Vipre Mic Preamp to be Distributed by Groove Tubes
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April 8, 2001
Alesis Studio Electronics announced that rights to build and distribute the Vipre Variable Impedance Microphone Preamp have been repurchased by Los Angeles based Groove Tubes—the original designer.
"Alesis has an unprecedented number of products being introduced this year," said Jim Mack, VP of Sales and Marketing for Alesis. "Between the ADAT HD24 multitrack recorder, the A6 Andromeda keyboard, our new power amps and signal processors, Alesis' production capabilities are at maximum capacity and will remain so for the next six months to one year. While orders for these products are very strong, ramping up our production machine to accompany fourteen different products within a twelve-month period has strained our administrative, manufacturing, and financial resources. Under these circumstances, making Vipre a Groove Tubes product is the fastest and most effective way of putting the Vipre into the hands of the recording professionals who have responded to it so strongly."
The Vipre is a high-end all-tube microphone preamp that GT Electronics introduced at $2199 retail. First shown to the public at the AES show last year, the tubes and circuit design were being provided by Groove Tubes, a company owned by tube evangelist Aspen Pittman.
Pittman relates, "As Vipre's original designer, Groove Tubes played a significant role in the development of this extraordinary product. We're excited to have Vipre back in-house and look forward to a strong product launch later this spring."
Backorders from dealers through Alesis will be cancelled, but dealers may contact Groove Tubes (818-361-4500) to re-order. The complete line of AM series microphones will continue to be distributed under the GT Electronics label by Alesis.
"We wish Groove Tubes the best of luck with Vipre--anyone who heard an AM62 microphone through a Vipre was immediately impressed," said Peter Chaikin of Alesis. "It truly is an amazing product that will no doubt become an industry standard. We are sorry to see it go but are excited about the Groove Tubes acquisition. We couldn’t have found a better home for this preamp." For more information, visit www.alesis.com and www.groovetubes.com. | 
