SUMMIT AUDIO ECS-410 Flagship 4 in 1 Everest Ultimate Channel Strip Tube Preamp Processor

 ECS-410  SUMMIT AUDIO 

 4 in 1 Everest Ultimate Channel Strip Preamp Processor 

The Summit Audio ECS-410 Everest Channel Strip is a distinctly different, four section analog processor and microphone preamp, ideal for tracking, recording, and processing your most important signals. Each section is completely independent with its own fully balanced IO with the ability to route each section together internally with TouchPatch™, a unique and amazingly intuitive routing section. Four complete products, amalgamated into one master channel strip. 

Features:

• Mic/Instrument Tube/SS Preamp 

• Passive EQ 

• Dual Mode Dynamics 

• Tube/SS Overdriveable Master DriveBus™ 

• TouchPatch™ Single Touch Routing 

• Each section has individual I/O or route together with TouchPatch™ 

• Completely variable sound from open and pristine to total overdrive 

• Three Year Warranty 

Summit Audio's design philosophy with the ECS-410 Everest is a no-compromise, high-value approach to every step of the design and manufacturing process. From the choice of thru-hole parts for high reliability and easy repairs to using gold plated circuit boards, Summit Audio has crafted the ECS-410 Everest for a lifetime of use. 

The modular design of the ECS-410 Everest makes service and updating extremely simple, as well as giving great separation for each section, with direct power, audio, and ground connections. Each card has double, redundant contacts to the main board and we use actual wire, not failure-prone ribbon cables. All contacts from the cards to the front panel controls use three finger contacts, the most reliable and solid connections available. The inputs and outputs are all fully balanced and use high end connectors in all cases. The steel chassis is very strong and offers excellent shielding with a highly durable coating for a lifetime of use with a minimum of evidence of wear. And most importantly, each section is laid out by hand, so trace routing is the result of experience and testing, not the accidental routing coming from a computer generated 'auto-route' feature. Attention to details like this truly make the ECS-410 Everest stand above. 

At A Glance:

• Mz2- Microphone and Instrument Preamplifier

• Dc1- Dual Mode Dynamics Control

• Fe1- Passive Three Band Equalizer

• Db2- Drive Bus Master Output and Drive Section

• Touch Patch Routing Section

• Power Supplies

• Flexibility

Mz2- Microphone and Instrument Preamplifier

At the far left stands the Mz2 microphone and instrument preamplifier. The culmination of Summit Audio's many years of experience making preamps, the Mz2 is made for tone and sweetness with no
sacrifice in noise or distortion specs, the perfect blend of fidelity and flavor . The design in the Mz2 starts with a discrete, matched and hand tested transistor stage. Next is an interstage, bypassable 12AX7A vacuum
tube, getting full plate voltage (185V). Following is the interstage Jensen transformer, the best location for a transformer as feeding it with high level is the best for the sound, for isolation, and for noise immunity.

When you plug an instrument into the hi-Z in, it goes directly to the tube, then to the transformer (not to an op amp), instantly lending tone and life to your bass, guitar, or other instrument. Controls include sweepable gain with the top-of-the line potentiometer offering 10X the rotational life of most other pots, 10 segment LED metering, super clean +48VDC phantom power (see power supply), -20dB pad, switchable polarity, 60Hz HPF, and tube/solid state switch. IO includes XLR mic in, front panel 1/4" hi-Z in, balanced XLR line level out, 1/4" Insert, plus balanced 1/4" -10dB out (great for using the ECS-410 as the front end to your bass or guitar rig).

Dc1- Dual Mode Dynamics Control 

Summit Audio's 20+ years of compression tradition is well represented in the Dc1 compressor. Utilizing a discrete transistor attenuator design, the Dc1 has that sweet program compensated and user directed timing that Summit Audio has been famous for since the very beginning, making for a very musical and satisfying compression experience. The Dc1 is VERY low noise, even under hard compression, and is fully temperature compensated to avoid any thermal drift. Along with the usual controls of make-up gain, threshold, attack, and release (on top-of-the-line potentiometers), the Dc1 adds a mode switch for choosing "Classic" or "Tight" compression modes. Classic is the smooth, signal-dependent kind of compression you're used to hearing from Summit Audio. It is clean, smooth, easy, and musical. Tight mode tightens the reigns, allowing for a much higher compression ratio, clamping the signal and controlling those peaks while still maintaining the integrity of the sound. Standing to the left is the accurate and easy-to-read 10 segment gain reduction meter showing 1-1/2dB steps. Includes master straightwire bypass and stereo link mode (for linking with another ECS-410 Everest). IO includes balanced XLR in and out, 1/4" stereo link jack, and 1/4" side chain insert.

Fe1- Passive Three Band Equalizer 

Standing at the top of ECS-410 Everest is the Fe1 passive three band EQ. We chose to design a passive EQ circuit for the distinct sound, warmth, and great phase coherence we can get from passive LC circuits. Based around the incredible FeQ-50 passive EQ, the Fe1 is a flavor enhancer, perfect for sculpting your sound as you record and to add that distinctive touch when processing. This passive EQ features a custom LF inductor with all inductors shielded against EMI, high quality film capacitors, four transistor buffers, and a very minimal signal path. Each of the three bands has 6 selectable frequencies utilizing sealed, gold-flash switches with sweepable 12dB of cut or boost on the highest end center-detent potentiometers. The low and high bands are also switchable between shelving and peaking filters. Master straight-wire bypass included. IO includes balanced XLR in and XLR out.

