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Audio engineer/designer Michael Grace originally began building single-order custom audio products for a small, devout following of recording engineers and artists in 1990. Before long, the word had spread about Michael's custom microphone preamp designs, which were said to outperform anything else that was commercially available. Based on an increasing demand for this mic preamp, in 1994, Grace Design was founded and began production of the original model 801 microphone preamplifier. Over the years, Grace Design has maintained a steady, methodical pace to developing new products and technologies. Their product line has evolved into a definitive collection of microphone preamp configurations and other unique professional audio products, available through Vintage King Audio.
Behind the Grace Design SB-66 Space Bar lies the same devotion to pristine audio that drives Grace Design's incredibly transparent preamplifiers and signal processors. The Spacebar SB-66 is not your typical stereo micing tool! Rather, it is an ultra-precise, professional instrument for setting microphone position patterns and angles. Engraved markings give you the ability to measure the capsule spacing, angle of incidence, and rotation around the x-axis of two microphones so that you can recreate the same conditions over again. Microphone placement has never been as precise or easy to reproduce as it is with the Spacebar SB-66Grace Design Spacebar SB-66 Professional Microphone Placement Tool at a Glance: Precision microphone positioning made simple, reliable and repeatable Get the best stereo from your microphone setup Precision microphone positioning made simple, reliable and repeatable With measurements running as fine a five degrees of rotation and five millimeters of horizontal adjustment, you can achieve absolutely precise microphone placements. The white-on-black measurement readouts provide easy to read markings for your records so that recreating exact setups is not only possible, but headache-free.Get the best stereo from your microphone setup Based on the characteristics of your microphones and formulas grounded in audiology and acoustic physics, there are several methods to achieving advanced stereo microphone placement that require the kind of precision measurements that the Spacebar SB-66 can deliver. Beyond standard stereo configurations like XY, ORTF, NOS, and AB 50cm, the Spacebar SB-66 allows you achieve exact settings throughout the entire continuum of angle and spacing, so you and tailor the pickup field of your microphones to suit virtually any recording environment. Features: * Two microphone holder assemblies * Tall microphone holder for overlapping microphone configurations * High-quality aircraft aluminum, brass, and stainless steel construction * Minimum spacing: 7cm (2.75") * Maximum spacing: 61cm (24")
In 2000, the model 101 helped fuel a revolution. When people took professional recording into their own hands, it was there with all of the quality and performance of a high-end mic preamplifier, but with a price that made it available to the masses. 8 years later, and the cause moves forward with the newly redesigned Grace Design m101.
With its impressive list of new features, the Grace Design m101 is ready to give any mic preamplifier a run for its money. Consider the new audio signal path with 0.5% precision metal film resistors, 12 position gold plated rotary gain switch, a built-in universal AC input module, or our exclusive RIBBON mic mode - and the picture becomes clear: This is now a fully professional, state of the art precision mic preamp that roundly outperforms anything in its class. All this at the same affordable price of the original model 101.
From podcast to concert hall, the m101 brings the build quality, refinement and performance to revolutionize any recording facility.
New Features:
Updated audio path with 0.5% precision metal film resistors
New 12 position gold plated rotary gain switch
Higher performance output line driver amplifier and HPF amplifier
New Ribbon mic mode (also great for dynamic mics)- Relay bypass of phantom power decoupling capacitors, increased input impedance, and 48V lockout.
Wider 10-75dB gain range
Enhanced RFI interference suppression
Three output connectors: XLR balanced, TRS balanced and (new) TS unbalanced
New bold, bombproof laser-etched black anodized frontpanel
Sealed gold contact relay for Hi-Z input switching
Built in power supply / no wall-wart!
Led indicators for +48V, Ribbon mode, and HPF
The Grace Design m102 Optical Compressor takes the sonic performance characteristics from the compressor section of the Grace Design m103 Channel Strip. The unit is based on an optical attenuator, the purest high fidelity gain control mechanism available, and provides gentle limiting to fairly aggressive compression while remaining neutral and transparent. Housed in a 1U, half-rack enclosure, the single channel m102 sports a familiar and elegant industrial design that was derived from the Grace Design m101 Microphone Preamp. Front panel controls include +/- 10dB of input and output level on rotary pots that allows for fine tuning of gain settings. Four additional pots allow the user to control Threshold, Attack, Release and Ratio settings. A three position switch selects Normal operation and the added ability to Link two m102 units for stereo compression or to select a Sidechain input for frequency dependent compression. A 10 segment LED array displays gain reduction levels, and a bi-color LED is provided for signal presence and peak detection. The rear panel includes an AC inlet for the built in universal power supply, XLR and ¼” TRS balanced input and output connections, and a ¼” jack used for linking two m102’s or for use as a side-chain input.
