Signal Processing & 500 Series
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Whether you're putting the finishing touches on your studio or just starting out, Sweetwater has the signal processing equipment and signal processors you need. We stock an exhaustive selection of the finest gear from the top pro-audio companies. With thousands of excellent products to choose from, the process of selecting the right components for your needs - ones that will sonically complement and work well with each other - can be a chore. But no worries. Whatever your requirements, our experts can help you choose wisely. Not only is our state-of-the-art recording studio a proving ground for all the hot new gear - our highly trained Sales Engineers evaluate the latest audio equipment on a daily basis in home and commercial studios. Drawing on their extensive consulting experience, they are uniquely qualified to help you put together a killer signal processing rack at a price you can afford. So what do you need? Let's say you're outfitting your studio from scratch...
There are certain categories of signal processors that are essential for every well-equipped studio or live rig. Rather than dealing with separate preamp, EQ, and dynamics control units, many engineers prefer the convenience of signal processing channel strips, which combine two or all three of these functions into one unit. If you go the separate route, you'll need at least one compressor/limiter. Expanders and gates, another category of dynamics control, help you sculpt your signals and clean up your tracks. Graphic EQ is commonly used in live sound work for ringing out the monitors and PA to eliminate feedback, but it also comes in handy in the studio. Feedback Reduction is another front of house essential that uses an algorithm to automatically pinpoint problematic frequencies and applies EQ to attenuate them.
Signal processors such as, parametric EQ is your basic sound-shaping tool, and it's available in many different flavors, from vintage-style tube rackmounts and classic "British console EQ" to modern hybrid units. Reverb units let you add ambience - natural or otherworldly - to your signal. Effects and multi-effects units come in an endless variety, from '70s-style phasing and flanging to overdrive and distortion to signal-morphing pitch and frequency shifting, spectral warping, and more. Exciters are a class of signal enhancers that use dynamic EQ, phase modulation, high-frequency harmonic synthesis, or slight amounts of harmonic distortion to add sonic "excitement" to a source. Mastering requires a subset of the tools used in recording (EQ, dynamics, etc.), specifically aimed at optimizing the sound of mixes for radio, optical disk, MP3, or other formats.
Almost all contemporary studios have to deal with digital audio in one way or another. Signal processors such as, AD/DA converters are the tools that let you digitize analog signals for development in your DAW and convert them back to analog for monitoring and routing to outboard processors. Miscellaneous digital converters combine the functionality of, for instance, eight preamps with AD/DA conversion in a single chassis. Synchronizers are signal processors that provide the precision clocking that ensures that the digital components of your studio are operating in sync, which eliminates smear and other undesirable digital artifacts that can degrade your signal. Sweetwater also carries product-specific signal processor accessories such as rackmount kits, stereo adapters, remote controls, and more.
Sweetwater is the USA's premier online pro-audio and musical instrument retailer, and our massive warehouse is fully stocked with the best products at amazing prices. But doing the right thing for our customers doesn't end there. With our fast, free shipping, you'll be tracking up a storm with your new gear in no time. And you can invest in quality signal processing equipment without worry - we include Sweetwater's exclusive 2-year warranty for free with nearly every product we carry. Want to save even more? Choose from hundreds of rebates, price drops, and open-box discounts in our DealZone. Ready to get started? Check out our informative Signal Processing Buying Guide, or give one of our Sales Engineers a call. You'll soon be on your way to realizing the studio or live sound rig of your dreams!
There are certain categories of signal processors that are essential for every well-equipped studio or live rig. Rather than dealing with separate preamp, EQ, and dynamics control units, many engineers prefer the convenience of signal processing channel strips, which combine two or all three of these functions into one unit. If you go the separate route, you'll need at least one compressor/limiter. Expanders and gates, another category of dynamics control, help you sculpt your signals and clean up your tracks. Graphic EQ is commonly used in live sound work for ringing out the monitors and PA to eliminate feedback, but it also comes in handy in the studio. Feedback Reduction is another front of house essential that uses an algorithm to automatically pinpoint problematic frequencies and applies EQ to attenuate them.
Signal processors such as, parametric EQ is your basic sound-shaping tool, and it's available in many different flavors, from vintage-style tube rackmounts and classic "British console EQ" to modern hybrid units. Reverb units let you add ambience - natural or otherworldly - to your signal. Effects and multi-effects units come in an endless variety, from '70s-style phasing and flanging to overdrive and distortion to signal-morphing pitch and frequency shifting, spectral warping, and more. Exciters are a class of signal enhancers that use dynamic EQ, phase modulation, high-frequency harmonic synthesis, or slight amounts of harmonic distortion to add sonic "excitement" to a source. Mastering requires a subset of the tools used in recording (EQ, dynamics, etc.), specifically aimed at optimizing the sound of mixes for radio, optical disk, MP3, or other formats.
Almost all contemporary studios have to deal with digital audio in one way or another. Signal processors such as, AD/DA converters are the tools that let you digitize analog signals for development in your DAW and convert them back to analog for monitoring and routing to outboard processors. Miscellaneous digital converters combine the functionality of, for instance, eight preamps with AD/DA conversion in a single chassis. Synchronizers are signal processors that provide the precision clocking that ensures that the digital components of your studio are operating in sync, which eliminates smear and other undesirable digital artifacts that can degrade your signal. Sweetwater also carries product-specific signal processor accessories such as rackmount kits, stereo adapters, remote controls, and more.
Sweetwater is the USA's premier online pro-audio and musical instrument retailer, and our massive warehouse is fully stocked with the best products at amazing prices. But doing the right thing for our customers doesn't end there. With our fast, free shipping, you'll be tracking up a storm with your new gear in no time. And you can invest in quality signal processing equipment without worry - we include Sweetwater's exclusive 2-year warranty for free with nearly every product we carry. Want to save even more? Choose from hundreds of rebates, price drops, and open-box discounts in our DealZone. Ready to get started? Check out our informative Signal Processing Buying Guide, or give one of our Sales Engineers a call. You'll soon be on your way to realizing the studio or live sound rig of your dreams!
