Drawmer MX60 Channel Strip

Drawmer MX60 Channel Strip – Drawing on our many years of experience in professional audio, we have developed the MX Pro range of lower-cost Drawmer dynamic signal processors. This series is aimed at musicians, project studios, and live performers who are determined not to compromise on quality but need to work within a tighter budget. By using circuit elements from our top-of-the-line Drawmer products and simplifying the control systems where possible, the MX Pro range remains as sophisticated as our other units, despite the lower price tag. As a result, inexperienced users gain the benefits of Drawmer quality and performance, combined with lower cost and ease of operation.

The Drawmer MX60 draws its technology from some of the most successful Drawmer products. The mic pre-amp features the same discrete component design found in the legendary Drawmer 1960. The de-esser is derived from the MX50, the VCA-based compressor is similar to the Drawmer MX30, and the peak limiter and gate trace back to the DL241 compressor/limiter.

Input Stage
The input stage can be switched to accept mic, line, or instrument level signals. The XLR mic input features switchable 48V phantom power and phase reverse, while the line input is available on both a balanced +4dB TRS jack and an unbalanced -10dB jack. A high impedance instrument jack is located on the front panel for use with electric guitars, basses, synths, and drum machines.

Program Adaptive Gate
Drawmer’s proprietary Program Adaptive™ circuitry ensures that all time constants are automatically optimized for the material being processed. This enables stable gating and eliminates ‘chatter’ around the threshold. Controls are provided via a single variable threshold and a switchable fast/slow auto release.

De-Esser
The floating threshold de-esser automatically and continually readjusts its own threshold level. The Drawmer MX60 de-esser is almost completely automatic, requiring the user only to select a switchable male or female setting and adjust the amount of de-essing required. Only the sibilant sounds are subjected to gain reduction, avoiding the lisping effect of simpler de-essers.

EQ
The EQ section includes high and low shelving sections as well as a fully parametric mid-range EQ with variable frequency, ‘Q’, and ±18dB cut/boost.

Compressor
The high-quality VCA compressor is based on that of the Drawmer MX30 and Drawmer DL241. Both the attack and release times are Program Adaptive™, leaving the user with only ratio, threshold, and make-up gain to adjust.

Tubesound
The multi-band ‘tube saturation’ feature allows users to create subtle warming, high-frequency effects or obvious effects via three separate, independently adjustable audio bands. Low settings on all bands enable replication of classic tube mic sounds.

Output Stage
The output stage includes a limiter with a preset threshold (+16dB) and a variable master fader with output bargraph metering, which sets the overall output level from OFF to +15dB. A two-stage soft/hard limiting approach has been adopted, with yellow and red LEDs signifying soft (approaching limit point) and hard limiting (hitting limit point).

Features

• Channel strip for studio and live sound consisting of Mic preamp, Compression, EQ, De-esser, Gate, Limiter and unique “Tubesound™” processor
• Pre-amplifier for mic, line, or instrument.
• Switchable 48V phantom power and phase reverse
• Program-adaptive Gate, VCA compressor, De-esser, and EQ
• Tubesound stage designed to emulate “Tube Saturation” for subtle warming effects
• Three band equaliser providing shelving high and low sections and fully parametric mid-range EQ, which can provide up to 16kHz AIR band
• De-esser circuit: adapts to the Dynamics and level of the incoming material, eliminating the need for a manual Threshold control and creating more natural results
• Limiter on the output stage with a preset threshold (+16dB)
• Classic Drawmer Build Quality with Rugged Steel Chassis and Aluminium Front Panel.
• Designed and manufactured by Drawmer in the UK.