Rupert Neve Designs MBT: The Ultimate Tool for Musical Coloration
The Rupert Neve Designs MBT is a versatile multi-band processor that combines a high-pass filter, 2-band EQ, optical compressor, width control, and Super Silk harmonic enhancement circuit. With its bespoke transformers and legendary tonal quality, the MBT is the ultimate tool for sweetening, enhancing, driving, widening, and utterly transforming source material.
Create Tonal Magic with the HPF and Shelf EQ
The MBT's high-pass filter (HPF) extends from 100Hz all the way down to 15Hz, making it ideal for taming low-end rumble and managing unwanted frequencies on a full mix. The 2-band shelf EQ section provides +/- 9dB of gain control with gentle slopes and minimal phase shifts, making it perfect for subtle tonal adjustments or more aggressive sculpting.
Breathe New Life with the Color Comp
The Color Comp is an optical compressor that uses the non-linear distortion of the opto cell to add warmth, depth, and character to source material. The compressor ratio can be set from 2:1 to 5:1, and the variable high pass side chain filter allows you to isolate the low frequencies for more precise compression.
Find New Dimension with Width
The Width section is designed to increase the perceived stereo spread without losing low-end focus. The width control is additive only, with a greater range for more extreme operation. There is also a variable high pass filter from 50Hz to 800Hz to adjust the width content so that low frequencies remain more centered in the mix as the mids and highs are spread out to create more space.
Control Harmonics Like Never Before with Super Silk
Super Silk is the latest advancement of Rupert Neve Designs' beloved Silk circuit, which enhances and controls even and odd order harmonic content in any source material. The MBT's Super Silk section features independent Red, Blue, Harmonics, and Zener Drive controls, giving you unprecedented control over the tonal characteristics of your sound.
Drive and Control Levels with I/O Amplifiers
The MBT's Class-A input and output amplifiers ensure optimal gain staging and accurate signal matching, while the custom output transformers provide line balancing and isolation.
The Rupert Neve Designs MBT is the ultimate tool for musical coloration. With its versatile features and legendary tonal quality, it's the perfect choice for engineers and producers who demand the best.
FEATURES
• Built around Rupert Neve’s Class-A, Transformer Coupled Signal Paths
• Revitalize mono or stereo tracks, stems and mixes with a suite of new controls
• Add that missing weight and power with our new Super Silk circuit
• Add dynamic character with the opto-based Color Comp
• Quickly adjust tone with the gentle and musical LF & HF shelves
• Use the newly designed Width section to create dimension without losing focus
• Drive and level-match the interstage transformers with the I/O amplifiers
MBT Front Panel Controls
Input Level
LED indication that illuminates GREEN when the input signal reaches -20dBu and illuminates RED to
show when the input signal reaches +23dBu. This indication is post input trim control.
Input Trim
31-detent potentiometer that controls the input level within a range of +/- 12dB.
HPF Freq
31-detent potentiometer that controls the HPF frequency within a range of 15Hz to 100Hz.
HPF In
Push-button switch that illuminates GREEN when the 6dB/octave HPF is engaged.
LF
31-detent potentiometer that controls the Low Frequency Shelf gain within a range of +/- 9dB.
LF Freq
31-detent potentiometer that controls the Low Frequency Shelf corner frequency within a range of 30Hz to
240Hz.
HF
31-detent potentiometer that controls the High Frequency Shelf gain within a range of +/- 9dB.
HF Freq
31-detent potentiometer that controls the High Frequency Shelf corner frequency within a range of 3kHz
to 24kHz.
EQ In
Push-button switch that illuminates GREEN when the equalizer section is engaged.
Threshold
31-detent potentiometer that controls the compressor threshold within a range of +24dBu to 0dBu.
S/C HPF
31-detent potentiometer that controls the corner frequency of the S/C HPF within a range of 20Hz to
350Hz.
Comp In
Push-button switch that illuminates GREEN when the compressor section is engaged.
Gain Reduction
LED that illuminates GREEN when gain reduction is occuring. The LED indicates compression for left and
right channels simultaneously.
Release
31-detent potentiometer that controls the Release time of the compressor within a range of 100mS to
1.5S.
