Specifications

SPIRIT FEATURES
6
BUILD QUALITY
Soundcraft’s advanced manufacturing
ensures that all of these advanced
designs are produced efficiently and to
the very highest standards. Surface-
mount PCB construction means that
components can be soldered directly
to circuit boards, improving reliability
and efficiency, and reducing
susceptibility to vibration fatigue.
By allowing more, smaller components
to be precisely located on a densely-
populated board, surface-mounting
also allows more features to be
included on compact mixers. Yet
another benefit is that it reduces
crosstalk, and sources of noise and
interference.
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Ordinary
60mm fader
(above)
Folio 100mm
fader (right)
Actual size
BALANCED INPUTS
AND OUTPUTS
Balanced audio connections, in
which the signal is carried on two
wires plus a return screen, are
much more resistant to
interference than unbalanced
signals, and are essential in many
professional applications. All Spirit
mixers therefore feature balanced
inputs and outputs.
Our impedance balanced outputs
provide the most cost-effective and
technically correct method of
preventing external noise and
interference from getting into your
cables. The more widely-used but
cumbersome voltage balancing method
gives no useful advantage, and can
cause problems unless the output
impedances are correctly matched.
All Folio channels feature electronically
balanced inputs, enabling both
instruments and mics to be connected
via a professional balanced interface.
CUSTOM CONTROLS
Most manufacturers keep their costs
down by using off-the-shelf controls
for their mixers. These are invariably
not designed for professional audio
use, and simply don’t work as well as
custom designs. A small movement of
the control at one end of its travel will
produce an unwanted jump in level,
whereas the same movement at the
other end of the scale might produce
only an imperceptible level change.
All Spirit mixers feature custom pots
and faders, ensuring that sound
quality is matched by a usable,
effective interface, giving you the
confidence to fine tune a mix
effectively. All of our linear faders are
100mm, which means plenty of fader
resolution for smooth fade-outs and
fade-ins.
DESIGNER TECHNOLOGY
There are some aspects of good mixer
design that you can’t measure by
specifications and figures - such as
how easy it is to use. And if it’s not
easy to use, you’ll never get the best
out of it. That’s why we’ve always
placed great importance on good
industrial design. The result is clear
control layout, plenty of space for your
fingers to work - even factors such as
colour choices are considered. This,
alongside the electronic excellence of
the Soundcraft Spirit range, is probably
why we’ve won so many awards.
PHANTOM POWER
Condenser microphones are more
sensitive, and generally offer better
audio quality than, dynamic
microphones. But they need power
to work, which is why all Spirit mono
input channels offer standard +48V
phantom powering. Of course you
can still use dynamic mics, but most
DI boxes or condenser mics that
require power will also have the
power they need.