JoeMeek Launches New Products for the Millennium

Oct 15, 1999

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Joemeek celebrates the new millennium by releasing 2 new products.One completely new product, and one traditional product, revisited. Both available in time for 2000

The VC5 'Meequalizer'

The Joemeek 'Meequalizer' is a two channel, line level equalizer with a difference. That being its design was inspired by Ted Fletcher's early 70's mixing desk designs to have an EQ effect that was pleasing to the ear, and not necessarily having the same effect or response curves as ordinary EQ's. The VC5 has been built to give the most aggressive, powerful sound possible, while maintaining a signal's musical harmonic properties.

The key to producing an EQ with tonal qualities beyond any digital or modern op amp based design is simplicity. Don’t worry about db/octave predictability, or precise frequency responses, or even have too many bands and shelving controls. These things have no place in the mind of the sound engineer who has to produce the right sound for the job. The VC5 is an EQ with a sound unlike other EQs on the market.

How is this possible? The VC5 uses a vintage design class A amplifier at the heart of the EQ sections. Use of this amplifier reduces harmonic and intermodulation distortions normally caused by class B and digital equalizer models. The class A amplifier also produces valve like signal qualities that warm sound.

Conventional equalizers were developed from the theory of what 'should' happen when the knobs are turned. In practice, they fail to sound right because the designers did not have the background of knowledge in the practicalities of real sound creation. The curves may look pretty, but we are just not interested in listening to curves!

The very first equalizers were designed for the motion picture industry. The problem that had to be overcome was that different scenes had to be shot with the dialogue microphone different distances from the person speaking; so they needed a piece of equipment that 'equalized' the sound, not just the volume. These early equalizers were naturally very musical and 'easy' sounding and that is the basis of the Joemeek VC5. By experimenting and going 'over the top' with some of the electronics, the resulting sound possibilities are musical, aggressive and highly creative.

The VC6Q British Channel

In the studio, the VC6Q offers high quality channel for the recording of a voices and instruments either directly or with a microphone. When used live, the unit can be used as the interface between an instrument or microphone and P.A. desk, to achieve a processed sound suitable for amplification that has amazing depth and power that will add a new dimension to a performance.

The VC6Q does this by combining the following key products into a purpose built unit:

Microphone pre amplifier: 5-stage design for huge gain and low noise. This preamplifier is well featured with 48V Phantom power, 20dB Pad, Phase reverse, overload indicator and front mounted special passive instrument input and a rear panel mounted XLR mic input and 1/4” jack line input. There is also a line/instrument in select switch with indicator.

Joemeek Compressor: A full mono photo optical Joemeek compressor with ‘compression’ control for threshold, fully variable slope (ratio), plus variable attack and release controls. This is complimented by a 5 LED gain reduction indicator array and in/out switch with indicator.

As well as providing a stunning input interface, the VC6Q has a full channel of the legendary time, or afterwards during mixing. There are rotary controls for ±15db LF shelf, HF shelf, plus parametric mid sweep and ±15db mid control (see VC5 literature for parameters). This section is also equipped with an in/out switch and indicator.

This will provide vintage EQ sounds at tracking The VC6Q makes a good addition to a digital recording studio, offering an excellent way of getting sounds into disk or tape based recording systems, giving your tracks the incredible Meek compression and MeekQ sounds, with the added bonus of bypassing unnecessary recording equipment before the recorder. This will lower the noise of your recording, and keep the signal's musical integrity. Tracking through a VC6Q will greatly improve on directly recorded sounds through mixing desk channels, and will give you the tools to make a better mix than you could ever make before. Joemeek is proud of the VC6Q. Use it. In the studio or live, you won’t believe the difference it makes to your sounds! Peripheral features of the 6Q include dual 'Superbal' outputs, a pre compression and EQ insert point and a full 9 LED smooth tracking LED input meter to help you control signal levels.

The VC6Q is hand-made in England from traditional pro audio grade components.

Visit Joemeek on the web at www.joemeek-uk.com.