Ratio
Opaque push-button switch that toggles between a LO (OUT) 2:1 ratio and a HI (IN) 5:1 compressor ratio
curve.
Blend
31-detent potentiometer that controls the amount of dry (0%) vs. wet (100%) compressed signal in the
audio path.
Gain
31-detent potentiometer that controls the amount of compressor make-up gain within a range of 0dB to
+20dB.
Width In
Push-button switch that illuminates GREEN when the WIDTH section is engaged.
Width HPF
31-detent potentiometer that controls the corner frequency of the width processing HPF within a range of
50Hz to 800Hz.
Width
31-detent potentiometer that controls the amount of Width stereo field processing within a range of MIN to
MAX.
SILK In
Push-button switch that illuminates PURPLE when the SUPER SILK section is engaged.
Blue
31-detent potentiometer that controls the amount of low frequency SILK pre-emphasis.
Drive
LED that illuminates RED when the signal level reaches the optimal range for transformer harmonics. The
LED indicates drive level for left and right channels.
Red
31-detent potentiometer that controls the amount of high frequency SILK pre-emphasis.
Harmonics
31-detent potentiometer that controls the amount of transformer harmonics added to the audio path.
Zener Drive
Push-button switch that illuminates AMBER when the soft clip circuitry is engaged.
Bypass All
Push-button switch that illuminates RED when the master bypass is engaged. This master bypass is a
true hard-wire bypass that ensures the MBT will pass audio in the event that power is lost.
Output Trim
31-detent potentiometer that controls the amount of output trim within a range of +/- 12dB.
Output Meters
Stereo 16-segment LED meters that indicate output level in dBu.
Power
LED that illuminates GREEN when POWER is ON.
MBT Rear Panel
Power
IEC standard 3 pin grounded switched AC power inlet with an input range of 100-240 VAC, 50/60Hz. 70
Watts maximum AC power consumption.
GND Lift
Slide switch that lifts XLR Output Pin 1 from chassis ground to minimize ground loops.
Output
Balanced XLR outputs with custom Rupert Neve Designs transformers capable of handling up to
+25.5dBu at 1kHz.
Input
Balanced XLR combo jack inputs capable of handling up to +26.8dBu at 1kHz.
SPECIFICATIONS
Note: All measurements typical; All measurements recorded using 25ft. XLR output cables with Balanced ZSOURCE =
40 ohm
Input Impedance: 10 kilohm
No Features Engaged
Noise (22 Hz - 22kHz): Better than -95 dBu
THD+N (0 dBu @ 1kHz): Better than 0.004%
THD+N (+20 dBu @ 1 kHz): Better than 0.002%
Maximum Input Level: +25.5 dBu
Crosstalk @ 1 kHz: Better than -95 dB
Frequency Response
<5 Hz - 30 kHz: +/- 0.1 dB
<5 Hz - 60 kHz: +/- 0.25 dB
<5 Hz - 180 kHz: -3 dB
HPF Engaged
Noise (22 Hz - 22 kHz): Better than -95 dBu
THD+N (+20 dBu @ 1 kHz): Better than 0.002%
Equalizer Engaged
Noise (22 Hz - 22 kHz): Better than -93dBu
THD+N (+20 dBu @ 1 kHz): Better than 0.002%
Compressor Engaged
Noise (22 Hz - 22 kHz): Better than -92dBu
THD+N (+20 dBu @ 1 kHz): Better than 0.002%
Width Engaged
Noise (22 Hz - 22 kHz): Better than -88dBu
THD+N (+20 dBu @ 1 kHz): Better than 0.002%
SILK Engaged
Noise (22 Hz - 22 kHz): Better than -95dBu
THD+N (+20 dBu @ 1 kHz): Better than 0.003%
WEIGHTS & DIMENSIONS
Product Dimensions (W x D x H): 19” (48.3 cm) x 10.125” (25.7 cm) x 3.5” (8.9 cm)
Shipping Dimensions (L x W x H): 22” (55.9 cm) x 18” (45.7 cm) x 8.7” (22.1 cm)
Shipping Weight: 17 lbs. (7.7 kg)
