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* IMPORTANT INFORMATION: FOCUSRITE, the FF logo, LIQUID TECHNOLOGY, LIQUID 4CONTROL and the LIQUID 4PRE logo are trademarks of Focusrite Audio Engineering Ltd. DYNAMIC CONVOLUTION is a trademark of Sintefex Ltd. All other product names, trademarks, or trade names are the names of their respective owners, which are in no way associated, connected nor affiliated with Focusrite or its LIQUID 4PRE product and which have not endorsed Focusrite's LIQUID 4PRE product. These other product names, trademarks, and trade names are used solely to identify and describe the third party products the sonic behaviour of which was studied for the LIQUID 4PRE product, and to accurately describe the functionality of the LIQUID 4PRE product. The LIQUID 4PRE product is an independently engineered technology which utilises the patented process of Dynamic Convolution to actually measure examples of the sonic impact of original analogue products upon an audio stream, so as to electronically emulate the performance of the original product studied. The result of this process is subjective and may not be perceived by a user as producing the same effects as the original products studied. Overview The unique ‘Harmonics’ and ‘Session Saver’ features from The Liquid Channel are also provided across all four LIQUID4PRE channels. The adjustable harmonic distortion circuit accounts for variance in the vintage originals, but can also be used creatively to vary the sound of each pre-amp. Session saver is a unique automatic gain control circuit that intelligently reduces the input level to help avoid critical overs. Each channel also features a classic Focusrite high-pass filter, phantom power and phase reverse, available directly from the front fascia independently for every channel. These controls sit alongside the four large information display screens which, as well as providing in-depth information of settings, also display huge digital VU meters, providing accurate, responsive and easy-to-read metering. A further feature essential for the LIVE sound arena is ‘Operator Lock’, which guarantees secure use in public arenas by locking the front panel controls to help avoid any unwanted alteration of pre-amps settings, including gain. AES and ADAT™ optical digital inputs and outputs are provided as standard to integrate with a variety of digital i/o setups. However, an optional EtherSound eight-channel card is also available, providing effective connectivity for large studios, post production installs and live sound engineers using EtherSound. Multiple unit set-ups are easily configured for remote control via LIQUID4CONTROL utilising an Ethernet hub. With a third ‘Slave’ ADAT input, audio from two LIQUID4PREs can be routed directly to a single optional EtherSound card, or at 48kHz, all eight channels can be routed to a single ADAT light-pipe output. Finally, the Focusrite site is soon to feature its own dedicated online emulations library, ‘Liquid Assets’, which will continue to be updated with additional vintage emulations, available to the worldwide liquid community as free downloads. * IMPORTANT INFORMATION: FOCUSRITE, the FF logo, LIQUID TECHNOLOGY, LIQUID 4CONTROL and the LIQUID 4PRE logo are trademarks of Focusrite Audio Engineering Ltd. DYNAMIC CONVOLUTION is a trademark of Sintefex Ltd. All other product names, trademarks, or trade names are the names of their respective owners, which are in no way associated, connected nor affiliated with Focusrite or its LIQUID 4PRE product and which have not endorsed Focusrite's LIQUID 4PRE product. These other product names, trademarks, and trade names are used solely to identify and describe the third party products the sonic behaviour of which was studied for the LIQUID 4PRE product, and to accurately describe the functionality of the LIQUID 4PRE product. The LIQUID 4PRE product is an independently engineered technology which utilises the patented process of Dynamic Convolution to actually measure examples of the sonic impact of original analogue products upon an audio stream, so as to electronically emulate the performance of the original product studied. The result of this process is subjective and may not be perceived by a user as producing the same effects as the original products studied. Liquid Pre Technology However, Mic-pre emulation can't be achieved with software alone. Hardware is required in addition to account for the physical interaction with the microphone. Mic-pre's have always had to connect to the source microphone, but it's an interactive system that isn't 100% efficient. Mic. amps have been designed since 1920's to suit a wide variety of different types of mics.