Phoenix Audio ASCENT/500 is a Class-A microphone preamplifier in 500 series format. It pairs a transformerless mic input with a DSOP-2 output stage and a custom-wound DB694 transformer, covering everything from completely clean to the saturated tone of classic British designs.
A 10 kOhm input for ribbons and dynamics
Plug a ribbon microphone into an arbitrary preamp and it loses its bottom end and turns nasal, because the input impedance is too low. The ASCENT/500 works at 10 kOhm, a value chosen specifically for ribbons and dynamics, so the capsule sees the load it was designed for. Gain is stepped in 5 dB increments, with another 10 dB available on a detented output fader, which lets you set the level precisely and write it into the session notes.
24 V in a slot that normally supplies 16 V
A typical 500 series chassis offers a 16 V rail, and for Class-A circuitry that means less headroom. The ASCENT/500 carries its own supply that lifts the rail to 24 V, so the output stage runs with +26 dB of headroom and does not become the bottleneck when you drive it hot. The module also holds a vocal shaping EQ of ±16 dB, a 15 dB pad, a 120 Hz high pass filter at 6 dB per octave, mute, phase reverse, phantom power and an instrument input with up to 30 dB of gain.
KEY FEATURES
- Class-A microphone preamplifier in 500 series format
- Transformerless, electronically balanced microphone input
- 10 kOhm impedance chosen for ribbon and dynamic microphones
- Gain in 5 dB steps plus 10 dB on the output fader
- Instrument input with up to 30 dB of gain
- Vocal shaping EQ with ±16 dB of range
- 15 dB input pad on a push-button switch
- High pass filter at 120 Hz, 6 dB per octave
- Mute, phase reverse and phantom power on push-buttons
- DSOP-2 output stage with DB694 transformer
- Internal supply lifting the rail to 24 V
- LED metering with colour coded levels
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
- Format: 500 series, API standard
- Microphone input impedance: 10 kOhm
- Microphone gain range: 5 dB steps plus 10 dB on the fader
- Maximum gain of the instrument stage: 30 dB
- Output stage response: 20 Hz to 20 kHz (±0.5 dB)
- Microphone input: -0.4 dB at 40 Hz, -0.3 dB at 25 kHz
- Instrument input: -0.3 dB at 40 Hz, -0.5 dB at 25 kHz
- Maximum output: +26 dBu at 1 kHz
- Headroom on the mic preamp stage: +26 dB
- Noise floor: -90 dB (20 Hz to 20 kHz)
- Internal power rail: 24 V
