Rupert Neve Designs Portico 5012-V Duo Mic Preamp
The Rupert Neve Designs Portico 5012 is a dual channel mic preamp that makes excellent use of custom I/O transformer circuits for a characteristically pristine output signal. The module’s preamp was specifically designed to minimize unwanted hum and other noises or signal interference from coloring or changing the sound.
The inputs were designed to negate frequencies exceeding 150,000Hz, just enough to prevent any excessive harmonics from affecting the overall sound quality. The preamp also utilizes an input transformer for a +25dBu increase of the input signal without the need for an input pad. There’s also a dedicated Silk control that decreases negative feedback and fine-tunes the signal’s frequency response, resulting in a smoother and clearer sound.
On the reverse side, the module contains A/B XLR inputs, per-channel XLR outs, and four 1/4” TRS connectors intended for chaining other Portico bussing modules.
The 5012 was designed especially for low-noise operation and produces relatively minimal non-harmonic distortion. This is the VERTICAL version of the module, specifically designed to be mounted in a vertical rack.
Portico 5012-V Features
- Dual channel mic preamp
- Individually selectable phase, mute, phantom power and a fully sweepable high pass filter
- "Silk" circuit which yields rich warmth and presence
- Provides 48v phantom power to microphones
- Compact half rack module
- Heavy duty construction
Input
- Balanced, using "Transformer-Like-Amplifier" (TLA) with toroidal common mode rejection low pass filter that excludes frequencies above 150kHz
- The T.L.A. is followed by an actual input transformer permitting a full +26dBu input signal to be handled at unity gain without an input pad over the whole audio spectrum
- Combines the advantages of both an "Electronically Balanced" and true Transformer input
- When the phantom voltage is disabled, this input serves as a very high quality Line Input
- Input Impedance: 10,000 ohm, + or — 20%
Noise
- Measured at Main Output: Input terminated with 150 Ohms
- Measured over band limited 22Hz-22kHz, Unweighted
- With Gain at Unity: Better than —100 dBu;With Gain at 66dB
- Better than —62dBu
- Equivalent Input Noise (EIN)
- Better than —128dBu
Frequency Response: Main Output, no load:
- @ 10Hz, —0.2dB
- @ 160kHz —3dB
- Buss Output @ 10Hz: —0.2dB @ 160kHz —3dB
Total Harmonic Distortion and Noise:
- Main Output @ 1kHz, +20dBu output level, no load: Better than 0.001%
- (No high order Harmonics)
- Silk Engaged: Approximately 0.2% Second Harmonic
- Main Output @ 20Hz, +20dBu output level, no load: Better than 0.01%
- Buss Output @ 1kHz, +20dBu output level, no load, measured at the output: Better than 0.002%
Current consumption:
- @ 9VDC = 1.3 A typical
- @12VDC = 1A typical
- @15VDC= 800 mA typical
- @18VDC= 650 mA typical
Other Specifications
- Crosstalk: Measured channel to channel - better than —90dB @ 15kHz
- Phantom Power: +48VDC +/— 1%
- Main power required (from external power unit): Voltage range, 9 to 18VDC
- High-Pass Filter: Swept frequency continuously variable from 20Hz to 250Hz
- Slope: 12dB/Octave
- Gain: Switched Gain from Unity to +66dB in 6dB steps
- "Trim": Continuously adjustable potentiometer from —6dB to +6dB with reference to setting on the Gain Switch
- Maximum Output Level: Balanced and floating transformer output from 20Hz to 40kHz: +25dBu. (Clips at just over +26dBu)
- Mute: Mutes main output only. (i.e. Monitor remains "live")
- Rear Panel Power Connector: 5.5mm X 2.1mm DC jack, center positive