Focusrite Red One 500 Series Microphone Preamp

The Red 1 500 Series Mic Pre features the same circuitry and components (where available) as the original dual-transformer Red 1993 mic pre, based in turn on Rupert Neve's 1985 mic pre designs for AIR Studios. Proudly made in England, the Red 1 500 offers the same performance as the original, highly-regarded Focusrite Red microphone preamplifier, bringing the internationally-acclaimed Focusrite Heritage Sound to the popular 500 Series, or "Lunchbox" portable modular system. It's ideal for mobile/location use as well as in the studio.

Producer Charlie Andrew records violin through a pair of Red 1 500 preamps in this video:


Focusrite's Red Range was a direct development of Rupert Neve's designs created for Sir George Martin's AIR studios in 1985. The range rapidly gained legendary status following its release in 1993 and the Red 1 soon became a sought-after mic preamp in the world's top studios, thanks to its ability to get the best from almost any microphone and its unique, signature Focusrite sound.

The Focusrite Red 1 500 Series Mic Pre offers the same performance as the original Focusrite Red microphone preamplifier -- but in an increasingly popular format: the 500 Series, or "Lunchbox" portable modular system. It's ideal for mobile/location use as well as in the studio. The Red 1 features the same circuit topology and components (where available) as the original transformer-based 1993 Red 1 mic pre, based in turn on the original designs for AIR Studios, and proudly made… read more in England.

If you love the Lunchbox format and you want to bring that special Focusrite Heritage Sound into your studio, then Red 1 500, with its signature red anodised aluminium front panel, is for you.

Red 1 500 offers a compact interface to digital recording systems or for location recordings as well as convenient access in any control room, with a Lundahl LL1538 input transformer, just as in the original; switchable phantom power; polarity invert; and an illuminated classic porthole VU meter. The output stage of Red 1 500, with its custom Carnhill transformer, will easily drive long cable runs without loss of quality -- ideal for remote recordings. Mic gain is switched (with a Grayhill gold-plated military-grade switch) in 6dB steps from -6 to +60dB, for accurate, precise channel matching and recall.

The unique Focusrite mic preamp topology provides superb common mode rejection, excellent overload margin and, with its shared gain structure, (14dB from the transformer and up to 46dB from the amplifier) a very low noise floor, combined with the traditional wide bandwidth of the original Red series (10Hz to 140kHz). This exceptional level of performance is maintained over a wide range of impedances applied to the input, making the Red 1 500 suitable for almost any microphone -- ribbon, dynamic or condenser.

Features:

- Original Red circuit topology and components: Red 1 500 recreates the original Red 1 mic pre, made in England with the original circuitry and components (where commercially available) for that legendary signature sound.
- 500 Series "Lunchbox" format: For the first time, a Focusrite product is available in this popular portable rack format
- Lundahl LL1538 Input Transformer: The original mic transformer used in the original Red modules helps to provide the unique sound and performance of this groundbreaking design.
- Carnhill custom output transformer: An important contributor to the sound, the output transformer also allows Red 1 500 to drive long lines, ideal for remote and mobile applications for which the Lunchbox format was originally intended.
- Grayhill gold-plated mil-grade gain switch: The switched gain structure of the Red 1 500 means accurate setting and recall, and with a solid, super-reliable, gold-plated selector switch you know you'll get repeatable results.
- Suitable for virtually any microphone: With gain from -6 to +60dB in 6dB steps and a carefully chosen input impedance, Red 1 500 is perfect for almost any microphone, be it ribbon, dynamic or condenser.
- Backlit VU meter with switchable calibration: The built-in VU meter helps gain accurate, repeatable results, with calibration to ensure your levels are always spot on.
- Polarity invert and +48V phantom power: Maximum microphone flexibility in the studio or on location.

The Red 1 500 Series Mic Pre gives you Focusrite's signature sound in a popular, versatile form factor. read less