Drawmer MX60

The Drawmer MX60 Front End One is a unique mic/line/instrument input channel in a single rack space providing high quality Drawmer processing prior to tape/hard disc recording. The MX60 is also ideally suited to project studio and live sound applications. Functioning as a studio grade mic pre-amp, Program AdaptiveTM gate, de-esser, compressor, limiter, three band EQ and multi band tube saturation stage, the Drawmer MX60 offers the user more options than competitive units currently available.

Grass Roots - The Drawmer MX60 draws its technology from the most successful of Drawmer products. The mic pre-amp features the same discrete component design found in the legendary Drawmer 1960, the de-esser is derived from the MX50, the VCA based compressor is similar to the MX30, while the peak limiter and gate can be tracked back to the DL241 compressor/limiter.

Controls

• Input Stage: The input stage may be switched to accept mic, line, or instrument level signals - the XLR mic input has switchable 48V phantom power and phase reverse, while the line input is on both a balanced +4dB TRS jack and an unbalanced -10dB jack. A high impedance Instrument jack is located on the front panel for use with electric guitars, basses, synths and drum machines.

• Program AdaptiveTM Gate: Drawmer's proprietary Program AdaptiveTM circuitry means that all the time constants are automatically optimised for the material being processed. This enables stable gating and eliminates 'chatter' around threshold. Controls via a single variable threshold and switchable fast/slow auto release.

• De-Esser: Floating threshold de-ess operation where the de-esser automatically and continually readjusts its own threshold level. The MX60 de-esser is almost completely automatic requiring the user only to select a switchable male or female setting and to adjust the amount of de-essing required. Only the sibilant sounds are subjected to gain reduction so that the lisping effect of simpler de-essers is avoided.

• EQ: High and low shelving sections as well as fully parametric mid range EQ with variable frequency, 'Q', and ±18dB cut/boost.

• Compressor: High quality VCA compressor based on that of the MX30 and DL241. Both the attack and release times are Program AdaptiveTM leaving the user with only ratio, threshold and make-up gain to adjust.

• Tubesound: Multi band 'tube saturation' allows users to create subtle warming, high frequency effects or out-and-out obvious effects via three separate, independently adjustable audio bands. Low settings on all bands enable replication of classic tube mic sounds.

• Output: The output stage includes a limiter with a preset threshold (+16dB) and a variable master fader with output bargraph metering which sets the overall output level from OFF to +15dB. A two stage soft/hard limiting approach has been adopted with yellow and red LEDs signifying soft (approaching limit point) and hard limiting (hitting limit point).
  

MX60 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
(Measurements taken using +4dBu balanced XLR input where applicable)

INPUT IMPEDANCES
LINE 20K Ohm
MIC 150 Ohm to 600 Ohm
AUX 1M Ohm
MAXIMUM INPUT LEVEL +21dBu
INPUT CMR better than -40dB (20Hz - 22kHz)
OUTPUT IMPEDANCE 100 Ohms
MAXIMUM OUTPUT LEVEL +20dBu
BANDWIDTH 16Hz to 28KHz -1dB
CROSSTALK at 10KHz -94dB at 1KHz -100dB

NOISE Wideband (worst case) 22Hz - 22KHz
AV -85dB -105dB

DISTORTION
Typical Input 100Hz 1KHz 10KHz
Unity Gain
(+4dBu input 0.05% 0.05% 0.05%
+19dBu output),

POWER REQUIREMENTS 115Volt or 230Volt at 50-60Hz, 9 Watts
FUSE RATING T32mA for 230Volt, T63mA for 115Volt
CONFORMING TO BS EN 60127-2:1991 SHEET III
FUSE TYPE 20mm x 5mm, Class 3 Slo-Blo, 250Volt working
CASE SIZE 482mm (w) x 44mm (h) x 200mm (d)
WEIGHT (incl packaging) 3.2 Kgs