For Immediate Release

DACS Announce Launch of ‘Clear Blue Pre’

8 Channel Preamp for Latency Free Recording

DACS have launched the latest addition to their line of high performance units, ‘Clear Blue Pre’, unveiled at AES, New York in October. A new discrete component based design, ‘Clear Blue Pre’ is much more than just a microphone preamp; it gives the DAW and smaller studio user a complete professional pre-amplification and monitoring solution.

Each channel will handle inputs of up to +8dBm, making it ideal for amplifying synthesizers and samplers as well as microphones. With a gain of 60dB, from a minimum of 15dB to 75dB, separate phantom power and non-phantom power/line inputs, and fully floating balanced outputs, ‘Clear Blue Pre’ provides a truly professional interface. The non-phantom power/line inputs are coupled directly to the gain stage for dynamic, ribbon and valve mics. For instruments this will ensure an excellent bottom end. Two high impedance inputs on the front panel allow simple connection of guitars to the ‘Clear Blue Pre’.

Keeping an eye on signal levels is simple, with DACS’ trademark PPM trajectory metering providing clear and accurate indication via two ultra bright LEDs per channel.

‘Clear Blue Pre’ also provides latency free monitoring for recording. Fed from the DAW, via a stereo balanced input on the rear panel, a built in DACS HeadLite amplifier channel is used to power headphone monitoring for the recording artist. A switch next to the headphone output routes the signal to balanced stereo outputs for monitoring over loudspeakers.

This well thought out interface will make recording and latency free monitoring for DAW users a joy to both engineers and artists. It also provides 8 channels of extremely good quality pre-amplifiers for all other recording environments.

Douglas Doherty, DACS’ Managing Director, explains that the ‘Clear Blue Pre’ is the first in a series of high quality computer music oriented products; “This unit has been designed from our experience of the problems that DAW users have faced getting good quality audio in and out of their music production systems. This and subsequent products will provide thoughtful solutions consistent with the high quality that people expect from us, at a sensible price.”

TECHNICAL INFORMATION

· 2U enclosure

· Rear panel has 8 phantom powered microphone inputs on XLR, 8 non-phantom powered microphone/line inputs on TRS jack, 8 balanced outputs on TRS jack, 2 balanced monitor inputs, 2 balanced monitor outputs on TRS jack, and IEC inlet

· Front panel has 8 pre-amp volume controls, 8 dual LED meters, 1 monitor volume control, 1 headphone output jack, 1 monitor select switch and 2 guitar inputs on jack

· Frequency response extends from well below 20Hz to over 55kHz, with the expected low distortion and noise figures

· Gain from 15dB to 75dB continuously variable

· Maximum input level +8dBu, maximum output level +23dBu into 10k ohms

· Like DACS other ground breaking high performance products, the ‘Clear Blue Pre’ is hand built and tested at their new factory in Pelaw.

Contact:

Douglas Doherty

DACS Ltd

Stonehills,

Shields Road,

Pelaw, Gateshead,

Tyne and Wear,

NE10 0HW

Tel: 0191 438 2500

Fax: 0191 438 2511

Email: clearbluepre@dacs-audio.com Website: http://www.dacs-audio.com/