Preliminary Information
Channel strip... it doesn’t roll off the tongue or smack of a high
fidelity recording device. Maybe that's why its taken us so long to
build one. But we got over it. All labels aside, the new Grace Design m103 is a powerful tracking tool for virtually any recording scenario.
It starts with our tried and true m101 transformer-less microphone
preamplifier circuity. Headroom, detail, clarity, musicality – its all
there. Complete with our exclusive ribbon mic mode, a 75Hz HPF and 48V
phantom.
The 3 band EQ section is built around single stage parallel tuning
architecture, which minimizes circuitry and delivers natural, musical
tonal shaping at all frequencies. Controls include a fully parametric
mid, with shelving and peak modes on the high and low bands.
The compressor circuit is based on an optical attenuator - the purest,
high fidelity gain control mechanism available. It provides gentle
limiting to fairly heavy compression, while remaining nuetral and
transparent. The perfect way to zip it all up and send it downstream -
clean, intact and alive.
Comprehensive I/O options allow the mic pre and EQ/COMP sections to be
accessed independently of each other, and the order of the EQ/COMP is
switchable. The compressor controls can be linked for stereo
applications, and 10 segment gain reduction and output meters make
monitoring signal status simple. So there it is, we’ve done it. The
m103 - a channel strip by name, a powerful tool by design. Stay tuned
for complete details.
Features
Fast and musical transimpedance microphone preamplifier architecture Updated audio path with 0.5% precision metal film resistors New 12 position gold plated rotary gain switch High performance output line driver amplifier and HPF amplifier Ribbon mic mode (also great for dynamic mics)- Relay bypass of
phantom power decoupling capacitors, increased input impedance, and 48V
lockout 3-band precision EQ, fully parametric mid band, peak and shelf mode for hi and low bands Newly designed optical compressor Mic amp direct output EQ/COMP section line input Bombproof laser-etched black anodized front panel
Sealed gold contact relay for Hi-Z input switching Built in power supply Led indicators for +48V, Ribbon mode, and HPF Powerful 10 segment meters for gain reduction and output level Five year warranty on parts and labor Made in the USA
During its 12 years in production, the Grace Design m201 mic preamplifier found its way into countless recording facilities around the world, gathering a considerable amount of critical acclaim along the way. Now our classic two channel mic preamplifier has been completely redesigned and transformed into the m201. Like the rest of our line, the new m201 delivers unmatched audio performance, with massive headroom, ultra-wide bandwidth and a very open, musical character. The signal path has been hot-rodded to be fully balanced from start to finish, resulting in a wider dynamic range, while new high-current output drivers enable even longer cable runs without signal loss. This means the m201 can translate a sonic picture of astonishing clarity and detail, which serves to capture the essential character of the music being recorded. We offer the m201 with our state of the art 24-bit/192kHz A/D converter option, from the factory or as a retrofit to existing units. With the A/D converter module installed, the microphone preamplifier section or the M+S matrix can be routed to the A/D converter input directly for standard recording applications. Or, with the additional analog line inputs on the A/D converter module, the mic preamplifier and A/D converter sections can be used separately, which allows for external processing to be inserted between the mic amp and the A/D converter. External synchronization to word clock or Digidesign LoopSync is available, and features our proprietary dual stage PPL with s-Lock for extremely low jitter and rock solid digital stability without the use of sample rate conversion. Our exclusive ribbon mic mode is standard, which shifts the gain range up 10dB while deactivating 48V phantom power, bypassing the decoupling capacitors and optimizing the input impedance. Each channel has an ‘input mode’ rotary switch which selects between a standard 48V phantom input, ribbon mic mode, a front panel DI input or optional DPA high voltage inputs (130V or 190V). Included is our newly designed M+S (mid side) decoder circuitry with a built-in width control. The front panel width control is wired with a precision 12 position rotary switch which provides a ratio range from 100% mid (mono) to 30% mid / 70% side. The ultra-precision summing and difference amplifiers feed a set of dedicated outputs, allowing simultaneous recording of discrete mid+side signals as well as the stereo matrix. The new front panel mounted HI-Z inputs are designed to accommodate a wide variety of high impedance input sources, making the m201 an excellent choice as a DI box which will flawlessly preserve the sound of any plugged-in instrument. Imagine the same resolution and detail as our microphone preamplifiers available for DI recording situations. Whatever the application, the remarkable sonic performance and functionality of the new m201 will help you make the finest recordings of your career.Grace Design m201
