ART USB Dual Tube Pre  

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    $189.00
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  • Your Price:
    $14900

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ART

Tube preamp with optical limiter, S/PDIF, and USB connectivity.

The ART USBDualTubePre is a compact, dual-channel tube preamp designed for any basic recording system. Capable of operating as a standalone unit with USB audio interface, or as an expander for any digital system with S/PDIF digital input, each channel in the USBDualTubePre delivers superior tube tone in a fully featured input strip.

Each input of the USBDualTubePre has independent input gain control and output level, phase inversion, low frequency roll-off, true 48V phantom power, and a user-defeatable optocompressor circuit—capable of ensuring superior dynamic control of any input source.

For monitoring, an 1/8" mini headphone jack with level and monitor mix controls allow latency-free monitoring of the inputs while recording, as well as playback monitoring of audio mix via USB bus. The monitor mix is also routed to 1/4" TRS (balanced) outputs with separate level control for control room monitor source.

The USB interface is fully USB compliant. No special drivers are needed.

Features

  • Two-channel tube-based Mic/Instrument preamp computer interface
  • Extremely low noise discrete front end with variable input and output controls
  • Advanced optical output compressor to simplify recording and prevent overload
  • USB connectivity to desktop and laptop computers
  • S/PDIF output for expanding inputs on digital workstations and computer interfaces
  • Latency free Monitoring Mix and Level controls
  • Balanced XLR for lo-Z applications and 1/4" hi-Z inputs for instrument DI applications
  • Separate Gain, Phase Invert, Low Cut Filter and Compressor switches on each input
  • Selectable Dual or Stereo operation of output controls
  • Switch selectable Inserts on each channel
  • Insert jacks provide a preamp direct out for each channel
  • Stereo/ Dual operation of Optical Compressor
  • Mono switch for single input monitoring
  • S/PDIF Sample Rate switch selectable between 44.1K and 48K
  • Precision LED metering of both the preamp and A/D sections
  • Built-in low noise +48 Volt phantom power supply
  • Compact, stackable all aluminum chassis

Super cost-effective tube front end for your DAW. Order today!

USB Dual Tube Pre Specifications:

  • Input connections: XLR/1/4" Combo jack - XLR balanced or 1/4" unbalanced
  • Input impedance: 1M ohm 1/4" input; >4k ohm XLR input; 20k ohm insert input
  • Output connection: 1/4" TRS (balanced); 1/8" TRS headphone mini-jack
  • Output impedance: 600 ohm (balanced 1/4"); 300 ohm (inserts); < 50 ohm (headphone 1/8")
  • Frequency response: 20Hz – 27kHz (+0, -1dB)
  • Maximum gain: +65dB (balanced in-out), +45dB (unbalanced input, balanced output)
  • THD: <0.01% @ 1kHz
  • CMRR: >60dB
  • Equivalent input noise: -129dBu typical (“A” weighted, shorted XLR balanced input, gain @ maximum)
  • Maximum input level: unbalanced (Inst.): +16 dBu, balanced (mic): +12dBu, Insert input: +7.5dBu
  • Max output level: +5dBu unbalanced; +11dBu balanced; +7.5dBu (insert output)
  • Phantom Power: Switch-selectable, +48Volts DC, filtered, current-limited
  • Tube Type: Hand-selected 12AX7A
  • Compressor slope: Progressively increasing slope, 10:1 max.
  • Compressor range: 28dB attenuation max.
  • Low-cut filter: -3dB @ 70Hz, 6dB/Octave
  • USB A/D-D/A: 16-bit/44.1kHz or 48kHz, USB selectable from computer, 0.4 ms A/D latency @ 44.1K Hz
  • S/PDIF A/D: 24-bit/44.1kHz or 48kHz, switch-selectable; 0.4ms A/D latency @ 44.1kHz
  • Computer interface: USB 2.0 compliant, Windows 98SE/ME/2000/XP/Vista, Win 7, Apple OS9.1/OSX computers with native USB support
  • Chassis type: All-aluminum black anodized with integral rubber sides
  • Power requirements: 9VAC @ 1000mA (external)
  • Dimensions: 1-3/4"H x 5-15/16"W x 6-1/2"D (44.5mm x 150mm x 165mm)
  • Weight: 2.5 lb. (1.14 kg) with power supply and packaging
  • *Note: 0dBu = 0.775Vrms
Write a Review Overall Rating Customer Reviews 2 See all 2 customer reviews...

Great little utility recording box!

| Review By: Brian Skipworth | 3 months, 4 weeks ago

0 people out of 0 found this review helpful

Features:

A surprising number of features packed into this teeny little box. It's amazing the puzzle assembled by the circuit board and frontpanel designers. It helps to have small fingers when pressing the small, tightly-spaced buttons, but that's a direct result of the feature set.

Quality:

Feels sturdy, especially for Chinese factory-made product.

Value:

Astoundingly cheap for the huge list of features and respectable sound quality.

Overall:

This box is exactly what I needed to expand a little practice space recording rig. We have a pair of MXL pencil condensers on a stereo bar over the drums and they run to the Dual Pre then into the S/PDIF input on an old M-Audio Firewire interface. The drums come through clear and my drummer is happy he can hear every nuance of his fills.

 

This is a very solid, smartly conceived and executed product. Well done ART. Well done.

Do you own the product?:
Yes
Have you used the product?:
Yes
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Did you find this review helpful? yes no1109407

Better Than A Swiss Army Knife

| Review By: Rick H | 1 year, 3 weeks ago

5 people out of 5 found this review helpful

Features:
Quality:
Value:
Overall:
ART has done it again.    This amazing company always seems to know what my needs are.   I'm sure many others  must have the same requirements.     This handy device does just about all necessary front end audio tasks in a very compact portable unit.  It's stereo or two track mono with digital and analog outputs as well as having a USB interface.     The only notable LACK is a digital input and there's no EQ.     Those aren?t  as essential and  EQ can be done in post production.      I wish these Dual USB Tube Pre's were around years ago.     If you have any audio device that must be fed into any type of input,  this is the unit to do the job.   It  has tube circuitry,  phasing, low cut filters,  switchable monitoring  and a limiter.   WOW,    what more could you ask.      To  begin to answer that question you need to understand that this is a Swiss Army Knife type tool and isn't intended to be  in the same league as high end components.    Having said that,    it sounds great and is very quiet.    When you're on the go or have limited rack space,  this will be way more than adequate.    The interface USB is only 16bit but that is still absolute CD quality.  Again, this is a problem solver and by far out-weighs  any minor technical performance limitations. I also come across some compatibility issues which my be from something I didn't execute properly when setting up.    The S/PDIF output didn't get recognized by three of the four interfaces I have.    It does work quite well with my Tascam US 800 which is the one I need to use with it anyway.  I just want you to be aware that I'm being candid here.    Also, the first time I connected with my Vista desk top computer,   My DAW  only responded to a signal on one channel.    If these are red flags for you,  you need to investigate more fully.     I usually suspect human error  (my own),  before I pass judgment.         After all is considered,  I highly recommend   the ART USB  Dual tube preamp. 
Do you own the product?:
Yes
Have you used the product?:
No
Musical Experience:
Audio Engineer
Style of music you play:
unspecified
Where you live:
Kenosha WI

Did you find this review helpful? yes no901578

See all 2 customer reviews...
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