Heritage Audio TUBESTRIP – All Tube Ultimate Channel Strip

OVERVIEW

Have you ever dreamt about a single piece of outboard gear that could take on any source – vocal, instrument or LINE level – and turn it into a fully shaped and controlled signal with all the colour and dynamics that you could ever desire? The TUBESTRIP is that piece… (and it’s ready to change your recordings from the moment you switch it on.)

Pure Tube Power. Unleashed.

It’s the complete package, as well as Heritage Audio’s most ambitious piece of outboard gear to date.

The TUBESTRIP combines 4 essential top-notch processors into one convenient 3-unit high, 7.6 kg (16.8 pounds), ultimate all-tube recording channel. Packed with the best selection of tubes available, custom-made transformers and inductors, you can certainly expect a very exciting and evocative sound that will bring your recordings to life. Drawing extensively from Heritage Audio’s deep engineering knowledge and from some of their most popular designs, the TUBESTRIP is not so much a collection of processors and features, but more of a coherent instrument, designed to work as one.

The Preamp: MORPH

The TUBESTRIP begins with a transformer-coupled tube-based amplifier offering up to 60dB of voltage gain and unrivalled flexibility when it comes to initially shaping your signal. The clever MORPH section lets you choose and blend between different modes to essentially provide tons of distinct preamp personalities. Help emphasise the warmth and smoothness while in Triode mode or give the signal a bit more bite and attitude using the Pentode.

While in UL (UltraLinear), you’ll have everything in between the two options. And with dBs to spare, you’ll be able to easily handle any signal you throw at it, being Microphone, LINE level or DI for instruments. And not to be overlooked, there is an output attenuator directly after the preamp section permitting any desired adjustments before continuing on to the following processors or recording devices.

The EQ: TYPE 69

The juicy inductor-based EQ section, inspired by an innovative and legendary English design of the late 60s and Peter’s all-time favourite (Olympic Studios TYPE 69 EQ), allows you to sweeten, soften, enlarge or focus any sound to the exact needs at hand. The clever layout gives you the tools to quickly sculpt the signal for any creative or technical requirement.

Next we have two tube compressors for total level and energy control and shaping.

VARI-MU Compressor

The first one is the VARI-MU compressor, and it steps up to handle any and all dynamic control that may be needed. This is based on Heritage Audio’s very popular LANG P.Lane (with the clever Seawell Mod) design that has the whole recording community in awe. This is great for thickening signals and giving them that extra excitement, incredibly maintaining transients and letting the signal breathe, even under heavy compression. Conveniently, there is also a button to switch the order between the EQ section and the VARI-MU compressor.

OPTICAL Compressor

Then we have the OPTICAL compressor, and that block alone gives you the sound of a $4K 1B in fixed mode, meaning that it will help smooth out any take and avoid any unwanted peaks as well as provide that classic, lush density that suits vocals so very well. But it can also helpfully be turned into a very organic and natural-sounding de-esser with exact frequency adjustment for transparent and musical sibilance control to cover all singers.

Finally, the OUTPUT section handily provides an attenuator covering the range of -14 to +6dB to perfectly adjust the levels flowing into the next piece of gear or your sound card, to avoid hitting them too hard or overloading them, even after intensive on-board processing…

The New Gold Standard for Tracking and Sculpting Any Source

For decades, achieving apex results meant owning a room full of the right gear, knowing which unit to reach for on which source, and spending years learning how to make them work together.

The TUBESTRIP changes that equation completely. Vocals, drums, guitars, bass, keys, room mics, acoustic instruments… whatever you place in front of it, the TUBESTRIP has the tools, the character and the intelligence to take it exactly where it needs to go. One unit. One signal path.

Four processors working as one coherent instrument, each one drawn from some of the most respected designs in recording history.

The game just changed. The TUBESTRIP is here, and the ceiling just became the new floor to build from. Now the real sculpting begins. Are you in?

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

Everything a serious engineer needs to track and shape any source, without the need to buy four separate pieces of gear

Combining a premium tube preamp, inductor EQ, VARI-MU compressor and optical compressor into a single unit, the TUBESTRIP provides a complete analogue recording channel for professional tracking and signal shaping.

