Crane Song began in 1995 when founder Dave Hill first designed a two-channel discrete class A compressor/limiter, called the STC-8. Today, the Crane Song family of products has grown to five: HEDD (Harmonically Enhanced Digital Device), FLAMINGO (stereo mic preamp), TRAKKER (single-channel compressor) and the new SPIDER (eight-channel mic preamp, mixer, A/D converter), as well as the PHOENIX plug-in, all of which are available through Vintage King. Crane Song's combination of innovative design and uncompromising attention has helped the company make its mark in the professional audio world.
Price is for both units.
Egret is an 8 channel D/A convertor with a stereo mixer. The stereo mixer has level, cue send, and a pan control on each channel. Each channel also contains a solo and mute button. Egret has a master level control, a master cue send control and a headphone output with it's own level control. Each channel has a direct balanced output. The D/A convertors support sample rates up to 192K and have sample rate convertors on each channel for input jitter reduction. There is a front panel switch to disable the SRC for cases where low latency is required. The convertors can also be used independently even at different sample rates.
Flamingo is a high quality 2-channel Discrete Class A Microphone Preamplifier. It can be operated as a musically transparent amplifier, and is capable of emulating vintage sounds as well as creating distinctive new ones.
A stepped switch for gain matching and repeatability selects the input gain; a continuously variable attenuator allows gain trim. Gain is adjustable in 6 db increments to 66 db gain and down to off by the attenuator.
Each channel has independently switchable phase and phantom power switches.
Flamingo also contains a 2-channel, 22-element VU meter with an overload indicator to allow accurate monitoring and ease of level adjustment.
Unique to Flamingo are two switches that allow the user to selectSound Switch different sounds: IRON and SOUND.
The SOUND switch changes the type of amplifier while the IRON switch puts iron in the audio path. By using these switches, Flamingo can produce four different sounds.
Flamingo has transformerless balanced inputs and outputs. The unit is 1 rack space tall and operates from 100V, 115V, 230V, or 240V mains.
Flamingo is designed to be flexible and give the user a tool to solve real world recording, broadcast, and sound reinforcement problems. It can provide an artistic choice of sounds at the flip of a switch.
HEDD, short for harmonically enhanced digital device, is a technological breakthrough in signal processing. HEDD is engineered to be musically transparent while providing the capability of generating tube/analog sounds in the digital domain. The Crane Song HEDD gives any user who works with digital the ability to sound less digital and more analog. Applications include: CD preparation, work station input and output, DAT machine A/D and D/A convertor replacement and effects generation (warming or changing sounds in the digital domain). HEDD 192 can be used in tracking, mixing or mastering. The HEDD signal processor has the following features:
High Quality 24 Bit A/D and D/A Convertors
24 Bit Processing
Adjustable Triode, Pentode and Tape sounds
Digital I/O, AES and S/PDIF
External WC Sync Input and Output
Crane Song IBIS boldly takes equalization to a new level of musicality. Each of its four bands features switch-selectable frequencies centered on and covering musical-step intervals from 32-Hz "C" to 22.35-kHz "F." Its four overlapping bands are labeled with note names and frequency allowing for the first time a "translation" between musician-speak and engineer-jargon. The bandwidth control has similar notation with adjustment from 0.1 octave to 4 octaves per band and a boost / cut range of 12 dB. The low-cut filter is switch selectable from 20-Hz to 150-Hz with slopes of either 12-dB or 24-dB per octave. Like most Crane Song products, IBIS utilizes discrete class-A circuitry and features a truly unique and adjustable "color" function that can be applied to either the entire audio path or to any individual frequency band. A fully stepped mastering version is available.
Crane Song IBIS Mastering EQ is a Stereo 4 band mastering EQ w/ Low Cut. Selectable 'color' switch for 1 out of the 4 bands, or all the bands. Frequencies have actual notes labeled (ie 440=A).
The Crane Song Phoenix II is an update of Crane Song's suite of TDM plug-ins designed to emulate the unique properties of a magnetic tape machine. Phoenix II runs both NATIVE and DSP on Avid's PT 10 AAX format. Phoenix II uses 32 bit floating point math and has a lower noise floor than the original release.Designer Dave Hill has crafted this software with the same attention to detail he used to create the electronics for ATR Service's much heralded "Aria" discrete tape recorders. His intimate knowledge of analog electronics, as well as decades of experience as a recording engineer has spawned a very useful, musical suite of plug-ins.
