Vtb-2

Stefan Elmblad

Stefan Elmblad

New member
Will it be a rack version ? Say yes. The shitty sizes that every company favors is the main reason I've turned my back on the VTB-1 and the RNP. I've gotten allergic to the 1/2, 1/3, 1/4 size rack units, and all shit that supposed to be on the table.
I don't care how great they are, I want them firmly attached to my rack or the small &%¤#&%# will hit the floor and crack open anyway.

So, VTB-2. Full rack size or not ?
 
Shit, I'm feelin you there Stef!!!

I have the JV1010, The RNC, Butt-shaped POD and a BlueMax
all half-sized & unrackable(though FMR does offer a rack-face plate for 19" mounting). Anutha' reason why I bought the ART TPS
was because of it's voice-tailoring feature AND it's rackmountable!!!
 
NERF his ass!

I feel your pain.

We have a complement of NERF balls/guns/rockets handy in case a marketing guy mentions a desktop or half-rack format. Occassionally one slips by, but we try to keep it to a minimum. :D :D :D
 
I've got to jump in on this thread. I don't like plastic or wall-warts, and I like it rack-mountable also.
 
Yes, the VTB-2 will be 19" rackmountable. It's definitely going to be one rack space - but possibly two. For all I raved I about the VTB-1, the VTB-2 sprang out of me bitching about the VTB-1 and wanting a 2-channel rackmountable desgin with real VU meters and real internal power supply.

Although this certainly isn't the final product, this chassis design pic was what kicked it off.

_____________

Dan Richards
Digital Pro Sound
The Listening Sessions
 
The VTB-2 will be 19" rack mountable. The front end is a Class A 300V tube design with a tube blend and variable power to the plate adjustable from 70V to just under 300V, so no wall wart on this puppy. The adjustable plate voltage will allow for low voltage grunge, or high voltage air.

As far as I know, this is the first unit to employ this kind of variable tube plate technology. It will have variable low and high pass filters, VU meters, and a full offering of traditional mic pre features, but the impedance matching will also be variable, and we are looking into employing dual insert points into each channel. It has digital outputs in AES/EBU, SPDIF, Optical, ADAT and includes word clock with a front panel LED to show lock. We are also looking to incorporate Firewire, but depending on the costs, we may not.

We tried to keep it in a 1U box, but it will end up a 2U unit. Target price is $799.99 list with a street of $599.00. More information as we get closer.
 
alanhyatt said:
The VTB-2 will be 19" rack mountable. The front end is a Class A 300V tube design with a tube blend and variable power to the plate adjustable from 70V to just under 300V, so no wall wart on this puppy. The adjustable plate voltage will allow for low voltage grunge, or high voltage air.

As far as I know, this is the first unit to employ this kind of variable tube plate technology. It will have variable low and high pass filters, VU meters, and a full offering of traditional mic pre features, but the impedance matching will also be variable, and we are looking into employing dual insert points into each channel. It has digital outputs in AES/EBU, SPDIF, Optical, ADAT and includes word clock with a front panel LED to show lock. We are also looking to incorporate Firewire, but depending on the costs, we may not.

We tried to keep it in a 1U box, but it will end up a 2U unit. Target price is $799.99 list with a street of $599.00. More information as we get closer.
Click to expand...

Now we're talking... and it's got to have inserts. Thumbs up

DOT, thanks for the early design picture, I'm guessing the final 2-space product will look somewhat similar.
 
alanhyatt said:
The VTB-2 will be 19" rack mountable. The front end is a Class A 300V tube design with a tube blend and variable power to the plate adjustable from 70V to just under 300V, so no wall wart on this puppy. The adjustable plate voltage will allow for low voltage grunge, or high voltage air.

As far as I know, this is the first unit to employ this kind of variable tube plate technology. It will have variable low and high pass filters, VU meters, and a full offering of traditional mic pre features, but the impedance matching will also be variable, and we are looking into employing dual insert points into each channel. It has digital outputs in AES/EBU, SPDIF, Optical, ADAT and includes word clock with a front panel LED to show lock. We are also looking to incorporate Firewire, but depending on the costs, we may not.

