SPL Frontliner Modular Channel Strip

This Modular Channel Strip is a Studio Workhorse

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Recording instruments and vocal tracks through a top-notch channel strip like the SPL Frontliner puts you well on your way towards an outstanding mix. Its modular nature, with individual analog ins and outs for the preamp, de-esser, compressor/limiter, and EQ/tube saturation sections, means the Frontliner also represents four outstanding hardware processors in one. The rich, clear sound is ideal for everything from music recording to voiceovers and broadcast. Capture polished recordings on the way in, then take advantage of four world-class analog processors during mixdown with the SPL Frontliner modular channel strip.

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• Top-shelf components and design for outstanding sound
• A versatile front end for agile studio performance
• Easily fits into your studio

Time to get geeky: the SPL Frontliner boasts a discrete semiconductor/tube hybrid preamplifier that combines the best characteristics of solid-state and tube preamp technologies. You get the high dynamic range and low-noise operation of semiconductor-based preamps, with the appealing highs and beautiful spatial impression that tubes provide. The preamp and tube saturation stages of the Frontliner operate at 250 volts for ample headroom and excellent transient response. Renowned Burr-Brown op-amps are used to regulate voltage throughout the signal path. Even the wiring follows a central-star grounding scheme that minimizes electrical noise and interference. From input to output, the SPL Frontliner has obviously been designed by engineers who know how world-class sound quality is achieved.

We're often asked at Sweetwater to recommend a does-it-all workhorse front end for recording, and the SPL Frontliner is a good example of such a channel strip. The Frontliner's preamp section sets an outstanding foundation for more than recording with microphones. It has a line input in addition to the mic input, ideal for adding some body to virtual instruments or lifeless recordings. It's also the perfect way to optimize the signal level of quieter tracks that you intend to process with the de-esser, compressor, EQ, and tube saturation modules during mixdown. The front-panel instrument input also makes the Frontliner a sweet choice for recording electric bass and guitar direct.

A great way to employ the SPL Frontliner in your studio is to connect each individual module (preamp, de-esser, comp/limiter, EQ/tube saturation and main outs) to available inputs and outputs on your audio interface. When you're ready to track a vocalist, just leave the Frontliner's external input switches disengaged. Hook up your mic, then tweak each module to taste until you have a radio-ready sound. When you're mixing, engage the external inputs for the sections you want to use for processing individual tracks from your DAW, then route those tracks to the appropriate outputs on your interface. If you need to record an instrument directly, then just plug into the front panel and engage the instrument input to capture vivid guitar or bass tone, with or without extra processing from the other modules. The SPL Frontliner will serve you well for virtually any audio task in your studio.

• Modular channel strip with preamp, de-esser, comp/limiter, and EQ/tube saturation sections
• Excellent dynamic range and low-noise performance from the discrete solid-state/tube hybrid preamp design
• Individual analog I/O for each section allows you to use processors separately during mixdown
• Auto mode on the compressor can still be influenced by the attack/release controls for fine-tuned response
• Dual outputs allow you to feed 2 destinations simultaneously, for example, a front of house mixing board and a monitor mixer
• Tube +15dB switch increases the degree of tube amplification for enhanced harmonic richness
• A great workhorse solution for project studios, pro studios, and broadcast
• Top-shelf components and circuit design for outstanding sonic quality