Pendulum Announces Quartet II Mercenary Edition
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(Click for a close-up) |
October 19, 2003
Pendulum Audio, known for its line of class A, high voltage vacuum tube products, introduced the Quartet II Mercenary Edition Tube Recording Channel at AES in New York.
Designed as an all-purpose recording tool, the Quartet combines four elements - Dual transformer Mic/DI preamp, delta-mu compressor, Passive/Aggressive Inductor EQ and two mode JFET/MOSFET Peak Limiter - into a fully integrated package that makes it easy to process any source.
The tube Mic/DI preamp has the unique option of being able to switch between two different sounding input transformers and loading options. The DI can handle pickups, keyboards, or line-level signals. The mic preamp also features phantom power, input pad, phase reversal, and a switchable lo-cut filter. Independent gain and output controls permit overdrive of the tube stage to vary the harmonic content of the preamp.
The delta-mu compressor, derived from the ES-8, has the classic compression profile of the Fairchild 660 and 670 limiters. It can be used in one of five modes: Fast, Faster, Vintage (with program-dependent response), Average (rms responding), or full manual operation. It also features a switchable sidechain high pass filter to decrease the sensitivity of the compressor to low frequency content.
The new three-band tube Passive/Aggressive Equalizer is a modern take on the classic inductor-based passive EQ. It features simultaneous Lo Shelf boost and cut, Mid Dip and Hi Peak bands. The Aggressive mode increases the saturation of the EQ network to add harmonic content. In addition, the EQ can be placed before or after the compressor with the flip of a switch.
The new JFET/MOSFET Peak Limiter uses a novel approach to brickwall analog limiting, with JFET and MOSFET modes for two different characters of peak limiting, and accurate led metering in 1dB increments. Unlike other designs, the peak limiter adds no appreciable distortion below threshold according to the company.
For more information, visit their web site at www.pendulumaudio.com. | 
