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Rupert Neve Designs 517 500 Series Microphone Preamp & Compressor

1-channel, 500-series-format Microphone Preamplifier and Opto Compressor
$899.00

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Rupert Neve Designs 517 500 Series Microphone Preamp & Compressor
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A Neve Module for Your 500 Series Rig

The first 500 series module designed by Rupert Neve, the 517 microphone preamplifier/compressor, brings fantastic sound quality and tone shaping capability to your 500 series rack. True to the lofty standards of Rupert Neve Designs, the 517 boasts transformer-coupled circuitry for untainted sound and an incredibly versatile feature set. The 517's preamp section, which is based closely on the full-sized 5017 design, sports 66dB of gain and an interdependent direct input with 30dB of gain. The mic preamp includes phantom power and phase reverse, and the instrument input includes a ground-lift switch and instrument thru function.

One of the things that separates the 517 from other 500 series modules (and preamp in general) is its capability to blend both microphone preamplifier and the direct input together, giving you the option of combining, for example, the sound of a bass cabinet with the direct bass signal as you track. To go with this function, the 517 also features Neve's Vari-Phase control, which allows you to adjust the relative phase between the preamp and DI. When used with just the preamp or DI, this same Vari-Phase function allows you to continuously adjust the phase of your signal, an option which gives you considerably more control over how the tone balances in the mix compared to only a standard phase switch.

The compressor section of the 517 is equally as refined at the preamp section. This compressor uses a genuine LDR (light dependent resister) to achieve true opto compressor smoothness. In the tradition of many of the most heralded opto compressors, the 517's compressor section has a fixed attack, release, and 2:1 ratio, allowing you to dial in the degree of compression with a single threshold control. Finally, the 517 also features Neve's famous Silk function, which subtly enhances the signal by reducing negative feedback and shifting the 517's frequency response slightly. If you're unfamiliar with this effects, it's incredibly sweet and musical.

Rupert Neve Designs 517 Preamp/Compressor 500 Series Module Features at a Glance:
  • 500 series format for compatibility with API and other 500 series racks
  • Microphone preamplifier with 0-66dB of gain with switchable 48V phantom power and phase reverse
  • Direct instrument input with 0-30dB of gain (balanced or unbalanced operation)
  • Blend control allows you to blend the mic pre and the DI signal together
  • Vari-phase continuously adjusts the phase of the direct signal only
  • Silk function for enhanced sound
  • Opto compressor section with contiguously variable threshold control (2:1 ratio, attack, and release are fixed)
  • LEDs for signal presence, clipping, and compression indicators
  • Frequency Response: Main Output, no load, -0.2dB at 10Hz -3dB at 160kHz
  • Noise: Measured at Main Output, unweighted, 22Hz-22kHz, Terminated 150 Ohms. With gain at unity better than -100dBu With gain at 66dB better than -62 dBu Equivalent Input Noise better than -128dBu Noise Factor 1.5dB
  • Maximum Output Level: Maximum output from 20Hz-40kHz is +23 dBu
  • Total Harmonic Distortion + Noise: at 1kHz, +20 dBu output: Main Output: Better than 0.001% at 20Hz, +20 dBu output: Main Output: Better than 0.002% Silk Engaged: Better than 0.2% Second harmonic
  • Crosstalk: Measured channel to channel: Better than -90dB at 15kHz
  • Phantom Power: +48 Volts DC +/-1%
Add the quality and flexibility of a Neve series pre to your 500 series rig, with a Rupert Neve Designs 517 module!

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Tech Specs

  • Preamp Type: Solid State
  • Number of Channels: 1
  • Frequency Response: 20Hz-40kHz
  • Phantom Power: Yes
  • Compressor: Yes
  • Manufacturer Part Number: 517

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Customer Reviews

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Rated 5/5

Yup

Simultaneous DI and Mic'd tacking through a Neve Preamp. That's all your really need to know.
Music background: Can flatulate in the key of B-Flat
Rated 5/5

Pure Analog Goodness

I just started getting into 500 series outboard units to add to my home studio. And what better to place in the first slot of my Rupert Neve R6 chassis but the RND 517 Portico, a combination mic pre/instrument DI. When people say you have to hear NEVE gear to believe how good it is, it's no exaggeration. I don't own any high end microphones, but the RPN 517 takes what I do own to another level. It makes anything you plug into it sound rich and full. I've tried to see at what level the signal starts to break up and it just doesn't happen. My vocalist tells me it makes him want to sing even more now. But not only vocals. I tried it on my snare with a plain Jane SM57 and the only way I could describe it was like a "silky gunshot". Incredible. Now, if I could just afford to trick out every mic I use with one.

All that being said, it's only part of the story. The RPN 517 also sports a DI, and with a turn of a knob you can either select just the DI, or turn it completely the other way for just the mic pre, or blend the mic and DI. If you're not recording and don't need to isolate separate tracks, it's a great way to use one preamp on vocals and guitar and save board space; or use the DI on a guitar and blend a mic on a cabinet from the same guitar. And not to worry, there is a variable phase knob so you can blend the two signals just right with out it dropping out of phase.
There is also an instrument thru output jack as well, which we use it all of the time as first in line to send our guitar player's signal out to all of the other amps and guitar interfaces. And not like I understand what 2nd and 3rd harmonics are, but holy wow - it really does add another level of musical richness to just about everything to which it is connected. On bass especially, this is the unit you want use, whether you use anything else or not. It just sounds AMAZING just as a DI. So good.
Music background: Long-time Drummer/Aspiring Audio and Recording Engineer
Rated 5/5

Neve 517

The 517 is my first investment into analog gear. Tracking with this top shelf pre is a game changer and there's a NOTICEABLE difference when mixing. The compression is beautiful. The Mic/DI blending feature is killer when I'm tracking acoustics. Can't say enough about this unit, I got a second one on the way!! It's worth every red cent.
Rated 5/5

Less IS More

I bought it, recorded some tracks, was kind of impressed but thought it was kind of a strange animal. Di plus compression plus some features of the 511 but not as much control of them.

So I returned it.

Then a week later I played back a song that I had used the 517 to record bass on.I realized I had made a huge mistake! The bass just sat perfectly in the mix, this big but kind of relaxed punchiness. I had been anticipating being blown away so much that I missed the quiet, incredible musicality of this thing. Of course, now I was broke because I had spent the refund on other things but a month later I found one...

...thanks to Kenny for recommending this. NEXT time I'll listen...probably. I don't record electric guitar or bass without the little blue compression light on the 517 telling me I'm doing it right.
Rated 5/5

Great MicPre/Comp

517 is a real big step up for me after TL Audio. Incredible sound, incredible compressor (in spite of the fixed ratio and fixed attack&release times).
Music background: Producer
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