- passive carbon dynamics, then coil-based designs, then valve amplifiers, large diaphragms, phantom powered condensers etc. Hence, different vintages and types of mic. amp, will vary dramatically in terms of the way that their input has been designed. For example, the range of electronic/transformer front ends that have been used over the years exhibit a wide-ranging set of impedances, and this is why an analogue front end needs to be included. If a specific mic. is not being loaded by the analogue circuit just as it was by an original vintage device, then the sound from that microphone will be different. The is no real mic-pre standard. Take a transformer for instance. It has two coils of wire, the 1st coil generates a magnetic field, and this then passes into the 2nd coil- which in itself is not a fixed transfer mechanism, there's a lot of variation in transformers. What impedance appears at the input of the pre is also a key factor- when you connect a mic. it has an output impedance of its own. The two sides (mic. and pre) react, and frequency-related level can vary wildly as a result. Capacitances also interact as both mic and transformer have capacitances that vary, so HF roll off may occur for example, or you may get an HF peak (The famous Focusrite 'airiness' typified by the ISA range for example,) Older mics. designed for broadcast applications often roll off at e.g. 12kHz, since before 1970 few people cared about HF matters. (Designers used to just roll off at c12kHz to filter out problems above this threshold.) Consequently, The only way to accommodate the full range of different designs is to allow huge flexibility in the resistance and capacitance parameters in a custom analogue circuit designed specifically for that flexibility. By including a 'Liquid' pre-amp circuit containing a flexible signal path and variable impedance value, Liquid 4PRE can mimic that of the classic mic-pre to ensure that the interaction with the microphone is close to the original. Hence, The Liquid Channel physically changes analogue circuitry as well as using dynamic convolution technology to create mic-pre emulations. Focusrite has built in the variations required to reproduce the vagaries of a range of electronic mic-pres. The capacitance and resistance are then varied in the circuit, and Dynamic Convolution technology is used to emulate the full range of electronic pre's. Tube emulation is also covered 100% - this is taken care of by the Dynamic Convolution process. Whatever artefacts were present in a classic vintage tube piece are also present in The Liquid Channel. The sound of every opto, and every VCA compressor, every transformer-balanced, electronically balanced (including tube pre's) can be emulated, because each device's response has been calculated. * IMPORTANT INFORMATION: FOCUSRITE, the FF logo, LIQUID TECHNOLOGY, LIQUID 4CONTROL and the LIQUID 4PRE logo are trademarks of Focusrite Audio Engineering Ltd. DYNAMIC CONVOLUTION is a trademark of Sintefex Ltd. All other product names, trademarks, or trade names are the names of their respective owners, which are in no way associated, connected nor affiliated with Focusrite or its LIQUID 4PRE product and which have not endorsed Focusrite's LIQUID 4PRE product. These other product names, trademarks, and trade names are used solely to identify and describe the third party products the sonic behaviour of which was studied for the LIQUID 4PRE product, and to accurately describe the functionality of the LIQUID 4PRE product. The LIQUID 4PRE product is an independently engineered technology which utilises the patented process of Dynamic Convolution to actually measure examples of the sonic impact of original analogue products upon an audio stream, so as to electronically emulate the performance of the original product studied. The result of this process is subjective and may not be perceived by a user as producing the same effects as the original products studied. FAQsA: Liquid4Pre™ is a 4-channel pre-amp, capable of emulating the sound of any pre-amp in history. Up to 4 mic/line-level or 2 AES signals (or any combination of these) can be connected and each have their own separate emulations individually selected on the front panel. It’s like constructing your very own hybrid 4-channel pre-amp from the most popular and priceless pre-amps from around the world! Q: How many different pre-amp emulations come with the unit? A: There are 40 that ship with the unit as standard, but more are available for free online and are updated several times a year. Q: Are The Liquid Channel emulations compatible with the Liquid4Pre™? A: Yes. They are identical