The Phoenix II process not only incorporates the nonlinear saturation characteristics created by magnetic tape itself, but also includes the interrelation of an analog tape recorder's record/reproduce electronics and equalization curves. Phoenix II is a ground-up application derived from HEDD technology, and specifically engineered and optimized for Avid's PT 10 architecture.
Phoenix II has five different tape-analog characteristics. The type is selected with a switch for easy comparison between the types, and the brightness is also selected with a switch. Gold is the position where the color is approximately flat in frequency response, with Sapphire being a brighter, and Opal being a warmer tonality. A level control determines the amount of the Phoenix II process integrated into the audio signal, and an input trim determines "how hard you hit the tape." Because the DSP process is level dependent, the input level trim control has been improved and an output trim control has been added. The input trim can also be used to prevent clipping in the rare cases where clipping may be a problem and bringing up the level of a track for an increased amount of color. This can be useful on material that is hitting close to or at digital zero and on material that has a low recorded level. When the input trim and output trim controls are at 0dB, (no change in gain) and no tape process is being added to the sound, the plug-in is bit accurate, meaning the output exactly matches the input. The Phoenix II contains five separate flavors:Luminescent is the most neutral sounding process of the five.Iridescent has a similar magnetic character, but with a fatter bottom and midrange. (This plug-in is the most similar to the tape knob on HEDD-192.)Radiant is characterized by a more aggressive compression curve Dark Essence is even more aggressive. (The effect is a color with a wider frequency range-when used on a vocal Dark Essence can reduce sibilance problems by increasing the apparent loudness of the rest of the signal.)Luster starts more gently than the other four processes, but becomes as aggressive as Dark Essence when the process is at full scale.
Crane Song Phoenix is designed
to emulate the unique properties of a magnetic tape machine. Designer
Dave Hill has crafted this software with the same attention to detail he
used to create the electronics for ATR Service’s much heralded “Aria”
discrete tape recorders. His intimate knowledge of analog electronics,
as well as decades of experience as a recording engineer has spawned a
very useful, musical suite of plug-ins.
The Phoenix process not only incorporates the nonlinear saturation
characteristics created by magnetic the tape itself, but also includes
the interrelation of an analog tape recorder’s record/reproduce
electronics and equalization curves. The Phoenix suite is not merely a
down-scaled version of the Crane Song HEDD processor, but a ground-up
application derived from HEDD technology, and specifically engineered
and optimized for Digidesign’s TDM architecture.
Five different TDM plug-ins emulate different tape characteristics, each
one incorporating a color change button allowing three choices to
modify the process. The Gold button is the position where the color is
approximately flat in frequency response, with Sapphire being a
brighter, and Opal being a warmer tonality. A level control determines
the amount of the Phoenix process integrated into the audio signal, and
an input trim determines “how hard you hit the tape.” Because the DSP
process is level dependent, reducing the input level will also cause a
change in sound.
The input trim can also be used to prevent clipping in the rare cases
where clipping may be a problem. This can be useful on material that is
hitting close to or at digital zero. When the input trim is at 0dB, (no
change in gain) and no tape process is being added to the sound, the
plug-in is bit accurate, meaning the output exactly matches the input.
The Phoenix suite contains five separate plug-ins:
Luminescent is the most
neutral sounding process of the five.Iridescent has a similar
magnetic character, but with a fatter bottom and midrange. This plug-in
is the most similar to the tape knob on HEDD-192.Radiant is characterized
by a more aggressive compression curveDark Essence is even more
aggressive. (The effect is a color with a wider frequency range--when
used on a vocal Dark Essence can reduce sibilance problems by increasing
the apparent loudness of the rest of the signal.)Luster starts more gently
than the other four processes, but becomes as aggressive as Dark Essence
when the process is at full scale.
Running within Digidesign’s multi-shell architecture, PHOENIX is very
DSP efficient. It will run approximately twenty instances of a plug-in
on a single DSP chip (HD system at 44.1 kHz sample rate).
Phoenix’s color is dependent on signal level, program material and
sample rate. A higher sample rate results in smother sounds.
The Phoenix plug-in suite provides a wide range of choices to make your
digital world sound warmer, fatter, and more analog. The plug-ins can be
somewhat subtle, but the cumulative affect when used on a number of
tracks can bring back the warmth and richness which only analog
recording has been able to provide.