During its 12 years in production, the Grace Design m201 mic preamplifier found its way into countless recording facilities around the world, gathering a considerable amount of critical acclaim along the way. Now our classic two channel mic preamplifier has been completely redesigned and transformed into the m201. Like the rest of our line, the new m201 delivers unmatched audio performance, with massive headroom, ultra-wide bandwidth and a very open, musical character. The signal path has been hot-rodded to be fully balanced from start to finish, resulting in a wider dynamic range, while new high-current output drivers enable even longer cable runs without signal loss. This means the m201 can translate a sonic picture of astonishing clarity and detail, which serves to capture the essential character of the music being recorded. We offer the m201 with our state of the art 24-bit/192kHz A/D converter option, from the factory or as a retrofit to existing units. With the A/D converter module installed, the microphone preamplifier section or the M+S matrix can be routed to the A/D converter input directly for standard recording applications. Or, with the additional analog line inputs on the A/D converter module, the mic preamplifier and A/D converter sections can be used separately, which allows for external processing to be inserted between the mic amp and the A/D converter. External synchronization to word clock or Digidesign LoopSync is available, and features our proprietary dual stage PPL with s-Lock for extremely low jitter and rock solid digital stability without the use of sample rate conversion. Our exclusive ribbon mic mode is standard, which shifts the gain range up 10dB while deactivating 48V phantom power, bypassing the decoupling capacitors and optimizing the input impedance. Each channel has an ‘input mode’ rotary switch which selects between a standard 48V phantom input, ribbon mic mode, a front panel DI input or optional DPA high voltage inputs (130V or 190V). Included is our newly designed M+S (mid side) decoder circuitry with a built-in width control. The front panel width control is wired with a precision 12 position rotary switch which provides a ratio range from 100% mid (mono) to 30% mid / 70% side. The ultra-precision summing and difference amplifiers feed a set of dedicated outputs, allowing simultaneous recording of discrete mid+side signals as well as the stereo matrix. The new front panel mounted HI-Z inputs are designed to accommodate a wide variety of high impedance input sources, making the m201 an excellent choice as a DI box which will flawlessly preserve the sound of any plugged-in instrument. Imagine the same resolution and detail as our microphone preamplifiers available for DI recording situations. Whatever the application, the remarkable sonic performance and functionality of the new m201 will help you make the finest recordings of your career.Grace Design m201
Since its introduction in February 2007, the Grace Design m201 has quickly become the standard by which all dual channel mic preamps are judged. Prized for its stunning sonic performance, rich feature set, reliability and elegant industrial design, the m201 has become the go-to preamp for audio professionals at the top of their game. Today, the m201 gets a powerful new system option that customers have anxiously been awaiting since the launch of the m201: the new, high definition 24-bit/192kHz A/D converter.
The m201 A/D option turns the m201 into a uniquely powerful collection of ultra high performance audio tools. The microphone preamplifier section can be routed to the A/D input directly for standard recording applications. As well, the MS matrix can be routed to the A/D. However, with the additional analog line inputs on the A/D module, the mic preamp and A/D can be used separately!
With the growing popularity of passive summing networks for mix applications, the m201 with the A/D makes a perfect ultra low noise make up gain amplifier with the option to insert your favorite analog EQ or compressor in the path before the A/D. Or, simply use the A/D standalone for mixing, transferring, or recording from whatever source you choose. Wow!