files so any pre-amps currently available for The Liquid Channel can be uploaded into Liquid4Pre™. Q: How does it emulate classic pre-amps? A: Like The Liquid Channel, Liquid4Pre™ uses a combination of analogue and digital techniques to emulate the sound of other pre-amps. The analogue stage is all about creating the same interaction with a given microphone, that is the amplitude and spectrum of the response caused by the input circuitry and impedance. After converting to digital, all of the sonic character of the pre-amp being emulated is applied to the signal using a process called dynamic convolution. Q: What is dynamic convolution? A: Dynamic convolution is an intelligent process that involves the acquiring of multiple level-dependent impulse responses of each pre-amp, which are then added to the signals being processed in Liquid4Pre™ to create the sound of every emulation. Just like microphones and speakers, pre-amps can have their impulse response measured by firing impulses (short bursts of noise) through them to see how they are modified. This provides all the information required to learn how the pre-amp behaves across the frequency range at one level. The only difference being that pre-amps are dynamic so, rather than inputting a single impulse, an entire impulse train is used, starting at peak excitation and ending at the noise floor. This lengthy ‘sampling’ process has been carried out at Focusrite HQ with a great number of classic pre-amps (and compressors and EQs – see the other Liquid range products) to build up a huge database of samples for all the processors being emulated. Liquid4Pre™ stores these banks of samples for every pre-amp in the digital board of each input and loads up the relevant one when an emulation is selected. For anyone needing assurance of how much sample application is actually going on in Liquid4Pre™, when all inputs are being used and the sample rate is set to 192kHz, the device is processing 256 million samples per second! Q: What’s the difference between dynamic convolution and other modelling techniques? A: We compare the two processes by likening dynamic convolution to sampling and modelling to synthesizing. Modelling techniques vary drastically as there are no standards and the process is very difficult to do accurately. Complex analytical experiments need to be conducted to examine exactly which properties characterise how the device behaves and then the most significant of those properties need to be selected and recreated. Like synthesizing, there are many different ways to recreate the sound and some do it very badly, often producing the poor alternatives to the original that give digital emulations a bad name. However, dynamic convolution is much more like sampling. There is only one way to do it and the result produces an impressive emulation that pinpoints the most important sonic characteristics. Q: Does Liquid4Pre™ use the same pre-amp design as The Liquid Channel? A: Not entirely. The Liquid Channel was the first pre-amp of its kind, engineered to be as transparent as possible but capable of emulating the action of any pre-amp, by switching in and out a multitude of different capacitors, resistors and other circuit board components. As with all new technology, the size and cost were both high. Over the last three years, Focusrite have been busy redesigning the board to achieve the same performance with a smaller and more efficient pre-amp board. The main difference is the absence of a transformer, as research concluded that the effect of a transformer could be cleverly emulated using much more affordable components. After all, it is the action of the transformer (the way it interacts with the microphone) and not the sound that is important; the Liquid4Pre™ pre-amp itself should be as transparent as possible so that all the sonic character can be added after the signal converts to digital and the emulation’s samples are added. Q: What are the other differences between Liquid4Pre™ and The Liquid Channel? A: The main difference is that Liquid4Pre™ can process 4 signals, whereas The Liquid Channel can process only one. However, The Liquid Channel is a complete channel strip rather than a pre-amp alone and so has a compressor section, which also uses dynamic convolution to emulate the sound of any compressor (up to 40 onboard with more online), and a single digital EQ for corrective shaping or sideband compression. On the pre-amp side, however, the controls are virtually identical (listed below) but with the Liquid4Pre™ having a range of available metering for each channel, rather than a single LED strip (listed below) and a high impedance switch. There are also