Db2- Drive Bus Master Output and Drive Section 

One of the truly unique features of ECS-410 Everest is the Db2 drive bus. More than just a master output section, Db2 has multiple gain stages for overdriving, either in vacuum tube or discrete transistor mode, each with a totally unique and variable sound. With dual 12AX7A vacuum tubes, the Db2 use both a triple triode, zero feedback vacuum tube and high voltage transistor approach with real Class A power for anything from clean and linear to fully driven and saturated and anything in between. Need very low distortion and lots of extra gain? Turn the output up all the way and use the drive gain to get the level you need. Want to add overdrive to a signal? Turn the output gain down and use the drive gain to get the amount of drive you need. Tube or transistor, each has a unique and distinct sound. Want the ultimate it quiet and low distortion? Bypass the whole section. Also included is a calibratable analog VU meter for true output level metering. IO includes balanced XLR in and out, plus 1/4" TRS -10dB out (great for using the ECS-410 as the front end to your bass or guitar rig).

Touch Patch Routing Section 

Unique to ECS-410 Everest is the TouchPatch master routing section. With the touch of a single button you can route any section to and from any other section. These are no MOS switches, there is no audio routed to the front panel for the switching, it remains close to the signal path so no audio runs around the interior where it can lose fidelity from high voltage or other noise generating fields. We use gold flash, double contact relays, and no computer or microprocessor making noise inside the unit. Need to route the preamp to the compressor, to the EQ, to the drive bus? One button. Need to pull the EQ out of the chain? One button. Want the EQ before the compressor? One button. Choose one of any 10 routing schemes in the most intuitive and flexible routing section ever offered. And remember, each section has it's own independent input and output, so any one not routed is still fully operational on its own.

Power Supplies 

ECS-410 Everest utilizes two separate power supplies. For all audio, we use a discrete linear supply, with fully regulated and double isolated B+ with discrete regulated and triple LC filtered +48VDC phantom power for absolute purity when powering your mics. A separate power supply supplies power for all metering and control, keeping any possible noise generating components fully isolated.

Flexibility

The ECS-410 Everest excels in all regards. Since each section has it's own IO (and in some cases, multiple IO), each can be wired into your patch bay for individual use. Each section can also be routed internally with the TouchPatch one-touch routing section, but the outputs of each section are still active. For example, route the ECS-410 Everest from the Mz2 Preamp, to the Dc1 Compressor, to the Fe1 EQ, to the Db2 Drive Bus. Plug your microphone into the preamp section, adjust gains and processing sections so you get what you want out the main XLR output. The Mz2 preamps output is still active, sending an unprocessed output from the mic. The Dc1's output is still active, sending the compressed and preamped signal out. The Fe1's output is active as well, sending the preamped, compressed, EQed signal out it's individual output. Add to this the -10dB TRS outputs on both the Mz2 and Db2 and with one microphone you can get six outputs, all at different stages of the processing!

Specifications:

Mz2- Microphone and Instrument Preamplifier

• Max gain: +60dB (plus 20dB when routed through the Db2 drive bus output)

• THD+N (@ +30dB): 0.008% (A weighted), 0.01% (unweighted)

• Max Out: +25dB

• Frequency Response: Solid State 10Hz-200kHz +/- 3dB; 15Hz-120K +/-0.5dB; Tube 15Hz-159K +/-3dB, 15Hz-65Hz +/-0.5dB

• Input impedance: 2K ohms

• Type: Switchable tube (12AX7A) or discrete transistor

• HPF: 60Hz, 6dB/8va

• Metering: 10 segment LED

• Phantom Power +48VDC

• Pad: -20dB

• Polarity: 0 or 180 degrees

• IO: Balanced XLR mic in, front panel 1/4" hi-Z in, balanced XLR +4dB (nominal) out,

• 1/4" TRS -10dB(nominal)

Fe1- Passive 3 Band Equalizer

• Frequency Response: 5Hz- 100kHz +/-0.5dB , 5Hz- >200kHz +/-3dB

• Cut/Boost: +/- 12dB per band

• Low shelf: 6dB/8va, peaking bandwidth 2 octaves

• Mid peaking bandwidth: 2 octaves

• High shelf: 6dB/8va, peaking bandwidth 2 octaves

• IO: balanced XLR +4dB in and out

Dc1- Dual Mode Compressor

• Frequency Response: 5dB >200kHz +/- 3dB, 5Hz-136kHz +/-0.5dB

• Gain: -4dB to +10dB

• Attack: variable from

• Release: variable from

• Ratio: Classic Tight

• Metering: 10 segment LED for gain reduction

• IO: Balanced XLR +4dB in and out, 1/4" side chain, 1/4" stereo link

Db2- Drive Bus Master Output and Overdrive

• THD+N (@+4dB, no cut or boost):

• Bypass: 0.002% (A weighted), 0.008% (unweighted)

• Tube: 0.3% to overdrive (unweighted)

• Solid State: 0.013% to overdrive (unweighted)

• Frequency Response: Tube / Solid State 5Hz- > 200kHz +/- 3dB, 5Hz-130kHz +/- 0.5dB

• Gain: +20dB

• Type: Tube (12AX7A) or discrete transistor

• Metering: analog VU output level

• IO: balanced XLR +4dB in and out, -10dB 1/4" TRS out

• Power requirements: 100VAC-240VAC (different fuse and switch position for 100V, 115V and 240V)

• Dimensions: 2RU, 19" x 3.5" x 17"

• Weight: 26 lbs

SALE: $3999.99

FREE S&H in continental US (e-mail for international / offshore USA rates)