ART Pro Channel Microphone Preamp and Compressor (Model 215)

Professional tube-based microphone/line recording channel. 3 independent world-class modules: tube mic pre, switchable optical compressor, and tube EQ. Warm, smooth, and silky sound quality.

Item: ART215

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ART Pro Channel Microphone Preamp and Compressor (Model 215) reviews

Rate and Review This Product:

41 People rated this product : * * * * * * * * * * 8 out of 10

 

10 People wrote reviews

Read all ART Pro Channel Microphone Preamp and Compressor (Model 215) reviews...
* * * * * * * * * * 8 out of 10 zZounds has verified that this customer bought this product from us.

"The best bang for the buck in its price range."

Feature:
It definitely has the best feature set in its price range - legitimate tube preamp with HPF, double-duty compressor (either tube or optical mode for different sounds and applications), and legitimate tube EQ with two sweepable mids. Each section would be a great unit on its own, and in fact they were before Art combined them as a channel strip. I like that they've kept a modular design - you can patch into or out of each individual section, or even re-patch them to re-route the signal flow (like if you'd rather have the signal go from the preamp to the EQ before going into the compressor). I've found that I like to have a few different compressors available to choose from for different applications, and I can easily bypass the internal compressor before coming back into the unit for EQ. My one complaint is that the compressor doesn't have variable attack or release times - instead, you have a button that chooses "fast" or "slow" for attack, and "fast" or "auto" for release. I have to admit that these options work for 90% of applications, but for control freaks who really want to fine-tune their compression (like me), it's a bummer. That's why I keep an FMR Really Nice Compressor sitting on top of this unit to patch into and out of. The VU meter sucks, though - there's no defending it. It's far too sluggish to have any meaningful use, and while it looks cool, I wish they had used the space for attack and release knobs for the compressor.

Quality:
It feels nice, smells nice, and looks nice. I knocked it off of the table once onto a hardwood floor and it hasn't had a single problem (cosmetic or function-wise) since.

Value:
The absolute best bang-for-the-buck in its price range. You'd have to spend significantly more (around $1,000 or more) to get a significantly better channel strip.

Desirability:
It looks clean and nice - not too techy and not fake-vintage.

Sound:
Great sound for the price range - it's very clean and the tube pre doesn't color the sound much (can be a good thing or bad thing depending on what you want out of it) until you really drive it. It's a legitimate tube-based design in a world of "just stick a tube in there somewhere and it'll sell" products, and it sounds great and clean. I've heard that swapping out the tubes for better ones can make the sound even better, but I have no complaints thus far.

Ease of Use:
The manual is pretty solid, and anyone who already knows what they're doing shouldn't have much of an issue with it. You have to MAKE SURE that you set up your gain staging correctly, or it'll be noisy, especially if you're using a lot of make-up gain coming out of the compressor. This isn't an issue with the unit as much as an issue with proper gain staging - when I first got it, I was bummed that the compressor section was "so noisy" until I learned to set it up properly (get a good signal coming from the pre, get the compressor zero'd vs. the original signal, then use the master output for whatever makeup gain you might need). The actual interface is perfectly usable.

Support:
I haven't needed any support yet, but the manual is nice and helpful. I wish the manual/company was a little friendlier about encouraging swapping out the tubes, but I understand that they have to cover their butts if someone fries their own unit.

Overall:
I'll use it until I can afford something significantly better. And then I'll still use it.

Submitted: 8/4/2007

Style of Music: synthesizer pop

7 of 7 people (100%) found this review helpful. Did you?

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* * * * * * * * * * 9 out of 10

"If you can't afford $1500 for a preamp, then this is what you need."

Feature:
For the price, I don't think you'll find anything close to this for features. The only thing that's missing for me would be variable impedance, and more attack/release control on the compressor. However the compressor as it is still performs exceptionally will. The option to have optical or tube compression is nice.

Quality:
I gave this a ten, simply because for the price you won't find anything better than this. This is IT. Like other reviews have said, you'd have to spend $1000 more to get anything noticeably better. For the guys who said they are getting a lot of noise... you don't know how to use it. The one thing to make sure of is that you use the Hi-Z output so you don't have to add another gain stage going into your DAW. The only problem I've had with this unit was that for a while the compressor was taking around 5 minutes to kick in after turning it on. The problem went away on it's own, so I never ended up doing anything about it.

Value:
Like I said... for the price, this is IT.

Desirability:
It's no Avalon, as far as sex appeal goes, but it does come across as a serious piece of gear to people in the studio.