Crane Song Spider is a high-quality eight 8-channel mic-pre amplifier/mixer with two types of digital outputs: stereo and eight (8) channel. The stereo output is for recording engineers who do live stereo or multi-channel recording and want a very flexible audio path. The 8 channel output allows the system to function as an analog front end for DAW's, digital mixers, and modular digital recorders. In addition, the stereo bus can be assigned to digital channels 7 and 8. This allows a stereo mix of 6 channels to be assigned to digital outs 7 and 8 and leaves 2 channels independent. (eg. drums; kick, snare, and stereo left to right.) Both the discrete class A pre-amp and the convertor modules are of a very high quality, low noise design. The maximum analog level at the insert points is +25 dBm. The digital modules include a DSP process to provide tape emulation.
The Crane Song STC-8 is a high quality compressor combined with a remarkably dependable peak limiter, that provides overload protection critical to digital recording and broadcast transmitters. The STC-8's compressor is engineered to provide musically transparent gain control, but is also capable of emulating vintage equipment and creating distinctive new sounds.
In addition, a switchable enhancement circuit creates "analog" and "tube-like" warmth to enrich lifeless audio and digital recordings. This vast flexibility is simplified by the inclusion of several optimized presets, allowing fast, easy set-up on a wide variety of sounds. It can operate in true stereo or discrete independent mono, accessible by a front panel switch.
The STC-8's sophisticated side-chain allows both compression and peak limiting to take place simultaneously, using the same proprietary gain control circuit. High signal quality is maintained by utilizing a discrete class A audio path, and by eliminating any VCA or optical gain control elements.
The STC-8 requires 2 rack spaces. All inputs and outputs are transformer-less and balanced. The toroidal power transformer is UL approved and allows four line voltages for international use. The STC-8 delivers consistent gain control without sacrificing musical definition or harmonic richness.
The Crane Song STC-8 is a high quality stereo compressor combined with a remarkably dependable peak limiter, providing overload protection critical to digital recording and broadcast transmitters. The STC-8's compressor is engineered to provide musically transparent gain KI & HARA Sounds control, but is also capable of emulating vintage equipment and creating distinctive new sounds.
In addition, a switchable enhancement circuit creates analog and tube like warmth to enrich lifeless audio and digital recordings. This vast flexibility is simplified by the inclusion of several optimized presets, allowing fast, easy set-Optimized Presetsup on a wide variety of sounds. It can operate in true stereo or discrete independent mono, accessible by a front panel switch.
The STC-8's sophisticated side-chain allows both compression and peak limiting to take place simultaneously, using the same proprietary gain circuit. High signal quality is maintained by utilizing a discrete class A audio path, and by eliminating any VCA or optical gain control elements.
The STC-8 requires 2 rack spaces. All inputs and outputs are transformerless and balanced. The toroidal power transformer is UL approved and allows four line voltages for international use.
The STC-8 delivers consistent gain control without sacrificing musical definition or harmonic richness.
The Crane Song STC-8 is a high quality stereo compressor combined with a remarkably dependable peak limiter, providing overload protection critical to digital recording and broadcast transmitters. The STC-8's compressor is engineered to provide musically transparent gain KI & HARA Sounds control, but is also capable of emulating vintage equipment and creating distinctive new sounds.
In addition, a switchable enhancement circuit creates analog and tube like warmth to enrich lifeless audio and digital recordings. This vast flexibility is simplified by the inclusion of several optimized presets, allowing fast, easy set-Optimized Presetsup on a wide variety of sounds. It can operate in true stereo or discrete independent mono, accessible by a front panel switch.
The STC-8's sophisticated side-chain allows both compression and peak limiting to take place simultaneously, using the same proprietary gain circuit. High signal quality is maintained by utilizing a discrete class A audio path, and by eliminating any VCA or optical gain control elements.
The STC-8 requires 2 rack spaces. All inputs and outputs are transformerless and balanced. The toroidal power transformer is UL approved and allows four line voltages for international use.
The STC-8 delivers consistent gain control without sacrificing musical definition or harmonic richness.
TRAKKER is a high quality Single Channel Discrete Class A Compressor Limiter. It functions either as a musically transparent compressor or as a vintage compressor - limiter with selectable hard or soft knee.