Presenting the Grace Design m501 , our 500 series module version of the venerable m101 mic preamplifier. Now the signature transparency and detail of our circuit designs is available for your 500 series frame. While the 500 series market has plenty of colored mic preamplifier options, the natural, musical clarity of the m501 makes it a welcome addition to the field. This circuit is for engineers confident with the quality of the source, mic section and placement, and wish to capture it with as little coloration or distortion as possible. The m501 module is a balanced, transformerles design, with 48V phantom, a 75Hz HPF and a 1/4” HI-Z instrument input. Also standard is our exclusive ribbon mic mode, which raises the mic input impedance, bypasses the input decoupling capacitors and deactivates 48V phantom to protect delicate ribbon mics from damage. Large diaphragm, vintage ribbon or trusty dynamic - the m501 brings out the very best in any microphone and takes the guesswork out of your input chain.Features Fast and musical transimpedance architecture Precision audio path with 0.5% precision metal film resistors New 12 position gold plated rotary gain switch High performance output line driver amplifier and HPF amplifier New Ribbon mic mode (also great for dynamic mics) - Relay bypass of phantom power decoupling capacitors, increased input impedance, and 48V lockout Wide 10-75dB gain range Enhanced RFI interference suppression Three output connectors: XLR balanced, TRS balanced and ¼” unbalanced Bombproof laser-etched black anodized frontpanel Sealed gold contact relay for Hi-Z input switching Led indicators for +48V, Ribbon mode, and HPF Five year warranty on parts and labor Made in the USA
The Grace Design m502 500 Series Optical Compressor takes the sonic performance characteristics from the compressor section of the well-regarded Grace Design m103 Channel Strip. The unit is based on an optical attenuator, the purest high fidelity gain control mechanism available, and provides gentle limiting to fairly aggressive compression while remaining neutral and transparent. The m502 employs the same compression circuit topology as the Grace Design m102 Optical Compressor but is housed in a chassis for installation in the popular 500 series racks. The front panel includes a bypass switch, a 3-position input gain switch ranging from -10 to +10, a link switch, 10 segment LED array to display gain reduction levels, rotary pots for control of Threshold, Attack, Release and Ratio, and a pot for output level. The m502 also includes jumper settings on the board that provides the ability to configure the stereo linking and side-chain functionality based on the specific 500 series rack used.
Introduced in 1995, the model 801 microphone preamplifier was slightly ahead of its time. But as digital audio workstations flooded the industry, an accompanying high performance 8 channel mic preamplifier suddenly made perfect sense. So the model 801 quickly became an industry standard which remains inimitable and unsurpassed.
So eleven years later, with a nearly flawless service record and an endless supply of critical acclaim, the model 801 gets a much deserved update, including an updated audio path, a new chassis forged of stainless steel and a slightly new name: the Grace Design m801 .
The new m801 delivers unmatched audio performance – with massive headroom and ultra-wide bandwidth which contribute to a markedly open, musical character. The m801 is designed to effortlessly resolve even the lowest level ambient information, resulting in a sonic picture of astonishing clarity and detail, which serves to capture the essential character of the music being recorded.
The m801’s signal path has been hot-rodded to be fully balanced from start to finish, resulting in wider dynamic range, while new higher current output drivers enable even longer cable runs without signal loss. Included on each channel is a dedicated ribbon microphone switch, which shifts the preamplifier’s entire gain range up 10dB while deactivating 48V phantom power and bypassing the decoupling capacitors. And we’ve added an additional set of 8 channel balanced outputs for sending signals to a secondary recorder, workstation or console.
While its predecessor now takes its place in pro audio history, the new m801 faithfully furthers the tradition of breathtaking audio performance and perfect reliability in a beautiful and functional 8 channel package.
Features:
Redesigned, fully balanced, transformerless design
All new, higher-current outputs drive even longer cable runs
New ribbon mic mode switch
Fast, musical transimpedance amplifier architecture
Precision 24 position gold contact rotary switch gain controls
48V phantom power, 20 dB attenuator and phase reverse
No electrolytic capacitors in the signal path
Sealed gold contact relays for all signal switching
Larger, two color, bi-phase LED peak indicator
Regulated linear power supply with custom wound toroidal transformer
Highest quality components used throughout
Five year warranty on parts and labor
When we set out to develop the Grace Design m802 eight channel remote control microphone preamplifier, we knew we had our work cut out for us. After all, the finest audio engineers in music recording, film scoring, major artist tours and premier recording schools have relied on the model 801R system for its sonic performance and reliability for years.
So the newly designed m802 system boasts many significant upgrades, which not only set it apart from its beloved predecessor, but from any other high performance mic preamplifier available.
The m802 can be controlled directly from Digidesign® ProTools|HD® systems, compatible control surfaces and many other MIDI devices. Working closely with Digidesign, our engineers have adapted their control spec to directly address the m802 as an integrated part of a ProTools|HD® system. Additionally, the m802 can be controlled by a wide variety of MIDI mappable devices, making it easily integrated into a wide variety of remote recording situations.