some differences to the digital i/o (listed below). Q: What front panel controls are there for each channel? A: Phantom power (+48V) switch, phase reverse switch, HPF switch, HiZ switch (sets the input impedance of that channel to the maximum value, nominally 10k), gain dial, input selector switch (selects mic, line or digital from the connectors on the rear panel), session saver switch (for protection against clipping) and harmonics switch (for adding more colouration), pre-amp select switch (for choosing emulations), set-up switch (for setting up channel specific features). Q: What is the session saver switch? A: This is a circuit that can be activated to protect each input from exceeding the digital clipping point (0dBFS). Whilst ‘armed’ (session saver switch illuminated), if the signal level reaches 0dBFS, the input gain will be turned down by 1dB and the session saver indicator LED will illuminate ‘active’. If the signal continues to clip then the Liquid4Pre™ will continue to turn down the signal in 1dB steps until it is below clipping point. When the gain is changed manually using the dial, the session saver resets to zero – where it is now placed in the ‘armed’ state. Q: What is the Harmonics control? A: The harmonics control is a dial that allows additional harmonics to be added to the signal to add extra warmth and colour. The exact harmonics that are added are emulation-dependent but the first half of the dial rotation, 1-8, generally adds even harmonics (normally 2nd) and the second half, 9-15, applies odd (mainly 3rd and 5th). Q: What is the HiZ switch for? A: The HiZ switch allows even more control over the exact sound obtained from the pre-amp. Pressing it sets the input impedance to the maximum value for that pre-amp (typically 10k), which reduces the load on the microphone. The spectral effect on the signal from the mic will vary according to the emulation loaded (so as to behave in the same way as the original device) but, as a rule, the level will increase as will the high frequency content (the signal will become brighter). Other frequency related variations may become a little flattened though. Q: How do I meter the input levels? A: There are several metering options available for each input. As default there is always a vertical strip meter running down the right side, for observing the peak level. In the main display there are two options, the ‘old-style’ VU meter, displaying the average level in VU (0VU may be calibrated to line up with various levels of dBFS), as well as a horizontal strip VU meter showing peak level in dBFS, which may be preferable if recording high level signals, and is more suitable when working further away from the device. Q: Is there a 'lock' function to protect the unit when used in remote locations? A: Yes. There is a front panel disable mode that allows all front panel controls to be deactivated. Q: Does the unit have full recall including gain control? A: Yes. There are in fact three ways to recall the front panel settings. One is to load the panel from a previously saved memory, this can be done per channel or for the entire unit. The second allows all the channel settings apart from phantom power to be reset to the default position (emulation, gain, phase, input type, HPF etc.). The third allows all front panel settings for all four inputs to be reset to the default position, as well as the digital settings such as sample rate and synchronisation. The unit always saves the panel settings every 10 seconds so that, should you switch off the unit by accident, your last set position will be as it was when you power back up (as long as no settings were changed within 10 seconds prior to the power down). Q: What’s the status display on each input all about? A: The status display indicates any errors that are occurring, primarily to do with the digital configuration, e.g. loss of input or system lock, or any data errors. It also displays when the session saver has reduced the level and by how much. When it reads ‘OK’, there is nothing to report and everything is functioning correctly. Q: What digital i/o is available? A: There are inputs for ADAT (8 channels) and AES/EBU (2 channels) that can be fed to any of the four front panel inputs, as well as an optional EtherSound card for use with EtherSound systems. This optional card provides a further 8 channels to choose from. As standard, there are AES/EBU (4 channels) and ADAT (8 channels) outputs, and then a further optional 8 channels on the EtherSound card. The additional channels of ADAT and EtherSound are used for digitally sending the outputs of two linked Liquid4Pres™ combined. At higher sample rates, the number