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Tone Sculpting Tube Gigantifier for Chroma, Mister Focus, & DIYRE Colour
Overview
There something so visceral and satisfying about listening to audio reproduced by a tube circuit. Pentode Mk2 increases the perceived loudness of your source by saturating the transients (audio sorcery!). As the ratio of RMS to peak energy grows by turning up the Colour host's Drive knob, sonic density is magnified, volume is increased, and the sound becomes gigantic. That's why we like to call Pentode a Gigantifier! Three-dimensional depth, rich midrange, and low end girth - it's all there by pressing a single button. No starved plates here. This NOS subminiature tube is running near its max plate voltage courtesy of a dedicated 32V high voltage supply. If you were a fan of the original Pentode, you will love the updated version.
Pentode Mk2 intensifies vibrant color in the source by adding musical 2nd and 3rd order harmonic distortion. Expanding on the design of the original Pentode Colour, the user may now select between one of two tube bias settings to fine-tune the harmonic spectra. The RICH setting presents a lively blend of both even and odd order harmonics, which enhances presence and pulls the sound forward in a mix. This setting configures the tube to deliver the original Pentode tone many have grown to love, especially on guitars and vocals. A new FAT bias setting configures the tube for mostly 2nd order harmonics. The sound is deep, thick, pure, round....and fat! It evokes a more vintage vibe that some may associate with classic tube equipment using triodes.
You can further sculpt the sound and sonic texture with the new 2-band Baxandall EQ, which follows the tube stage. The elegant simplicity of this circuit has attracted hi-fi and pro audio designers since its invention in 1952. Revolutionary for its time, it still remains a classic due to its effortless tone bending powers. In our implementation, the Bass and Treble curves, and their unique interaction were inspired by an obscure 1960's tube mixer. We tweaked by ear for optimum musical synergy with the rest of the circuit. Whether you set it up to add a signature frequency contour to the tube saturation, or employ it as a variable Bass or Treble EQ (in Chroma or Mister Focus), this Baxandall EQ surely makes Pentode Mk2 one of the most potent Colour modules we offer.
Features
Unity gain signal path with output trim, pre-trimmed at the Rogue Planet Command factory
NOS Raytheon 6418 subminiature tube
Two bias settings (via jumper): Rich and Fat
Regulated DC filament supply
2-band Baxandall EQ inspired by vintage 1960's tube mixer
Bass and Treble bands individually bypassable via jumper
EQ gain adjustable via trimpots: +/-8 dB
Recommended applications: subtle tube frequency contouring, bus sweetening, mix-ready vocal and guitar presence, big bass
Class A biased buffers using audiophile grade op amps
C-DRV knob on Chroma controls amount of drive into tube
C-MIX knob on Chroma blends effected signal with dry signal
If Treble or Bass EQ is enabled C-MIX knob will control the amount of boost/cut applied
Compatible with DIYRE Colour
Fully assembled, calibrated, and tested by Louder Than Liftoff.
Chroma, Mister Focus, or DIYRE Colour Palette must be purchased separately.
Note: There is a real vacuum tube in this thing. One thing that real tubes have that emulations don't is microphonics. Due to the vibration sensitive nature of the 6418 tube, some units may experience a low-level ringing for a few seconds when the unit is bumped or the front panel bypass switch is pushed. That's just the galactic fairies being excited and everyone knows fairies are good.
Sound samples are only examples of what's possible. You may download lossless higher resolution versions of our sound clips or let us know what you'd like to hear. Please note that the clips below were created using the original version of Pentode. Similar tones can be created using Mk2 with the bias jumper set to "Rich" and the Baxandall EQ bypassed.
What is Colour
Colour is an exciting new modular platform for creating your own custom analog signal chains. The ever-growing family of modules allows you to bring multiple stages of high end analog processing to your setup a la carte.
The Colour platform consists of Colours and Palettes. Colours are ultra-compact, swappable analog circuit blocks that snap into the Palette, and impart various types of analog color such as distortion, saturation, compression, and even echo. The Palette provides input and output controls, power, and support circuitry for up to three Colour modules.
Currently, the Palette is available as a 500 Series unit from DIY Recording Equipment. In the near future there will be rackmount and Eurorack versions of the Colour Palette as well.
INTRODUCING COLOUR
MODULAR MOJO
Colour is an exciting new modular platform for creating your own custom analog signal chains. The ever-growing family of modules allows you to bring multiple stages of high end analog processing to your setup a la carte.
The Colour platform consists of Colours and hosts. Colours are ultra-compact, swappable analog circuit blocks that snap into the host, and impart various types of analog color such as distortion, saturation, compression, EQ, and even echo.
Proucts like Silver Bullet mk2, Chroma, Chroma+, or Mister Focus can all host Colour modules. The host device provides level controls, power, and support circuitry for one or two Colour modules.
C-DRV knob simultaneously allows you to adjust the amount of input gain and output attenuation for intuitive level control.
C-MIX knob allow you to blend the smoothly dry and processed signals.
Colour modules can also be used various rackmount and 500 series gear from other manufacturers like DIY Recording Equipment.
Choose from our growing list of Colour module options to customize compatible Louder Than Liftoff products. There are one or two analog plugin slots you can use to build your dream channel. You can also install any of the Colour modules from DIY Recording Equipment. This is a platform that adapts to the needs of your studio.
Disconnect power, remove the 500 Series module or cover, install the Colour Modules of your choice, and power back on.
Colour Modules are compatible with Silver Bullet m2, Chroma 500 Series, Chroma+, and Mister Focus products.
They are also compatible with host products from DIY Recording Equipment.
PREMIUM COMPONENTS & BUILD QUALITY
We chose every component in our Colour modules by ear for maximum mojo and its sonic synergy with the rest of the circuit. Our meticulous development process involved both empirical measurement and real-world studio use to validate the design. We also leveraged what we learned designing and building our other products. In this design you will find high end parts from Nichicon, Panasonic, Vishay, Susumu, Wima, and TI. All audio path resistors are 0.5% or 0.1% thin film types for low distortion and noise. Where applicable, some modules features custom American wound transformers and our very own discrete op amp. Our PCBs use high temperature Tg 170 material for long-term reliability. The entire assembly is RoHS compliant (lead free).
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