Sound:
Very clean sound. EQ works just like it should. The compressor is quite transparent - much better than most bundled software plug-ins. The tube preamp is very clean, only colors sound when it is nearing overdrive but even then still produces a pleasing sound.

Ease of Use:
Read the manual. If you already know how to run a channel strip, this will be no problem.

Support:
Haven't needed it yet.

Overall:
The price has dropped since I got mine around 2 years ago. I'll probably buy another one soon.

Submitted: 7/9/2008

Style of Music: Rock, Pop, Electronic

2 of 2 people (100%) found this review helpful. Did you?

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Read all ART Pro Channel Microphone Preamp and Compressor (Model 215) reviews...

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About This Product!
Description
Docs
From Our Catalog
The Pro Channel from ART is the latest offering from the world's most popular tube dynamics processing manufacturer. ART engineers have combined the world-renowned Pro MPA, Pro VLA, and Tube EQ into a single product - creating the world's best-sounding and most affordable professional recording channel.


The four-band parametric equalizer has selectable Q for the two sweepable mid-bands. As with all design elements of the Pro Channel, these Q options were fine-tuned by some of the industry's top studio and live-sound engineers. Likewise, all new additions were made without compromise to the sound of the original designs (Pro MPA, Pro VLA, Tube EQ), which have become standards in professional studios and FOH rigs around the globe.

The Pro Channel defines the term channel strip. The Pro Channel is an impressive package from the world-wide leaders in tube dynamics signal-processing gear. Pick one up and catch your own tube-buzz at your favorite ART dealer today.

Features
Professional, tube-based microphone/line recording channel.

3 independent world-class modules: tube mic pre, switchable optical compressor, and tube EQ.

Warm, smooth, and silky sound quality.

Precision detented potentiometers.

Selectable VU Metering (mic pre out, compressor out, or Main Out)

Tube Character and Gain Reduction LED Arrays

Balanced XLR and unbalanced 1/4 inch inputs and outputs

Insert Points between Preamp and Compressor, and Compressor and EQ

3 hand-selected vacuum tubes

Professional signal processing for use with any analog or digital recording format

Exceptional processing channel for any line or instrument level signal

5-year warranty

Applications
Professional recording studios, project studios, and home studios

DI Box for instruments

FOH Sound Systems

Digital Audio Workstations and Computer Recording

MIDI recording and samplers

Voice-Over, Broadcast, and Edit Suites

Technical Info

Maximum Gain: XLR to XLR: 83dB; 1/4 in. to 1/4 in.: 65dB

Dynamic Range: >100dB (20-20KHz)

Frequency Response: 10Hz to 20KHz (± .5dB)

Low-Cut Filter Variable: -3dB@10Hz to 250Hz

Input/Output Connections: XLR balanced & 1/4 in. unbalanced

Insert Connections: 1/4 in. unbalanced

Input Impedance: 1.67k ohms (XLR), 1M ohm (1/4 in.)

Output Impedance: 600 ohms (XLR), 300 ohms (1/4 in.)

Maximum Input Level: +15dBu (XLR), +21dBu (1/4 in.)

Maximum Output Level:+27dBu (XLR), +22dBu (1/4 in.)

Equivalent Input Noise: -130dBu (XLR to XLR, "A" weighted)

Phantom Power: +48v DC (switchable)

Compression
Ratio Variable: 2:1 to >10:1
Attack Time
- Fast: 2ms (optical), 0.5ms (tube)
- Slow: 15ms (for 20dB of comp)
Release Time Fast: 300ms, Auto: 100ms-3sec
Maximum Compression: 30 dB (optical), 23dB (tube)

EQ
Frequency Bands
- Low Shelf: 40Hz/120Hz selectable
- Low-Mid: Sweepable 20Hz to 200Hz/ 200Hz to 2KHz
- Low-Mid Q: Wide/Narrow selectable
- High-Mid Sweepable: 200Hz to 2KHz/ 2KHz to 20KHz
- High-Mid Q: Wide/Narrow selectable
- High Shelf: 6KHz/18KHz selectable
Boost and Cut/Frequency Band: ±12dB (wide), ±20dB (narrow)
Total Harmonic Distortion (THD): <0.1% (typical)

Tubes: 3 hand-selected

Power Requirements: 100-125 VAC, 30W (Export units configured for country of destination)

Dimensions (D x W x H): 6.5 x 19 x 3.50 in.

Weight: 12.0 lbs
All of your ART favorites in a single channel strip! The tube preamp of the Pro MPA, the optical/tube compressor of the Pro VLA, and the 4-band parametric Tube EQ are all here, with the warm, silky sound you've come to expect. XLR and 1/4" I/O.

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