Tegeler Audio Vari Tube Recording Channel

Reviews | Tegeler Audio Vari Tube Recording Channel
100
T
he VTRC-1 is a big beast at
3U high, with retro styling,
and it borrows quite a few
ideas from famous old units
– Pultec style EQ, Vari Mu and Opto
compression – but there are a few
simple ideas here that help set it apart.
On the front panel, starting with that
row of toggle switches, you get mic/line
followed by phantom power and a
high-pass fi lter with settings for 80 and
160Hz. Next is a phase reverse and an
EQ bypass and then you are into the
compressor settings. First is a switch to
alter the order of the compressor and
EQ. Then come switches for Vari Tube
and Opto compression and lastly one
offering slow or fast timing and an auto
function. Vari Tube and Opto can be
used together or independently giving
you extra options in compression
characteristics. Lastly there is a large
VU style meter (which can be switched
between Pre, EQ, Compression and
Output) and a power switch. The only
connector on the front panel is a dual
mic/DI input and the Mic input is
duplicated on the back along with a
dedicated Line input and output XLR.
But it’s when you start turning those
knobs round that the interesting stuff
starts to happen. Used just as a pre you
still have a good deal of tonal variation
available. The Tegeler has a transformer
for each individual input stage as each
has different requirements which is a
good idea and not as common as you’d
expect. Then there are two knobs: Input
and Gain. Input is the main level control
and Gain adds more colour to the tone.
It sounds like it is simply pushing the
valves harder and it’s very effective for
fattening things up. Because there is
also an output level control, you can get
a further variation by pushing the Input
level even without using the gain.
Then comes the EQ. This is a Pultec
style EQ which borrows a bit from both
classic Pultec EQs, the EQP1 and the
MEQ5. It has the boost range and
frequencies of both units plus a few
extras in the really high-end department
and a mid range dip too. The low-end is
solid and precise with a real valve
warmth. The mid scoop is really wide
ranging, from 200Hz to 7kHz and, in
conjunction with the HP fi lter and
low-end boost, gives you a surprising
amount of low-end control. The high-
end starts at 1.5kHz and goes right the
way up to 24kHz. I love the sound of
valve midrange. You can get away with
more of it than with a transistor EQ, but
that is often the case with all midrange
and high-end from a well designed valve
EQ. The addition of the Air Band
frequencies (20kHz and 24kHz) set this
EQ apart from its inspiration, but then it
is also far more adaptable because
there is such a large range of
frequencies available in each band.
There are plenty of subtle sweetening
options but you can get in there and
make radical changes if you want to.
Lastly comes the compressor
section. The single Compression knob
belies the power of the inclusion of
Opto and Vari Tube detection
processing, and the fact that you can
have them together really means you
have three compressors in one. From a
bit of subtle levelling to some really
heavy compression, its characteristic is
fat and warm and I love the way it holds
an instrument or a voice. I was
particularly keen on it with electric
guitar, especially in the Auto setting.
The VTRC-1 is a great channel strip
at a sensible price. If you are in the
market for one and you like the sound
of valves it’s well worth checking out.
The valve channel strip market is pretty full these days so you need
something special to stand out from the crowd. Stuart Bruce investigates
WHAT IS IT?
A valve channel strip
CONTACT
Who: Tegeler Audio
Tel: [phone]
Web: www.tegeler-audio-
manufaktur.de
HIGHLIGHTS
1 A fat and warm
sounding preamp
2 A great valve EQ with
a large range of tone-
shaping possibilities
3 Excellent compression
in both Vari Tube and
Opto modes
SPECS
Class-A circuit
Frequency response: 20
– 20.000Hz +/- 1.5dB
Transformer balanced
inputs and output
Internal power supply with
toroidal transformer
EQ
Low-cut: 80-160Hz
Low-mid boost:
80-120-200-300-500-700-
1000Hz
Mid-cut: 200-300-500-700
Hz 1-1,5-2-3-4-5-7kHz
High boost: 1,5-2-3-4-5-7-
10-12-16-20-24kHz
Dimensions:
483 x 250 x 132mm
INCLUDES AUDIO
l
vault.futuremusic.co.uk
VERDICT
BUILD
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VALUE
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EASE OF USE
❚❚❚❚❚❚❚❚❚
VERSATILITY
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RESULTS
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B old and individual sounding,
with plenty of tonal variation
and excellent compression.
Tegeler Audio Vari Tube
Recording Channel | €1,899
FMU302.rev_tegeler.indd 100 27/01/2016 17:49