DPA® 4000 series 130V microphones are widely regarded as some of the finest reference-quality microphones available. But with a 130V power requirement, microphone preamplifier options have been limited. So we have made the m802 an excellent compliment for DPA® microphones by adding a 130V power option, available on a per channel pair basis.
Most model 801R users would happily testify that was the ultimate transparent, high-fidelity mic amplifier circuitry. And while they wouldn’t be wrong, we weren’t quite done tweaking. First, the signal path of the m802 has been updated to be fully balanced from start to finish, resulting in a noticeable dynamic range improvement. Next, output current has been increased so that even longer audio cable runs can be achieved without signal loss. Finally, we have included a provision for a high definition 24-bit/192 kHz converter card in the future.
We have completely redesigned the Remote Control Unit (RCU) to provide greatly improved ergonomics and system control. The updated RCU now offers dedicated individual channel select switches and we have added a highly visible blue LED numeric display for channel gain settings. The RCU will effortlessly control a system of eight m802s from up to 1000’ away. And both the RCU and the m802 now come with a high contrast, easy on the eyes white backlight LCD.
The m802 system now resides in the same bold, stainless steel chassis as our m series monitoring systems, which is quite rugged and easy to maintain.
Whatever your application, we invite you to discover the remarkable sonic performance, functionality and reliability of our new m802. We’re confident that it will help you make the finest recordings of your career.
Preamplifier Features
Fast, musical transimpedance amplifier architecturefully balanced, transformeless design Flexible digital metering with peak hold and reset Controllable from Digidesign® ProTools|HD® systems and compatible control surfaces (and many other MIDI devices) Dual high-current outputs (XLR+D-Sub) drive long cable runs and loads down to 50 Ohms Fast, efficient Philips I2C serial protocol to control preamplifiers from up to 1000 feet away Gain range of -7dB to +63dB in 1.5 dB steps New selectable ribbon mic mode Channel group mode (perfect for stereo pairs, subgroups) RCU able to address up to 8 units (64 channels) Front panel lockout mode Large neutral backlit LCD display 15 User preset memory locations, for saving preamplifier settings (gain, phantom power, phase) 130V phantom power available, per channel pair, for DPA microphones five year transferable warranty on parts and laborA/D Converter Features
Absolute purist A/D converter performance: 24 bit, 44.1kHz – 192kHz sample rates Outputs include 2x8ch AES3 on DB25, 1x8ch AES3-id on 4 BNC connectors (supports double wire mode) Optional ADAT optical output module. Supports s/MUX for 88.2-96kHz sample rates Multiple clock sources: Internal crystal, external word clock and Digidesign™ loop sync Wordclock in and out, clock output can be word clock in, recovered word clock or internal ref word clock S-Lock™ dual stage PLL for extremely low jitter without sample rate conversion Ultra pure high performance analog front end Very low distortion conversion: 0.0002% THD+N Low phase noise, wide lock PLL for external clock. Locks to Fs +/- 8% Extremely low jitter s-Lock™ crystal based PLL 8 channel AES3-id/IEC60958 (S/PDIF) outputs on BNC Single wire and dual wire operation (8 channels on DB25, 4 channels on BNC) All ADC parameters are adjustable from the m802RCU or m802 front panel All data outputs are transformer coupled five year transferable warranty on parts and labor
The Grace Design m802A/D provides 8-channel, high performance A/D converter option for the m802 remote controllable preamp system. Designed to be seamlessly integrated into a Pro Tools|HD compatible m802 preamp, the new 24-bit/192kHz capable A/D converter option represents a new level of sonic performance and reliability.
Physically, the A/D consists of a hardware module that's installed internally in an m802 chassis and whose connectors are brought out to a rear panel slot. Two versions of the A/D are available. The first includes a DB-25 that provides two parallel 8-channel sets of AES3 format outputs in single-wire mode or (8) channels in dual-wire. There are also (4) BNC connectors that accommodate AES3-id/S/PDIF formats. These BNC's provide a total of (8) channels in single-wire mode or (4) in dual-wire. For clocking duties, a Word Clock input and Word Clock/Loop Sync output are provided on BNC connectors. The 2nd version of the A/D trades off the AES3-id/S/PDIF BNC outputs for (2) optical connectors that allow two parallel 8-channel sets in ADAT format or (8) channels of SMUX at 96kHz.
