Rupert Neve Designs 511 — 500-Series Preamp

A flexible preamp that combines classic Neve sonics and variable Silk/Texture saturation in an easily affordable 500-series format

Being the designer of the world’s most copied preamp, Mr. Rupert Neve’s biggest competitor is 1970s Rupert Neve. And while the 500-series Portico 511 preamp nods to its modular predecessors, it does so with all the wealth of experience that comes with Mr. Rupert Neve’s 80 years as the top name in recording equipment manufacture. The Rupert Neve Designs Portico 511 microphone preamp features Neve’s signature sound and the flexibility of the variable Silk/Texture control, which offers the transformer-saturation power found in RND’s flagship Portico II Channel. The 500-series RND Portico 511 also incorporates the powerful preamp of the modular Portico 517 and sweepable high pass filter from the rackmount Portico 5012 preamp. With all that going for it, you’d think that the 500-series Portico 511 preamp module would be rather pricey, but it’s actually the most affordable, true Neve preamp ever built.

Rupert Neve Designs Portico 511 unique features:

• Red Silk/Texture circuit adds harmonic content reminiscent of vintage Neve designs
• Can handle a balanced input signal of more than +20dBu without an input attenuator pad
• A true Neve preamp anyone can afford

Rupert Neve Designs Portico 511 key features:

• Gain from 0 to 66dB in 6dB steps
• Continuously variable trim, ±6dB level control
• 48V phantom power on the microphone input
• Push-button inverts polarity of the signal path and illuminates when engaged
• Eight-segment LED bar-graph level meter
• Low-pass filter rejects common mode signals and excludes frequencies above 150kHz
• Balanced, ground-free output guarantees freedom from hum and radio frequency interference when connected to a balanced destination

INSIDE THE BOX — Rupert Neve Designs Portico 511

To describe the inner workings of the Portico 511 preamp, perhaps it’s best to let Rupert Neve tell you in his own words: “While creating functional 500 series modules is relatively simple, designing those modules to equal their non-500 series counterparts with the current, voltage and space restraints is quite challenging. In creating our own 500-Series Modules, we experimented with a number of different transformer and circuit designs to achieve the same presence and sweetness found in the Portico Series of modules. The result of these efforts is that outside of the slightly lowered headroom, our 500 series modules are nearly indistinguishable from standard Portico Series modules, and are perfectly suited for studios of the highest caliber.”

Input Section

The input has a 10k-ohm, non-reactive input resistance that handles a full 22dBu signal without the need for a pad. The TLA (Transformer-Like-Amplifier) non-reactive preamp design precludes the loading of microphones with limited driving capability. A primary gain control provides 66dB of gain in 6dB increments for easy recall, with a +/- 6dB trim for fine adjustment. For condenser microphones and powered DIs, there is +48V phantom power. A transient-optimized HPF continuously covering the range from 20-250Hz is included to tame rumble and proximity effect.

Texture

The Red Silk/Texture control is one of the key developments in the Portico 511. Texture is designed to adjust the actual amount of harmonic music content from the source material, in effect, providing wide range of tonal options for the preamplifier. Like the original Portico Silk, the Silk Red / Texture works by reducing negative feedback on the output transformer and adjusting the frequency response to more closely resemble Mr. Rupert Neve’s vintage designs. With the Rupert Neve Designs Portico 511, the Texture control allows these techniques to be pushed further than previous designs, adding about 10 times the desirable THD of the original silk control at its maximum setting.

Rupert Neve Designs took great care that the Portico 511’s Silk does not compromise the musical integrity of source material by its harmonic additions (not to be confused with controls from other manufactures that may “incinerate”, “demolish,” “destroy,” or “mangle” source material). The 511’s Silk/Texture control can be used to fit the personality of any song, instrument, or engineer.

Low Noise, Low Distortion Operation

The Portico 511 was designed to produce as little noise and non-harmonic distortion as possible. Carefully implemented signal paths and Class-A operation are a large part of the 511′s sweet, whisper-quiet performance.

