Introduced by Radial engineering at the 139th International AES convention in New York and now shipping, the McBoost is a 100% discrete, class-A dual FET signal booster for low output dynamic and ribbon microphones. According to Radial’s Jay Porter: “At Radial, we are constantly being tasked to come up with solutions to problems that audio engineers face as part of their daily routine. One such problem is elevating the signal level of a low output microphone so it can perform better with a typical mixing console.”
“The problem is that most mic preamps and mixing desks are only designed to boost the signal by about 50 to 60 dB. Although this is perfectly suitable when working with most dynamic and condenser mics, there are several instances where more gain is necessary. A good example is the Shure SM7. This great sounding mic was designed for broadcast voice so when it is used to pick up lower level signals, the detail is often lost. The McBoost provides the perfect solution. The same applies for older ribbon mics. These tend to have lower sensitivity as a means to protect the ribbon from bottoming out. So they need an extra boost when used with regular preamps. You just connect the McBoost in between the mic and preamp, turn on the phantom power and you get tons of super clean boost as you breathe new life into your old favorites!"This 100% discrete class-A circuit design begins with a dual-transistor J-FET circuit to produce up to 25dB of gain without introducing noise, color or artifact. Inside, the McBoost features hand matched transistors to ensure absolute performance is achieved with the dual FET class-A circuit. Each individual transistor is carefully measured and batch-sorted to comply with the design specification to certify performance.
This delivers up to 25 dB of boost via a fully variable front-panel level control. This is supplemented with a 3-position high-pass filter to eliminate excessive rumble and proximity build-up. For the purist, a 3-position impedance selector allows the engineer to optimize the load on the mic for greater accuracy or fun effect. Powering is provided by standard 48V phantom, eliminating the need for batteries or external power supply and connections are done via standard XLRs.
The McBoost features Radial’s trade-mark all-steel construction. As with all Radial products, the circuit board is loaded into a 14-gauge, I-beam, reinforced steel enclosure to prevent outside stress from torquing which otherwise could lead to premature part failure. A book-end cover creates protective zones at each end to safeguard the switches, potentiometer and connectors from the rigors of the road.Porter continues: “The McBoost is more than just a studio tool. It can be used to drive long cables for broadcast by improving signal to noise and it can bring a condenser-like character to dynamics for both live and studio. Once you plug it in, you will be surprised at all of the great stuff you can do.”
Made in Canada, the McBoost carries a MAP price of $199.99 USD and is now shipping.
www.radialeng.com/mcboost.php
