elysia Skulpter 500

Skulpt Your Signals

Much more than a preamp, the elysia skulpter 500 is a complete front-end solution for your DAW-based recording rig. The skulpter 500’s audiophile-grade preamplifier is based on a fully discrete, resistor-controlled Class A amplifier designed to complement any microphone with its beautiful, open, natural sound and unprecedented flexibility. If additional drive is desired, two variable saturation/filter stages and an intelligent onboard compressor are on tap to give voices and instruments that elusive hit-record polish, right out of the box.

Audiophile circuit design

Unlike most preamps that provide a potentiometer to adjust gain, the elysia skulpter 500 is designed with an audiophile gain-staging topology that employs fixed resistors switched by a cascade of relays and electronic switches. The circuit is controlled by a stepped encoder that provides a total of 40 gain values ranging from 3–65dB. This is an impressive gain range that starts whisper-quiet and ends with gain sufficient for handling even your lowest-output passive ribbon microphones. While the stepped gain control facilitates precise settings recall, another major benefit to this setup is that an additional attenuation pad that would adversely impact signal-to-noise is unnecessary. The gain circuit is followed by a fully discrete Class A amplifier, that, as do many tube amps, operates in feed-forward mode (with high amounts of negative feedback). This design results in an effortlessly natural, open sound that complements any source, instrumental or vocal.

Flexible processing prowess

Whether you’re going for crystal clean or fat and punchy, the sonic bliss deployed by the skulpter 500 does not end with your mic locker. Almost any source can benefit from the skulpter 500’s pristine amplification and flexible processing prowess. The skulpter boasts a high-headroom balanced DI input that accommodates most any signal from guitars, basses, synthesizers, and effects.

elysia skulpter 500 Features:

• 500 Series mic preamp with compressor and saturation
• 100% discrete Class A topology
• Audiophile-grade gain staging
• 65dB of gain, sufficient for low-output passive ribbon mics
• Dual Sound Shaper: variable saturation/filter stages for instruments and vocals
• Intelligent onboard compressor
• Variable highpass filter
• High-headroom, balanced DI input
• Multifunction meter
• 48V phantom power; Phase (polarity) reverse
• Signal Mute switch
• Stepped controllers for precision and repeatability