Rupert Neve Designs Introduces – The MBC: Master Buss Converter

Rupert Neve Designs has entered the world of analog-to-digital conversion with the MBC Dual Path A-D Converter. The MBC is a 24-bit/192kHz A/D converter and fully-featured analog limiter with; selectable analog drive paths for tonal versatility, high-resolution metering, word clock I/O, analog XLR inputs and simultaneous AES, S/PDIF, and TOSLINK outputs! According to RND, the MBC represents “the ultimate tool for creating digital signals with the tone, transparency and power expected from Rupert Neve Designs".

The newly developed analog drive circuitry allows the MBC’s converter to be fed by either a class-A transformerless path for maximum transparency, or by purpose-built interstage audio transformers with the company’s own variable Silk Red and Blue circuitry to control harmonic content and drive saturation for a wide variety of tonal enhancements.

The MBC’s Compound Active Release Analog Limiter section (or C.A.R.A.L. for you Walking Dead fans) has a class-A line amp stage with up to 20dB of gain, adjustable threshold and release controls, as well as an insertable high-pass side-chain filter fully sweepable from 20Hz to 250Hz.

The converters feature precision-controlled internal clocking with minimal jitter and phase noise, and the word clock output allows the MBC to act as “a high-end master clock for the entire studio, or allows for external sync to a eparate master clock if desired.

Finally, a pair of 22-segment meters provide level metering of the input to the converter stage. These represent “the highest-resolution LED metering in a Rupert Neve Designs product to date” and can be further customized with selectable 1-second or 3-second peak hold options.

Form, function, features, the Rupert Neve Designs character and name – what's not to be excited about?