Rupert Neve Design’s new MBC strives for ultimate clarity in your mix
The A/D converter operates at 24-bit/192kHz and boasts analogue drive paths
Unparalleled audio engineer Rupert Neve and his team have unveiled the Master Buss Converter (MBC). This luxurious dual-path A/D converter and limiter is said by the company to be “the ultimate tool for creating digital signals with the tone, transparency and power expected from Rupert Neve Designs”.
The MBC sends analogue audio to your DAW at 24-bit/192kHz, with selectable analogue drive paths to add some warmth or maintain clarity. The class-A transformerless path can be used to provide maximum transparency and keep the signal clean. Alternatively, fire your signal through the interstage audio transformers – based on the Silk Red and Silk Blue circuitry from other Neve products – and enhance tons with drive saturation and harmonic colouring.
Limiting with the MBC can be achieved in dual mono or stereo, with a class-A line amp stage with up to 20dB of gain and adjustable threshold and release controls. An insertable high-pass side-chain filter can also be used, which is fully sweepable from 20Hz to 250Hz.
Developed “after years of careful listening”, Rupert Neve Designs says, the converter boasts precision-controlled internal clocking with minimal jitter and phase noise. Neve’s Master Buss Converter can also be used as the master clock for your studio with a word clock output. Offering four Reference Level calibration standards from -14dBFS to -20dBFS, the MBC is compatible with a range of external converters.
To keep an eye on levels, a pair of 22-segment meters are onboard with 1-second or 3-second peak hold options.
Rupert Neve’s MBC doesn’t come cheap, weighing in at an MSRP of $3,999, but those looking for high-end A/D conversion in a modern studio might have their eyes on this already.
For more information visit rupertneve.com