of channels falls as they link together to allow for double the number of samples (see next question). Q: Does the digital channel count decrease at higher sample rates? A: The AES/EBU remains the same. However, the ADAT and Ethersound halve as the sample rate doubles. So, at 88.2/96kHz, the number of input channels falls to 4 and output channels remains at 8 utilising both optical outputs. At 176.4/192kHz, the number falls to 2 inputs and 4 outputs. Q: What are the master/slave options all about? A: There are options for slaving together two units so that the audio outputs can be combined and sent down the same digital cable (ADAT or EtherSound). In this case, the units must be connected together using an ADAT link cable and the Setup Cluster modes set to ‘Master’ and ‘Slave’ accordingly. This will ensure that the audio from the two units is correctly synchronized. Q: Will it use USB for SW control like TLC? A: No. The device uses 100Base T Ethernet network connection as the number of devices that can be controlled is much greater, as is the distance Liquid4Pre™ can be remotely controlled. Q: Can I link multiple units to build bigger systems? If so, what's the limit? A: If wanting to control multiple Liquid4Pres from one computer using Liquid4Control™ software then up to 32 devices can be linked, as 128 channels are possible simultaneously. * IMPORTANT INFORMATION: FOCUSRITE, the FF logo, LIQUID TECHNOLOGY, LIQUID 4CONTROL and the LIQUID 4PRE logo are trademarks of Focusrite Audio Engineering Ltd. DYNAMIC CONVOLUTION is a trademark of Sintefex Ltd. All other product names, trademarks, or trade names are the names of their respective owners, which are in no way associated, connected nor affiliated with Focusrite or its LIQUID 4PRE product and which have not endorsed Focusrite's LIQUID 4PRE product. These other product names, trademarks, and trade names are used solely to identify and describe the third party products the sonic behaviour of which was studied for the LIQUID 4PRE product, and to accurately describe the functionality of the LIQUID 4PRE product. The LIQUID 4PRE product is an independently engineered technology which utilises the patented process of Dynamic Convolution to actually measure examples of the sonic impact of original analogue products upon an audio stream, so as to electronically emulate the performance of the original product studied. The result of this process is subjective and may not be perceived by a user as producing the same effects as the original products studied. Specifications• Sample rate: 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4 and 192kHz • Bit depth: 24-bit A/D • Signal to Noise Ratio: 120dB measured with 20 Hz/22 kHz bandpass A-weighted filter • Frequency Response: ±0.05 dB between 20 Hz – 20 kHz • Maximum input level: +22 dBu • THD+N: 0.0007% (-103 dB) D/A • Dynamic Range: 118 dB measured with 20 Hz/22 kHz bandpass A-weighted filter • Frequency Response: ±0.05 dB between 20 Hz – 20 kHz • Maximum output level: +22 dBu • THD+N: 0.001% (-100 dB) Jitter • Internal Clock: less than 50 ps • AES Output: less than 1 ns • External Clock: less than 3 ns Mic Pre • Gain Range: +14 dB to +80 dB, switched in 1dB steps • Frequency Response: Frequency response and harmonic distortion variable, set by pre-amp emulation and harmonics setting chosen (figures shown for FLAT setting with zero harmonics) • THD+N at analogue out: 0.001% measured with a +1 dBu 1 kHz input signal with 20 Hz/22 kHz bandpass filter, gain +14dB • THD+N at AES out: 0.0007% measured with a +1 dBu 1 kHz input signal with 20 Hz/22 kHz bandpass filter, gain +14dB • Mic Noise: EIN = -128 dB measured at 60 dB of gain with 150 ohm source impedance and 20 Hz/22 kHz bandpass filter • Noise Analogue Out: -92 dBu measured at +14 dB gain with 20 Hz/22 kHz bandpass A-weighted filter • Noise AES Digital Out: -119 dBFS measured at +14 dB gain with 20 Hz/22 kHz bandpass A-weighted filter • Maximum Input Level: +8 dBu • Input Impedance: Variable, set by pre-amp emulation chosen • CMRR: Electronic: greater than 85 dB @ 60 dB of gain Line Input • Gain Range: +32 dB to –10 dB, switched in 1 dB steps • Frequency Response: 0 dB ±0.1 dB between 20 Hz and 20 kHz • THD+N at analogue out: 0.001% measured with a +18 dBu 1 kHz input signal with 20 Hz/22 kHz bandpass filter • THD+N at AES out: 0.0007% measured with a +18 dBu 1 kHz input signal with 20 Hz/22 kHz bandpass filter • Noise Analogue Out: -92 dBu measured at 0 dB gain with 20 Hz/22 kHz bandpass A-weighted filter • Noise AES Digital Out: -120 dBFS measured at 0 dB gain with 20 Hz/22 kHz bandpass A-weighted filter • Maximum Input Level: +22 dBu High Pass Filter • Roll-off frequency: 75 Hz, frequency measured at –6 dB down point. 