An A/D converter can be divided into three basic functional blocks: the analog input stage, the A/D converter, and clock generation (or regeneration). The analog input stage provides fully differential circuitry that contains no electrolytic capacitors and utilizes precision 0.5% tolerance thin film resistors, which guarantees no signal coloration from capacitor dielectric absorption and resistor thermal modulation. Careful attention to grounding and power supply layout guarantees no sonic aberrations caused from unwanted interference from digital circuitry.
The A/D converter itself is the Cirrus CS5381. This converter employs a fifth order delta-sigma modulator and a low pass filter that exhibits very wide dynamic range and low latency. With a gentler slope digital filter than other ADC chips, the CS5381 is the most musical of the high end converter ICs and is capable of 120dB dynamic range with distortion and noise artifacts at less than -110dB. Separate power supplies for the analog and digital portions of the A/D converter ensure that the precision delta sigma modulator will not be affected by other surrounding circuitry. As well, the differential inputs provide additional input noise rejection.
The m802 A/D converter employs a two stage PLL system to provide practically jitter-free recovered clocks with extremely high incoming jitter attenuation. The first stage is a wide lock range, ultra low noise, analog PLL. This stage can lock to incoming word clocks and Digidesign Loop Sync signals with a +/-8% lock range. Rather than using standard CMOS based PLL chips for the first stage PLL, Grace uses an extremely quiet, discrete VCO. When using a quality external clock source, this PLL alone will provide a nearly crystal quality clock.
When the incoming sample rate is within +/-200 ppm of the selected sample rate, the secondary (our proprietary s-Lock) crystal based PLL will lock to the first stage PLL, providing the quietest possible recovered sample clock to the A/D converters. The s-Lock PLL is capable of extreme rejection of incoming jitter, which begins at less than 0.1Hz and is better than 60dB at 1kHz.
The Grace Design m802A/D converter card option provides m802 users with state of the art A/D conversion for the most demanding music recording applications. The purpose for this new card is to provide A/D conversion technology capable of matching the transparent, musical character of our mic preamplifiers, with the combination of the two creating a new level of true audio purity. To understand what makes our A/D converter unique, we’ll discuss the design’s three basic functional blocks: the analog input stage, the A/D converter, and the clock generation (or regeneration).
Analog Input Stage
Our converter’s analog input circuitry is simple and pure. This fully differential circuitry contains no electrolytic capacitors and utilizes precision 0.5% tolerance thin film resistors, to ensure that there will be no signal coloration from capacitor dielectric absorption and resistor thermal modulation. Careful attention to grounding and power supply layout eliminates any sonic aberrations caused from unwanted interference from digital circuitry. The analog input amplifiers are powered from their own dedicated Voltage regulators and each analog power supply rail is double regulated to provide extreme isolation from power line related noise. Driving the input of modern delta-sigma converters requires a low driving impedance and high current from the A/D input driver, and our experience from designing microphone amplifiers with precision line drivers translates very well to this task.
Also, there are significant advantages by having the A/D converter circuit wired directly from the analog microphone amplifier outputs (opposed to having separate preamplifier and converter chassis’). First, by having the preamplifier and converter in the same electrical enclosure, EMI interference from external sources (i.e. RF interference and ground loop hum) is greatly reduced. Additionally there is no need for ESD protection circuitry, RFI filtering, and complex input level adjusting circuits. The result is the most simple and pure signal path attainable with an absolute minimum of signal coloration.
A/D Converter
The A/D converter employs a fifth order delta-sigma modulator and a low pass filter that exhibits very wide dynamic range and low latency. With a more gentle slope digital filter than other A/D chips, it is the most musical of the high end converter ICs. It is capable of 120dB dynamic range with distortion and noise artifacts at less than -110dB. Separate power supplies for the analog and digital portions of the A/D converter ensures that the precision delta sigma modulator will not be affected by other surrounding circuitry. As well, the differential inputs provide additional input noise rejection.
Clocks
A perfectly executed analog input stage and the best performing A/D converter IC can only result in audio performance as good as the quality of the sampling clock. Even the smallest amounts of clock jitter will readily degrade the performance of the converter by introducing non-harmonically related noise and distortion.
When operating on an internal clock, the A/D converter sample clock is generated by a quartz oscillator which has very low jitter. However, many applications require that the A/D converter be synchronized to an external clock source, usually in the form of a word clock, which is where the greatest challenge arises.
There is a common misconception that using the word clock input on any piece of digital audio equipment will result in better sonic performance. In reality, the vast majority of word clock PLL circuits will have more intrinsic jitter than the word clock signal itself and usually more intrinsic jitter than the PLL within the AES/S/PDIF receiver chip. As well, these PLLs usually have no incoming jitter attenuation in the audio band.
