AMS Neve has announced the new Neve 2264ALB, a recreation of the classic 2264A limiter/compressor in Lunchbox format.
This is the third in AMS Neve’s Lunchbox-ready range and like the others – the 1073LB preamp and its counterpart, the 1073LBEQ – it uses authentic components and circuitry. It also embodies a couple of additional features requested by customers during the beta-testing phase.
The original 2264A was released in 1974 and found a ready market both as a channel strip element and as an outboard unit. Neve stopped producing that model many years ago and the original units continue to be highly sought-after on the second-hand market.
Recent demand for the module resulted in the relaunch of the 2264A classic module in 2010. The model’s overall popularity, both historic and recent, made it the obvious product choice to engineer into the 500-series format and join AMS Neve’s Lunchbox Series.
Like its archetype, this new 2264ALB is hand assembled at Neve’s headquarters in the U.K. It uses hand-wound transformers to the original specs, custom-made for AMS Neve and unavailable to any other manufacturer.
It also follows the same architecture as, and delivers identical response to the original – and adds a Signal Presence LED for ease of checking status.
“The original 2264A, with a three millisecond attack time, was perfect for tracking,” explains David Walton, AMS Neve product manager for the outboard range. “But people kept telling us they wanted a 2264 they could use for mixing too. So we’ve fitted a Slow Attack switch, which changes the attack time to 12 milliseconds, allowing a 2264ALB (or a pair) to be used as mix bus compressors, where a slower attack time is desirable.”
The 2264ALB, like the 1073LBEQ, also incorporates Neve’s Audio Processing Insert design, allowing it to inserted between the input and output stages of a 1073LB module. When all three – the 1073LB, 1073LBEQ and 2264ALB – are combined this gives customers the option of a classic Neve channel strip in Lunchbox format.
The new unit will be on display at the 131st AES Convention in New York, with AMS Neve staff demonstrating it and other Neve outboard products on the Vintage King booth, number 228. AMS Neve staff will also be demonstrating the latest Neve Genesys console on the GC Pro booth, number 839.