We tried to keep it in a 1U box, but it will end up a 2U unit. Target price is $799.99 list with a street of $599.00. More information as we get closer.
Click to expand...

Thank you Alan.... thank you.
Not only are my prayers answered regarding the actual casing, but Class A tube, with BOTH variable voltage and impedance.
I wanna wash you car for free.

Only problem I see right now is.... if it's 799 retail in US (which is a great price) it's gonna be like $1500 to get hold of this puppy in Europe.... but I've seen some European equip being the other way around so.....doh, that don't help me at all.

Alan, do you have any clue to the price within EU ?
 
Stefan Elmblad said:


Only problem I see right now is.... if it's 799 retail in US (which is a great price) it's gonna be like $1500 to get hold of this puppy in Europe.... but I've seen some European equip being the other way around so.....doh, that don't help me at all.

Alan, do you have any clue to the price within EU ?
Click to expand...

This is where you are wrong. We are now open with our UK office, and you will see the prices come down dramatically. In the UK, France and other countries, the pricing is getting equal to the USA as we now ship our goods direct to the UK. This saves big freight dollars and we are now selling direct to the UK and German dealers at the same dollars as we do in the USA.

Things are getting better there..... No reason the price should be different there now by more than 10% based on exchange rates. So about 575.00 Euro is the target there for a street price....
 
Alright! Now you're talking... no disrespect to all americans on this forum, but quite often US companies forget that theres like 300 countries out there, and not just one.

Hats off to you Alan for realizing this, and of course this is gonna give Studio Projects (and I assume Joemeek) an even bigger cut into the EU market, which is fine by me. Competition serves the customers.
 
wow, this looks great.

but, I am a bit confused not being an engineer. It seems like there are a lot of big internal changes on this unit..

is the VTB2 going to *sound* better than the VTB1?

or is it supposed to sound the same, and just be two of them in one rack unit? (plus a few more nice features)
 
When Alan takes the VTB concept and feed it with highvoltage juice and with adjustable impedance, you can bet it will sound much better.
 
wes480 said:
wow, this looks great.

but, I am a bit confused not being an engineer. It seems like there are a lot of big internal changes on this unit..

is the VTB2 going to *sound* better than the VTB1?

or is it supposed to sound the same, and just be two of them in one rack unit? (plus a few more nice features)
Click to expand...

The VTB-2 is another design approach than the VTB-1 is. We are going for something totally different then the VTB-1. The VTB-2 is more than just two VTB-1's which is why it also costs more than two of them by better than $250.00.

There really is no comparrison between them as a result of the differences. What I would hope is that each unit be judged on its merrits and its market target. Obviously, the VTB-2 is looking to enter a higher priced arena, so it will end up next to some good competition as does the VTB-1.

Like everything else, the jury will be out until the unit gets some press and feedback. In the meantime we are doing the best we can. Now that we have purchased Joemeek, we have taken all models off the market while our design team redesigns the entire line.

So we have our work cut out for us....:D
 
chessrock said:
Alan, I forgot to ask . . . is it going to have transformers at the input and/or output?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Interesting question... I don't want to spill all my secrets because we are in negociations from a very well known transformer supplier that everyone wants to have on their gear. This company is liking what we are doing and is willing to drop its price for our business, so until I have confirmation on the target price, I will hold out answering your question.

I assure you it is not anything personal as to why I won't answer, but until I am sure that this deal is locked, I don't want to commit myself and then have to retract. Everything boils down to a price!

I hope you understand.....
 
O.k., Dot... it's pretty friggin' obvious which 19" unit you used to 'construct' the faceplate of the VTB-2... :p

Jeopardy:
"A 2 channel compressor/mic pre from a known english brand which encorporates various tube or valve stages"

answer:"TL Audio C1" ;)

But it DOES look interesting... Alan, what were you thinking? "Gee, we gotta sell this thing to Speedy too, so better include some retro VU meters!" :D ;)
 
Firewire! Firewire! huh-huh huh-huh

PLEASE just say yes to firewire! Much more practical to us amatuers than optical, ADAT, etc.
:cool:
 
Hey Alan, I like the idea of being able to suggest ideas to the manufacture about new products, this is great. Does the new VTB-2 preamp have RF shielding?
 
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