Our A/D converters employ a two stage PLL system to provide practically jitter-free recovered clocks with extremely high incoming jitter attenuation. The first stage is a wide lock range ultra low noise analog PLL, which can lock to incoming word clocks and Digidesign Loop Sync signals with a +/-8% lock range. Rather than using standard CMOS based PLL chips for the first stage PLL, we use an extremely quiet, discrete VCO (voltage controlled oscillator). When using a quality external clock source, this PLL alone will provide a nearly crystal quality clock. The incoming jitter rejection of this PLL begins at 500Hz and increases at 12dB/octave with rising frequency. The wide lock range allows for the converter to operate in vari-speed applications without a sacrifice in audio performance, provided that the external clock source is relatively low jitter.
Then, when the incoming sample rate is within +/-200 ppm of the selected sample rate, the secondary (our proprietary s-LOCK™) crystal based PLL will lock to the first stage PLL, providing the quietest possible recovered sample clock to the A/D converters. The s-LOCK PLL is capable of extreme rejection of incoming jitter, which begins at less than 0.1Hz and is better than 60dB at 1000Hz.
The word clock output connector(s) can output the incoming word clock or the recovered word clock from one of the two on board PLLs. If the incoming clock is of dubious quality, the output can transmit the jitter free version. If several A/D converters are to be used simultaneously, the word clock output jack can output a buffered version of the input clock for a daisy-chain configuration.
While it would be very easy (and economical) to provide “jitter free” sample clocks by routing the audio data through an ASRC (asynchronous sample rate converter), we believe that the convenience of these circuits does not outweigh the potential sonic degradation caused by additional signal processing. The performance of the s-lock PLL renders even the worst case interface jitter problems to a level well below the noise floor of the A/D converter.
Whatever your application, the m802 preamplifier/ A/D converter provides perfectly pristine preamplifier and converter performance, combined in a single, powerful and elegant package.
The Grace Design m802A/D Features:
Absolute purist A/D converter performance: 24 bit, 44.1kHz – 192kHz sample rates
Multiple clock sources: Internal crystal, external word clock and Digidesign™ loop sync
Clock output can be word clock in, recovered word clock or internal ref word clock
Ultra pure high performance analog front end
Very low distortion conversion: 0.0002% THD+N
Low phase noise, wide lock PLL for external clock. Locks to Fs +/- 8%
Extremely low jitter s-Lock™ crystal based PLL
Two sets of 8 channel AES3 outputs on DB25 connector
8 channel AES3-id/IEC60958 (S/PDIF) outputs on BNC
Single wire and dual wire operation (8 channels on DB25, 4 channels on BNC)
Optional ADAT optical output module. Supports s/MUX for 88.2-96kHz sample rates
All ADC parameters are adjustable from the m802RCU or m802 front panel
All data outputs are transformer coupled
Please specify if needed for a model 801R system.
The Grace Design m903 keeps
everything great about its predecessors, the m901 and m902, adds some
useful new features, and ups the ante with even more breathtaking audio
performance. A new volume control provides higher headroom and lower
distortion and noise. New generation DAC's and ultra-low noise balanced
current to voltage converter yields even more musical performance
compared to the m902. Improved s-lock PLL circuitry delivers even lower
phase noise and jitter. An improved power supply isolates headphone
amplifiers, line amplifiers, DAC's and digital logic, resulting in lower
noise and distortion.
Perhaps the most exciting improvement is the all new high speed USB
interface. This cutting edge technology provides a completely
asynchronous data transfer mode which allows for bit-perfect USB
playback with zero interface induced jitter. This new interface affords
standard driverless USB Class 1 operation on Windows and Mac up to
24bit/96kHz and USB Class 2 audio for 24bit/192kHz operation on Windows
and Mac (drivers needed for 192kHz operation under Windows). This is
computer-based audiophile playback, perfected.
New crossfeed circuitry is even more useful and includes a gentle
compensation to eliminate the perceived loss of low frequency content.
Both balanced and unbalanced line outputs are now standard, with
individual volume controls for each. We have even included a mono mode
for checking a mix for phase issues or simply monitoring in mono. These
improvements cement the m903 as the perfect compact, audiophile grade
monitor controller, even for larger scale production environments with
more than one set on monitors.
