equipment were added. Phantom Power (on/off) , Phase (Polarity)
Reversal, and our amazing sounding F.D.I. (FET Direct Input) Circuit.
The Mercury FDI (FET Direct Input), a proprietary J-Fet circuit, based
on a class-A tube topology. The Mercury FDI is designed to reproduce
every nuance of a direct recording, while the circuit lets the tube or
solid-state character of the amplifier determine the overall tone. The
instrument DI signal is sent through the entire microphone preamp
circuitry, including Mercury’s custom, massive input transformers, so
that the individual character of each preamp comes through.
The MSC-76 Equalizer
The Mercury EQ-P1 is based on the vintage ‘Pultec EQP1a’ circuit, which
uses a passive EQ circuit with a fully balanced (push-pull) gain make up
amplifier. This new Mercury production utilizes only the highest
quality passive components, while remaining true to the original and
like all Mercury products has transformer balanced input and outputs.
Besides a much more powerful and stable power supply and running DC on
the heaters, rather than AC, only other modernization is one of Mercury
EQP2’s most popular features, the Mercury I.S.T. Switch.
The Mercury I.S.T. Switch offers the choice to switch the Interstage
Transformer in or out of the circuit. Giving engineers a choice with a
flick of a switch between the standard Mercury warm, musical, "vintage"
tone with the I.S.T. Switch not engaged (out) or a much more open and
airy version of the same full, warm tone with the switch engaged (in).
In the original Pultec EQP the Interstage transformer was always in the
signal path. With the I.S.T. Switch engaged and the interstage
transformer not in the circuit, there is slight widening of the sound
and slightly more open top end. Many of today's engineers value this
feature on the Mercury EQ-P1 and now the Mercury EQP2 Studio Program
Equalizers to have choice between two great, but different sounds
without changing their frequencies or setting and hearing the change
instantly. Note: With the I.S.T. Switch engaged or not, the input and
output transformers are always in the circuit.
Tubes
The Mercury EQ-P1 amplifier uses a 1x 12AX7 and 1x 12AU7, per channel.
Frequencies
Low Frequency Select (CPS): 20, 30, 60, 100, 200 Hz
Low Frequency Boost Control: Shelf Boost, 0dB to +13dB
Low Frequency Attenuate Control: Shelf Atten. 0dB to -17dB
High Frequency Bandwidth Control: Sharp to Broad
High Frequency Select (KCS): 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 16k
High Frequency Boost Control: Shelf Boost, 0dB to +18dB
High Frequency Shelf Attenuate Select: 5, 10, & 20k
High Frequency Attenuate Control: Shelf Attenuate, 0dB to +16dB
The Mercury EQ-H1 and EQ-P1 are based on the original Pultec equalizers
which were tools developed to deal with the limitations of recorded
music. Limitations that most often manifest themselves in the highest
and lowest frequencies of the program material. The family of Pultec EQs
were originally designed to bring back the life and musicality lost in
the recording. Whether by accident or genius, nothing has been able to
do it better. The interaction of the passive boosting and attenuating
shelving EQs (not relying on negative feed back), as well as the
transformers, tubes and other amplification circuitry all add to the
incredibly musical character of the product. Working engineers try other
types of equalizers, but always end up coming back to the Pultec style
as the equalizer of choice for those final touches while tracking or
mixing and even mastering.
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