Microphone Input

The microphone input is balanced but not floating, being a variant of an instrumentation amplifier. Rupert Neve Design’s proven “Transformer-Like-Amplifier” (T.L.A.) configuration, which includes an accurate toroidal Common Mode Low Pass Filter, rejects common mode signals and excludes frequencies above 150 kHz. When the Mic Gain switch is set to Unity (0dB), the Portico 511 microphone preamplifier can handle a balanced input signal of more than +20dBu without an input attenuator pad! This is a unique feature that enables this input to double as a line input.

The Line Outputs

The main output signal comes from the output transformer secondary, which is balanced and ground-free. A ground-free connection guarantees freedom from hum and radio frequency interference when connected to a balanced destination such as the input to another Portico module or a high quality ADC. Maximum output level is more than +20dBu, which provides a large margin over and above the likely maximum requirement of any destination equipment to which the 511 is connected.

OUTSIDE THE BOX — Rupert Neve Designs Portico 511

• Mic Gain: A 12-way precision rotary switch controls gain from 0 to 66 dB in 6 dB steps.
• Trim: Continuously variable +/-6 dB level control.
• +48V: Engages phantom power on the microphone input, as supplied by the 500 series rack.
• Polarity: Push button inverts the polarity of the signal path, and illuminates when engaged. The symbol “Ø” is often used to denote opposite polarity.
• High-pass filter: The high pass filter is continuously variable from 20-250Hz and engaged by the HPF switch, which illuminates when engaged. It is a valuable aid in any signal chain, but particularly so in a microphone preamplifier. Signals below the selected frequency are attenuated at a rate of 12dB/octave, getting rid of proximity effect, building rumble, air handling, motor hum, etc.
• Silk/Texture: Pushing the Silk button engages the red Silk circuit, which reduces the negative feedback on the output transformer, adding harmonic content as the texture is increased. Red Silk accentuates the saturation in the mid and high frequencies, similar to that of the red silk mode on the Portico II Channel. By manipulating the Texture control, the amount of Silk can be changed from essentially absent, to roughly 10 times the amount of coloration or distortion found in Silk from the original Portico Series. With Silk/Texture engaged, the distortion characteristic and harmonic content of the unit are very reminiscent of many of Rupert’s class-A vintage designs.
• Level Meter: An Eight-segment LED bar-graph meter displays output level (pre-Silk). The color range proceeds from green for lower level signals, yellow for intermediate signals, and red for high levels. When the 511 is clipped, the highest red LED will hold longer depending on how far above the clip threshold the signal was.

Who’s using Rupert Neve Designs

Seriously?

About Rupert Neve Designs

In 2005, the company acquired new premises in Wimberley, Texas to handle the increasing demand for products embodying the principles of very high musical quality that has become synonymous with Rupert Neve’s name over the years. Rupert Neve Designs announced the Portico Series in 2005 to much acclaim. The Portico Series modules are high quality analog building blocks for the front and back ends of digital systems (hence the name “Portico” as in entryway). In the years since release, the Portico Series has already garnered many important industry awards including five TEC awards, multiple PAR Excellence Awards, Mix Certified Hit Awards, and a MIPA award among others.

The original color scheme featured grey powder coating with a black and red inlay design available in both horizontal and vertical configurations. The first eight units were the 5012 Dual Pre, The 5042 True Tape FX, The 5032 Mic Pre EQ, The 5043 Dual Mono / Stereo Compressor, 5033 Five Band EQ, 5016 Mic Pre/DI (discontinued), 5014 Stereo Field Editor, and 5015 Mic Pre Compressor.

In 2009, the 5088 High Voltage and Discrete Mix System were released as the ultimate word in mix bus sound quality. The modular mix system is configurable to the user’s needs, and utilizes the various Portico Series modules for mic preamps and signal processing. The 90-Volt rails of the 5088 provide more than 10dB more dynamic range than any other Rupert Neve designed console, and the custom transformers on every input and output provide complete galvanic isolation. With the release of the 5088 Portico Series modules also received an update with the same style of light blue powder coating with anodized aluminum knobs.

The Portico 511 is a preamp with world-class Neve sound that anyone can afford. For more information, call or chat with an RSPE representative today.

This product is also available as part of the RSPE Demo 4 Free & Rental Program, click here to see the rental product page.