| Stereo Class A Microphone pre-amplifier/DI/EQ The DRS-Q4 is a 4 Band Gyratory-based Eq with 11 selectable frequencies, and Mic, Line, and DI inputs. We know you will be as pleased with it’s sonic qualities as we are. The DRS-Q4 has the advantages of more than 25 years experience in audio engineering, today’s component and manufacturing technology, but still retaining “that sound” uniquely achievable through Class A design. Phoenix Audio International (UK) is dedicated to the development of Class A discrete technology used within high build-quality equipment. The DRS-Q4 uses our well proven and loved Class A output stage (DSOP-2), but also has our latest breakthrough in transformerless Class A, Discrete, truly-balanced Mic Input Technology which gives a “valve-like” sound. It also incorporates our high input impedance DI circuitry.Specifications
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Front View (click to enlarge) Close View, Left side (click to enlarge)  Close View, Right side (click to enlarge)
User Tips & Tricks The DRSQ4 (available in stereo or the mono DRSQ4M) is one of those pieces of gear that can fulfill many needs of the studio owner all in one spot. It?s an excellent DRS series preamp featuring the transformer-less input Class A circuit they are famous for, it has a very high input impedence DI input (10M ohm) and also accepts line level sources with ease (by padding the mic pre input, trust me it?s not a negative!). Now, add in a hi-pass filter + a full 4 band 11 point ?gyrator? EQ (don?t ask me what that means! ok it?s a simulated inductor type of EQ) with possibly the most well thought out and chosen points you could ever need. OK if that?s not enough, route it all to the famous DSOP-2 transformer balanced output section (aka the ?sweetener?) and you?ve got yourself one heck of a high end front end for tracking, submixing of groups, and 2 buss sweetening + EQ. Really take a look at the available points, all 11 of them, and you?ll realize that these are HOT reaches on most anything. Shaun and David have really done their homework here it seems. There is no overlap of course, except when dealing with engaging the hi-pass as well as the lower frequencies. So you have the hi-pass filter and a high and low shelf EQ, as well as hi-mid and lo-mid peaks. The available points are: Hi-Pass: 120hZ @ 12dB per slope Overall the tone of these EQ?s is pretty smooth and natural, with a slightly excited sound though. There is a vibe and a character to them, but in typical Phoenix style it?s not over the top but just right on most sources. Boosting to the extremes brings no noticeable noise, they are very quiet. Even though the manual references all 4 EQ bands frequency points as ?centers?, Robin (USA rep) is telling me the top and bottom bands are shelf types (shelving EQ?s don?t have centers, the figure represents where the shelf begins to rise or fall). They don?t seem to act as ?shelf-y? to me as other EQ?s, more like a wider peaking curve. The bottom end doesn?t bloat into the sub-bass region as quickly, and the top end doesn?t open up super high airy like most shelves I?ve used anyhow. They have a more controlled type of sound that really must be pushed to reach the extremes. The 2 mid peaking bands are fairly wide at first, but seem to tighten the closer you get to max cut or boost. For gentle sculpting this makes them very useful to make subtle balance changes without obvious peak-y stuff happening. However, you can push them pretty hard on drums and guitars to get a more pointed and cutting sound. Voice benefits from gentle sculpting, you don?t have to hit the top end real hard for it to open up very nicely without getting harsh or too air-y. Boosting 10k on the snare drum doesn?t necessarily grab all the hat and cymbals to the extreme, and what it does grab certainly is pleasant. The bottom end is unique in that it seems to stay very controlled, but there is a cool trick I like to use with the Phoenix EQ: engaging the hi-pass and boosting the low shelf at the same time. Doing this sort of creates your own curve, with a moderate 12db per octave slope starting at 120hZ with the hi-pass. Now you are pushing up at say 80hZ on kick drum, and you end up with this nice WIDE low end response that doesn?t allow the sub-bass rumble to take over! Also, I think it goes without saying that the ?center? frequency at this point isn?t 80hZ but more of a moving target: push it around and try other low end frequencies too. This makes the Phoenix very handy on bass and kick drum by allowing you to dial in the right boom without having to deal with subsonic stuff. A lot of people ask for favorite starting points on EQ, so I?d like to break this down into the four food groups of pop music production: Drums / Bass / Guitar / Vocals Drums: Kick Drum: HI-PASS, Boost 80hZ, Cut 400hZ, Boost 6kHz, Cut 10kHz Bass: HI-PASS, Boost 80hZ, Boost 800hZ, Boost 3kHz, Cut 15kHz Electric Guitar: HI-PASS, Cut 130hZ, Boost 200hZ, Boost 6kHz, Cut 10kHz Vocals: HI-PASS, Cut 130hZ, Boost 400hZ, Cut 3kHz, Boost 15kHz Those are just some favorite reaches of mine, and typically great places to start for me. Some of this stuff ends up being pretty gentle as far as suggesting a boost or cut, all of this stuff varies anyhow. Conclusion: A very versatile channel strip, you?d love to have just one for processing voice or bass and guitar. Having a pair though opens you up to having a very useful 2 buss EQ for final mixdown, as well as being able to process drum submixes and other groups along the way. The DSOP-2 output section is enough reason to own at least 2 channels of something from Phoenix, if anything just to run the mix through. YouTube Videos |
