Rupert Neve Designs Portico 5042 'True Tape' Emulation and Line Driver
The ideal of analog tape in a small, neat box
by Rob Tavaglione, 3.15.2007
Rob Tavaglione is owner of Catalyst Recording in Charlotte NC (specializing in independent music production), teacher of college level audio courses and mixer for the NBA's Charlotte Bobcats. Contact him at rob@catalystrecording.com.
FAST FACTS
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Rupert Neve Designs Portico 5042
Applications
Studio; “Tape-style” signal processing for tracking, mixing, buss processing and mastering
Key Features
7.5 or 15 “IPS” operation, transformer balanced inputs and outputs, saturation control, bus connections for connecting to other Portico units
Price
$1,795
Contact
Rupert Neve 512-847-3013 www.rupertneve.com
PRODUCT POINTS
PLUS
Sounds very much like tape
Extremely convenient
Quality construction
MINUS
Limited metering
Lacking legend or parameter values
THE SCORE
An ideal solution for warming up digital audio
Rupert Neve is legendary. The Portico series is already widely respected. The pedigree of the 5042 "True Tape" Emulation and Line Driver is undeniable. Yet, still the question remains whether this little $1,795 box sounds like a tape machine.
Features
According to RupertNeve.com, “The Portico 5042 incorporates an actual tape drive circuit that feeds a tiny magnetic 'head' which, in turn, is coupled to a correctly equalized, replay amplifier.”
Sounds good, so here are the specs. The 5042: Half-rack size. XLR I/O; custom-designed transformers I/O. Quality build; rugged chassis. Input level control: +12 to -12 dB. Saturation control. 7.5 or 15 IPS selectors. Eight-segment LED metering. Dual mono.
Line amp specs are as follows: Noise (measured at the main output, un-weighted, 400 Hz 22 kHz, terminated at 40 Ohms balanced) with gain at unity is better than -100 dBu. Frequency response (measured at +10 dBu, unity) for the main output is -0.5 dB at 10 Hz, -3 dB at 160 kHz. Maximum output level is +25 dBu; THD + Noise is better than .0015 percent at 1 kHz and typically .025 percent (+20 dBu output level, no load).
Tape FX specs include a maximum output level of +25 dBu and +6 dBu (gain trim at unity, saturation at minimum and maximum, respectively). THD + Noise with the “tape” engaged is approximately 1-2 percent, second and third harmonic below 1 kHz. At the 7.5 IPS setting, frequency response is -3 dB at 16 kHz; at 15 IPS it is -3 dB at 20 kHz.
In Use
I'm fond of squeezing, shaping and smoothing some of my mixes through a nice Ampex 1/2-inch two-track. So I began testing by passing some digital mixes through the 5042 on the way to my DAW. The inherent dichotomy upon engaging the 5042 was immediately apparent: this box is quite subtle, and yet it profoundly changes mixes. I first noticed the kick drum gaining heft, weight and size with some indie rock mixes and the 15 IPS setting selected there was more roundness, sustain and physical presence. Cymbals showed a slight dulling, but lost that nasty “digitalsis” that condensers and digital tracking often bring. Guitars were nicely “averaged,” with the occasional loud overdub settling down into the mix and secondary parts seeming to hold their own a bit better. Sibilance was tamed somewhat, much like a tape recorder, and low mids were filled out as the vocals lost that irritating harshness on hard, loud consonants. Bass guitar lost some transients and definition, gaining low-mid saturation questionable qualities in this mix but could be just perfect for more traditional bass sounds that are less mid-rangey and more bubbly.
I retried all of the above with the 7.5 IPS setting and found myself perplexed. I found 7.5 was chunkier and duller and 15 was tighter and clearer, while minor changes in the saturation control revealed a multitude of subtle variations. I found myself needing to try both settings and then choose sometimes radically different amounts of saturation. Such flexibility may confuse beginners, but it is this versatility that pro users will prefer.
I had the band (Charlotte indie rockers Safe Return Doubtful) do a blind test of their mixes with the 5042's process, and I received some interesting comments.
The bassist said, “The guitar and vocals sound a lot better to me, clearer and louder. The drums sound good and I noticed the cymbals more, they have more definition to them ... the volume of the bass has not seemed to change, but I can't hear runs and licks as well. Overall, it sounds more like a finished product.”
The guitarist said, “On passages where we purposefully cranked the guitars they sound more pleasing and 'glued in' to the mix, as opposed to leaping from it. This isn't compression, is it? Because I still hear all the dynamics, but everything seems smoother and 'congealed,' almost a vintage sound ... very, very subtle, but I prefer it.”
Next up was some testing with the 5042 used as a buss insert. The 5042 here made me instantly satisfied, with both 7.5 and 15 IPS settings. Drums responded the best in this manner, with delightful low-end presence, smoothness and character. My kick nicely owned the bottom, with snare gaining gravitas and punch, but it was my toms and cymbals that really improved. Here was the depth and fullness my toms had lacked and my cymbals got their “body” back, now fitting into the mix loudly without intruding on other tracks. I found buss compression to be ideal on bass and keys as well (adding color and fine grit), but more hit or miss on guitars and vox.
Channel insertion was the next obvious move, and the results were startling. I had been using the effect control so far between 7 and 10 o'clock (no measure or legend is given), which isn't a lot of the process. But the results were still dramatic. I found with the 5042 inserted on individual channels I was using both 15 and 7.5 IPS at settings between 12 and 3 o'clock! This worked miracles on kick, snare, bass guitar and vocals (15 IPS best), imparting all of the above with mild compression, saturated low-mids and pleasantly tamed high-end transients. Be forewarned, however: This process is intoxicating and easy to overuse use a little less of the effect than initially dialed in and apply it judiciously for subtle textural contrast, much like hitting tape hard or slamming a compressor. I would not hesitate to track trouble sources like drum overheads, tambo's and soprano vocals with the 5042 as a preventive measure, and then massage subgroups of drums, instruments or vocals in the mix, too.
The 5042 in bypass mode becomes a transformer-balanced line driver, and its wonderful windings deserve mention here. Old-timers often pass strident audio through a tape machines electronics to gain its very subtle fullness and warming characteristics. The 5042 did just that; anything passed through it sounded slightly more analog and a little less modern. This box is anything but neutral, yet after all that is its “raison d'κtre”.
Summary
I often find the number of analog tape variables (tape speed, brand of tape, hi and low repro levels, overbiasing, reference level) to be both my creative luxury and a bit of a burden, as well. The 5042 isn't that different; it's almost as flexible as tape, it can be misused like tape and it can do powerfully subtle things like tape with about one-tenth of the effort! But it doesn't sound like any one particular tape machine, this is most certainly the vibe of tape. This processor may require finesse and careful judgment on your part, but is obscenely convenient. My trusty Ampex may still be the ultimate painter's palette, but there's a new kid in town and he's a lot easier to play with.
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