Retro Powerstrip

Definitive Tube Channel Strip

Think of a tube preamp that rekindles your romance with your mic collection. Now imagine caressing your signal with a sought-after vintage tube equalizer and massaging it with a legendary British variable-mu valve compressor. Lastly, picture a 2U device with all this sonic wonderment built-in. Sweetwater has good news - this superb tube channel strip is a reality: the Retro Powerstrip. Brainchild of Retro mastermind Phil Moore - who is renowned for designing amazing-sounding tube gear, the Powerstrip imparts its inimitable aural enchantment to everything you pass through it. Put a Retro Powerstrip in your rack, and you'll be in love.

Retro Powerstrip at a Glance:

• Enough gain for any mic in your locker
• Classic American tube EQ
• British variable-mu compression

Enough gain for any mic in your locker

You can think of the Retro Powerstrip as your classic-studio-in-a-box: a channel strip that gives you the magical sound of a vintage tube console, a Pultec-style tube equalizer, and a British-vibed tube compressor - all in one compact 2U rackmount chassic. The Powerstrip's transformer-coupled Class A preamp has enough gain for any mic in your locker - yes, even your prized ribbons; and its instrument input is a nice modern touch. The Powerstrip may well be the best-sounding DI you've ever used. This splendid preamp even rocks a balanced line-level input. And the sound? Pure magic - at once characterful, supremely detailed, and gloriously euphonic.

Classic American tube EQ

Retro Powerstrip's passive Pultec-style equalization looks, feels - and sounds like the sought-after classic. It even includes the classic boost and cut frequency selections: LF Boost/Cut at 20, 30, 60, and 100Hz; HF Boost at 1.5, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, and 16kHz. You can switch the highpass filter between 40 and 90Hz, and it also delivers peaking LF boosts with alternative tonal characteristics, which can be a welcome compliment to vocals and acoustic instruments. Want to A/B what the EQ is doing to your signal? Just flip the bypass switch.

British variable-mu compression

The compression circuit in the Retro Powerstrip is of the venerable British tube variable-mu variety (think: vintage EMI) The circuit includes six switchable attack/release time constants and a 4-position-selectable side-chain filter switch with Off, 90Hz, 250Hz, and Comp Out (bypass) settings. Need more gain reduction? No threshold control is provided, so you simply dial up your input level. With the compressor in bypass, the input control still controls the input gain. It's a simple, classic setup, and it works. Exceedingly well.

Retro Powerstrip Features:

• Transformer-coupled Class A tube microphone preamplifier with phantom power
• Pultec-style passive EQ with authentic feel, controls and equalization curves
• Classic British-style compression using a variable-mu tube design
• Front panel 1/4" instrument jack
• Rear panel XLR mic and line inputs and line output
• I/O is fully floating transformer-balanced to eliminate ground-induced hum and noise
• Interstage-coupled Subsonic Highpass Filter
• LF Boost settings: 20, 30, 60, and 100Hz
• Complementary LF Cut settings at 20, 30, 60, and 100Hz
• HF Boost settings: 1.5kHz, 3kHz, 4kHz, 5kHz, 6kHz, 8kHz, 10kHz, 12kHz, 14kHz, and 16kHz
• Complementary HF Cut Settings at 5kHz, 10kHz, and 20kHz
• Six selectable compressor attack/release time constants
• 90/250Hz compressor highpass sidechain filter
• Easily recallable 100-position knob scales
• The compressor and equalizer can be independently bypassed
• Phase reversal switch
• Front-panel meter zero adjustment
• IEC power inlet with 120/240VAC 50/60Hz power mains standard
• Ability to use current production and new-old-stock tubes
• Tube enthusiasts have many options and tonal variations
• Tube changes require no alignment
• The instrument input loops to a rear panel jack for stage amplifier
• Rear-panel line-level XLR out and low-level balanced output for processed stage amplifier
• Design minimizes tube heat generation
• High-stability components used throughout
• Steel chassis built to last
• Hand-crafted in Retro's Northern California factory

Tech Specs