Manley Labs announced the CORE, an analog channel strip. CORE is an innovative and affordable mic preamplifier, compressor, equalizer, and limiter combo-unit that combines the greatest hits of the Manley product line with fresh technology.
The intuitive design incorporates musical and forgiving circuitry that allows the user to concentrate on performance rather than be lost in a sea of knobs. No other channel strip at this price point offers higher headroom or higher end sound than the CORE, which is, like all Manley products, handcrafted in Southern California.
“As more musicians are contributing to a project remotely, coached by the recording engineer over the telephone, we saw the need to provide an affordable and easy-to-use, excellent sounding recording channel for these guys. They aren’t engineers, they are musicians!” commented EveAnna Manley, president of Manley Labs. “The CORE is feature-laden without being confusing. Its whole purpose is to give the musician the tools he needs to turn in a great sounding track.”
Front panel controls include 48V Phantom power switch, 120Hz High Pass Filter switch, Phase Invert switch. Input Attenuator (Variable Pad), Mic Pre Selectable Gain 40 dB or 60 dB (Total Gain >70 dB) and Line Amp Selectable Gain 20 dB or 40 dB,
The Mic-Line preamplifier features a hand-wound Manley IRON®; input transformer with nickel laminations in a mu-metal can, Class A tube amplifying stage circuit topology (similar to the Manley VOXBOX®; and Manley Dual Mono & Mono Microphone Preamplifiers), all-triode high voltage vacuum tube circuit and regulated 300 Volt B+ supply.
A quarter-inch direct input is similar to the DI in the Manley SLAM! with all-discrete solid-state circuit and 10 Meg Ohm input impedance (ideal for guitars, bass, keyboards, etc.).
The on-board compressor utilizes the ELOP technology also found in the Manley VOXBOX and is placed before the mic preamp making it virtually impossible to clip. It offers a ratio of 3:1, continuously variable Attack, Release, and Threshold controls and a silent bypass switch.
The equalizer has low and high Baxandall shelves (80 Hz and 12 kHz) with ± 12dB range and a sweepable midrange bell EQ (100 Hz – 1 kHz) or (1–10 kHz) with ±10dB range.
A fast attack FET brickwall limiter offers continuously variable threshold and release controls, a Peak Limit LED indicator and 10dB range output gain control.
A large illuminated analog display provides a 3-way meter select to read Compressor gain reduction, Mic Preamp Output level, and Main Output audio levels.
Inputs and outputs include balanced XLR mic inputs and line inputs, a front panel direct instrument 1/4” input, insert point between Mic Preamp/Compressor and EQ/Limiter via 1/4” TRS jack, balanced XLR direct output (after Preamp/Compressor section) and balanced XLR main output.
Availability and Pricing: The Manley Core is available Q2 2014 at a MSRP of US $2250.00.