12 dB per octave roll-off Harmonics • Distortion Range: 0 to 15 where maximum (15) = 10% of 2nd-, 20% of 3rd- and 10% of 5th-order at 0dBFS (level-dependant distortion) Rear Panel Connections • Mic Inputs 1 to 4: XLR female • Line Inputs 1 to 4: XLR female • Line Outputs 1 to 4: XLR male • AES Digital Input: XLR female • AES Digital Outputs (CH 1+2 and CH 3+4): XLR male • Wordclock Input: BNC, hi Z or 75 ohm input impedance (soft switchable) • Wordclock Output: BNC, Low Z input impedance • ADAT From Slave: Toslink optical Input socket • ADAT Main Output and Aux Output: 2 x Toslink optical Output socket • Ethernet Control: Ethernet (10baseT on RJ45) • Ethersound (optional): Ethernet (RJ45) Weight • 5.3kg • 11.7Ibs Dimensions • 484mm (W) x 85mm (H) x 270mm (D) • 19" (W) x 3.5" (H) x 10.6" (D) • 2U rackmount * IMPORTANT INFORMATION: FOCUSRITE, the FF logo, LIQUID TECHNOLOGY, LIQUID 4CONTROL and the LIQUID 4PRE logo are trademarks of Focusrite Audio Engineering Ltd. DYNAMIC CONVOLUTION is a trademark of Sintefex Ltd. All other product names, trademarks, or trade names are the names of their respective owners, which are in no way associated, connected nor affiliated with Focusrite or its LIQUID 4PRE product and which have not endorsed Focusrite's LIQUID 4PRE product. These other product names, trademarks, and trade names are used solely to identify and describe the third party products the sonic behaviour of which was studied for the LIQUID 4PRE product, and to accurately describe the functionality of the LIQUID 4PRE product. The LIQUID 4PRE product is an independently engineered technology which utilises the patented process of Dynamic Convolution to actually measure examples of the sonic impact of original analogue products upon an audio stream, so as to electronically emulate the performance of the original product studied. The result of this process is subjective and may not be perceived by a user as producing the same effects as the original products studied. ReviewsMarch 2008 Hugh Robjohns "Fortunately, technology moves on, and the Focusrite boffins have spent the last three years locked away in darkened rooms trying to find a way of reducing the size and complexity of the preamp circuitry without changing the fundamental way in which it works, its flexibility or, most importantly, its performance. The launch of the Liquid 4 Pre is the evidence that they have achieved their goal." "This is a very intensive number-crunching exercise, requiring a very powerful DSP — and with all four channels running at 192kHz, the Liquid 4 Pre DSP is processing 256 million samples per second!" "The Liquid 4 Pre is unique — there is nothing else on the market with comparable tonal versatility." "So the Liquid 4 Pre sits amongst some venerable competition, but certainly isn’t shamed by any of it. Furthermore, for the price of any one of these units, the Liquid 4 Pre provides almost all of them at the flick of a switch. Food for thought..." * IMPORTANT INFORMATION: FOCUSRITE, the FF logo, LIQUID TECHNOLOGY, LIQUID 4CONTROL and the LIQUID 4PRE logo are trademarks of Focusrite Audio Engineering Ltd. DYNAMIC CONVOLUTION is a trademark of Sintefex Ltd. All other product names, trademarks, or trade names are the names of their respective owners, which are in no way associated, connected nor affiliated with Focusrite or its LIQUID 4PRE product and which have not endorsed Focusrite's LIQUID 4PRE product. These other product names, trademarks, and trade names are used solely to identify and describe the third party products the sonic behaviour of which was studied for the LIQUID 4PRE product, and to accurately describe the functionality of the LIQUID 4PRE product. The LIQUID 4PRE product is an independently engineered technology which utilises the patented process of Dynamic Convolution to actually measure examples of the sonic impact of original analogue products upon an audio stream, so as to electronically emulate the performance of the original product studied. The result of this process is subjective and may not be perceived by a user as producing the same effects as the original products studied. Liquid AssetsCurrently, it is not possible to upload individual emulations to Liquid 4PRE (this facility will be included in the next release). So, if wanting to restore factory presets then it must be done in bulk. Click here to download the bulk factory emulations file. If wanting to find out more about what preamps are included in this download and on the Liquid 4PRE, follow the link to the Liquid Channel emulations listing below. Liquid Channel Mic Pres Emulations Related Products |