The MORPH preamp is unlike anything else on the market: infinite tube personalities in one preamp, switchable and blendable

The innovative MORPH preamp allows you to blend between Triode, Pentode and UltraLinear modes, creating a wide range of tube characteristics to suit virtually any microphone, instrument or line-level source.

Vocals, drums, guitars, bass, keys, room mics, acoustic instruments. The TUBESTRIP covers any tracking and sculpting scenario a producer could ever face in a real session

Designed as an all-in-one recording solution, the TUBESTRIP delivers the flexibility, dynamics control and tonal shaping required for virtually every recording application, from delicate vocals to powerful drum recordings.

Unprecedented tube processing power at an unprecedented price

With an all-tube signal path, custom transformers and four premium analogue processors working together, the TUBESTRIP offers exceptional value for engineers seeking world-class analogue recording tools.

The EQ is based on the legendary English design of the late 60s and Peter’s all-time favourite (Olympic Studios TYPE 69 EQ)

Inspired by the iconic TYPE 69 console EQ, the inductor-based equaliser provides smooth, musical tone shaping for enhancing, focusing or sweetening any source.

The OPTICAL compressor alone gives your customer the sound of a $4K 1B in fixed mode

The integrated OPTICAL compressor delivers smooth, natural compression that excels on vocals while also offering a transparent de-essing mode with adjustable frequency control.

The VARI-MU compressor is Heritage Audio’s take on the Type 436 with the clever Seawell Mod

Based on Heritage Audio’s acclaimed VARI-MU design, this compressor provides musical dynamics control that preserves transients while adding warmth, density and excitement to recordings.

FEATURES

• All tube signal path from Input to Output.
• Unique tube-based Preamp with special morphing capabilities.
• 4 x Carefully Selected Tubes: NOS for the Preamp and the VARI-MU and JJ for the Output stage.
• 4 x Custom-Made Transformers – MAIN INPUT & OUTPUT, VARI-MU In/VARI-MU Out.
• Intuitive and effective inductor-based EQ.
• Vibey VARI-Mu compression.
• Smooth Optical Tube compression.
• De-essing option for transparent sibilance control.
• Convenient OUTPUT control.
• Attractive and sturdy build.
• Universal power supply built in.

TECHNICAL SPECS

General

Type: All tube channel strip

Signal Path: All tube design from input to output

Processing Modules:

• MORPH tube preamp
• Inductor-based TYPE 69 EQ
• VARI-MU tube compressor
• OPTICAL tube compressor with de-esser

Applications:

• Microphone
• Instrument (DI)
• Line-level recording

Preamp

Type: Transformer-coupled tube preamp

Gain: Up to 60dB

Modes:

• Triode
• UltraLinear (UL)
• Pentode

Features:

• Continuously blendable MORPH control
• Output attenuator following preamp stage
• Supports microphone, line-level and DI instrument inputs

Equaliser

Type: Inductor-based analogue EQ

Design Inspiration: Late-1960s English TYPE 69 console EQ

Features:

• Musical tone shaping
• Intuitive control layout
• Switchable position relative to VARI-MU compressor

VARI-MU Compressor

Type: Tube VARI-MU compressor

Design Inspiration: Heritage Audio LANG P.Lane with Seawell Mod

Features:

• Smooth dynamic control
• Preserves transients
• Adds warmth and density
• Switchable EQ/compressor order

OPTICAL Compressor

Type: Tube OPTICAL compressor

Features:

• Smooth fixed-mode compression
• Transparent peak control
• Built-in de-esser mode
• Adjustable de-essing frequency

Tube & Transformer Design

Signal Path: Fully tube-based

Tubes:

• 4 carefully selected tubes
• NOS tubes for the preamp and VARI-MU stages
• JJ tubes for the output stage

Transformers:

• 4 x custom-made transformers
• Main input transformer
• Main output transformer
• VARI-MU input transformer
• VARI-MU output transformer

Output

Output Control: Adjustable output attenuator

Level Range: -14dB to +6dB

Power

Power Supply: Universal internal power supply

Physical

Rack Size: 3RU

Weight: 7.6kg (16.8 lbs)

Construction: Heavy-duty professional chassis

Applications:

• Studio recording
• Vocal tracking
• Instrument recording
• Mixing
• Mastering signal processing