Rupert Neve 5057 Orbit Summing Mixer

With over six decades of console design expertise behind it, the Rupert Neve 5057 Orbit delivers the renowned tonality, power, and expansive soundstage unique to Rupert Neve’s class-A analogue summing. Featuring Rupert’s signature custom audio transformers and Silk Red & Blue circuitry for adjustable harmonic saturation, the Orbit elevates lifeless in-the-box mixes, adding rich tone, depth, and clarity, all while maintaining the recallable convenience and precision of your DAW-based workflow.

When you drive a mix bus and output transformers towards saturation, the resulting non-linear, musical harmonics are what truly unify a recording and make it come alive. Instead of relying on an external summing solution that merely offers a clean replication of the in-the-box sound, the Orbit delivers the exceptional richness, harmonic complexity, and depth that only a Rupert Neve console can bring to your mixes.

The Rupert Neve 5057 Orbit features a highly customised output transformer setup, originally developed for the renowned Shelford Channel. It offers both a Main Output and a -6dB Output, allowing you to push the Orbit harder for more transformer harmonics without clipping the next device in the chain. This distinctive transformer drive has been a hallmark of Rupert Neve’s sound over the years, heard on countless iconic records.

Each mix requires its own unique approach. Along with the choice of outputs, the continuously variable Texture control, featuring Silk Red and Silk Blue modes, gives you full command over the harmonic richness and tonality of your mix – or allows you to keep it perfectly clean and uncoloured.

Silk Red mode enhances transformer saturation in the high and high-mid frequencies, boosting the vibrant midrange harmonics reminiscent of Rupert’s vintage gear. Silk Blue, on the other hand, focuses on the lows and low-mids, adding thickness and weight – ideal for mixes that sound too thin. Unlike EQ, the Silk and Texture controls saturate the output transformers, adding musical harmonics based on the amount of Texture applied.

You can push the mix bus to its limit, select your preferred Silk mode, and dial in the Texture knob for a rich, saturated, vintage feel – or leave Silk off altogether for clear, expansive sonic clarity. The choice is yours.

Although the Rupert Neve 5057 Orbit is highly effective on its own, multiple units can be linked via the Bus Link for increased channel capacity. The Rupert Neve 5057 Orbit can also serve as a foundation for an expandable summing system when paired with the 5059 Satellite for flexible summing and routing, or the 5060 Centerpiece for added mixing and monitoring capabilities.

Together, these units form the heart of a top-tier analogue modular console system that rivals the performance of traditional large-scale studio setups.

DAW-Based Recall Without Compromise
Frequent recalls can be a challenge for modern mix engineers. The Rupert Neve 5057 Orbit’s simple, efficient design and fixed level accuracy enable fast and repeatable DAW-based recall from one mix to the next, while enhancing your sound with the unmatched quality of Rupert Neve’s class-A transformer-coupled mix bus.

Channel Separation and Accuracy
With precisely fixed channel levels and accurate mix bus attenuation achieved through high-quality stepped switching, the Orbit’s pure signal path features incredibly low crosstalk and channels matched to within +/-0.1dB. This ensures your mixes have the widest, most accurate stereo image, maximum depth, and the clearest signal path, so you can hear every fine detail in your work.

Features

• 16 Channel +/- 21V Class-A mix bus for massive headroom
• Silk Red & Blue modes with Texture control to precisely dial in the desired amount of classic tone
• Custom Rupert Neve Designs output transformers create rich harmonic character without clipping the next device in the chain
• Mono switches enable you to precisely centre any mono mix elements like vocals, kick, snare and bass
• Exceptional linearity and accuracy, better than +/-0.1dB per channel
• Ultra-low crosstalk for wide open stereo imaging and sonic depth
• Expandable for higher channel count via bus link to other 5057 units
• Repeatable, rapid DAW-based recall while adding the rich, unrivalled sound quality of Rupert Neve Designs
• Robust and compact 1U chassis design with DB25 inputs and XLR outputs
• Combine with other Rupert Neve Designs summing products to create a world-class modular mix system