Radial J48 Stereo Active Direct Box
- Ultra low distortion of all types
- Exceptional headroom & dynamic range
- Retains instrument's natural sound
- Powered by 48V phantom
The
Radial J48 Stereo is a high performance active direct box designed for
professional touring and studio recording. It features the same
award-winning signal path that has made the single channel J48 the most
specified active direct box on tour today. And with users as diverse as
Paul McCartney, Tommy Emmanuel and Joe Chiccarelli, you can be sure it
will meet the most demanding qualifications.
The design begins
with a rugged 14 gauge steel construction and a bookend design that
protects sensitive switches and connectors from damage. The internal
I-beam construction ensures the fragile internal PC board will not
torque, which in turn could lead to cold solder joints developing and
premature failure. All connectors are made from glass-filled nylon and
feature extra large nickel-silver contacts that will not tarnish over
time.
Inside, a unique switching power supply converts the 48 volt
phantom to AC, increasing the headroom for improved signal handling and
lower distortion. This results in an exceptionally linear frequency
response that spans from 10Hz to 40kHz while being able to handle high
output instruments without choking. In addition, a -15dB pad may be
engaged for extreme signal handling. This is supplemented with a
high-pass filter that gently rolls off low frequencies below 80Hz to
clean up mud and excessive resonance. A side-access 180º polarity
reverse aids when using the J48 Stereo with dual element pickups to
either phase align the sources or eliminate acoustic hot spots that can
cause feedback on stage.
A unique aspect of the power supply is
the way that the J48 handles buzz and hum caused by ground loops. The
traditional solution is to lift the audio ground by disconnecting pin-1
at the XLR output. When this is done, the 48 volt phantom power from the
console is shut off, forcing one to introduce a battery into the
equation. Unfortunately, batteries are inconsistent, and when they begin
to drop power, severely affect the available voltage and resulting
headroom. Instead, the J48 employs a DC to DC converter with a high
frequency transformer that enables the audio ground to be lifted at the
power supply. This does not shut off the phantom power and is invisible
to the user.
The Radial J48 Stereo - Twice as good as the world's finest phantom-powered active DI!