A full complement of analog and digital inputs are provided (balanced,
unbalanced, AES3, S/PDIF, TOSLINK and USB), which are selectable via a
precision rotary front panel switch. And we offer an updated optional
infrared remote control, which provides essential control for anyone
working out of reach of their m903.
Advancing the tradition of unmatched audio performance and
functionality, the m903 is now the ultimate solution for high resolution
audio playback. From the very top mastering engineers to the most
discerning audiophiles – it is a must for anyone searching to discover
new depths in music and sound.
Features
Balanced and unbalanced analog inputs 24bit/192kHz digital stereo inputs- AES3, S/PDIF, TOSLINK and USB High speed USB interface - completely asynchronous transfer mode
allows for bit-perfect playback with zero interface induced jitter Driverless operation on Windows & Mac up to 96kHz/24bit Supports USB Class 2 audio specification for 192kHz/24bit
operation on Windows & Mac (drivers needed for 192kHz operation
under Windows) New generation DAC's and ultra low noise balanced current to
voltage converter yields more musical performance compared to the m902 Mono mode for checking mix phase issues (or listening to Pet Sounds) s-Lock™ phase lock loop sample clock regeneration for ultra-low jitter and rock solid digital stability High-current trans-impedance headphone amplifier circuitry built to effortlessly drive low impedance headphones Balanced and unbalanced variable level analog line outputs Improved power supply architecture isolates headphone power amplifiers, line amplifiers, DAC's and digital logic Precision level control with a 99.5dB range in 0.5 dB steps Channel level matching accuracy of 0.05dB Improved x-feed circuit eliminates perceived loss of low frequency content Optional infrared remote control available Internal linear power supply with custom wound toroidal transformer Sealed gold contact relays used for all signal switching Five year transferable warranty on parts and labor
We proudly present the Grace Design m904 and m906 high fidelity monitor controllers - two powerful new professional audio products designed to significantly improve the sonic performance and efficiency of virtually any audio production environment. Both units offer the same transparent, high resolution audio performance as our acclaimed microphone preamplifiers- These are versatile, sonically invisible monitor systems designed to enable you to hear and manipulate even the finest detail in your work.
For the engineer working in 5.1 surround, the m906 is a powerful tool for managing and monitoring surround audio sources. With balanced and unbalanced analog 5.1 inputs, multiple balanced stereo analog inputs and digital 5.1 and stereo inputs, the m906 is designed to effortlessly control large studio monitoring systems.
For the standard DAW user, the m904 is the essential nerve center, combining multiple balanced, unbalanced analog inputs and digital inputs with precision level controls for two pairs of studio monitors and dual headphone outputs.
Also, the m904 is available in a remote controlled only version, the m904b, which is equipped with a blank mainframe front panel and is controlled via the m904RCU.
The m904 and m906 are here to deliver a new level of accuracy, flexibility, reliability and sonic purity for the modern recording facility.
As the computer increasingly becomes the de-facto tool for audio production, the need for the traditional large format console becomes muted, while the need for a high quality studio monitor controller becomes more and more vital. Enter our new Grace Design m906 high fidelity 5.1 monitor controller. The original concept for building the m906 was simply to provide a high fidelity level control for engineers working with 5.1 surround playback systems. From there, however, we became blissfully carried away and ultimately obsessed with creating the most full featured and highest quality monitor controller available. So at its core, the m906 is a purist level control for monitoring surround audio sources. But a closer look reveals a totally comprehensive feature set that makes this system the essential nerve center for any large recording facility centered around a high-definition digital audio workstation. The m906 offers a full compliment of balanced and unbalanced analog 5.1 and digital 5.1 and stereo inputs – the latter featuring our latest generation reference quality 24/192 DAC technology. All inputs and outputs can be user calibrated for seamless integration into any playback environment with all types of playback equipment. The m906 is configured as a 2U rack mount mainframe controlled by a sleek, convenient desktop control. All audio is kept in the mainframe and all control is via the remote control. Also included as a standard feature is our critically acclaimed m902 headphone amplifier circuitry, with one output jack on the mainframe and one additional output on the remote. This circuitry provides true audiophile headphone amplification for critical monitoring, mixing and quality control. While the m906 boasts a remarkable compliment of useful features, the real achievement for us is to provide all of this while maintaining the impeccable, transparent audio performance for which all of our products are famous. The m906 is designed to empower audio professionals with the highest performance and most comprehensive feature set that any monitor control system has to offer.
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