TK Audio is proud to announce upcoming availability of M/S Blender 500 — a multi-functional parallel processing tool for the 500-Series modular analogue audio equipment format. M/S Blender 500 is formed from a dual mono blender, a stereo blender, and an M/S encoder/decoder, designed to get more energy into a single track or adding more punch to a mix by blending in compression.
Experienced engineers are well aware that parallel processing — the technique of processing a copy of a track in a mix and then combining it with the original — can clearly help with getting more energy into a single track by blending in compression on, for example, bass, vocal, and guitar tracks. That being said, parallel processing, of course, can also add more punch to a mix, retaining transients from the direct signal while blending in the compressed signal for more energy. It is also very useful for blending in distortion from overdriven units.
Ultimately, having access to all this and more in a well-designed, high-quality handcrafted 500-Series module for the long-established, API-developed 500-Series modular analogue audio equipment format with space-saving enclosure-mounted ease of use in an age where studio-level sound quality has effectively been brought increasingly into the comfortable confines of home has come to make more sense as more people moved towards recording at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Put it this way: while TK Audio’s new M/S Blender 500 comes into its own when working at home and away, the company concerned clearly knows a thing or two about designing 500-Series modules, having already released a mono compressor (T-Komp 500), a stereo bus compressor (BC501), and a dual mono EQ (TK-lizer 500) — the latter being a Technical Achievement Nominee in the Signal Processing Hardware (500 Series Modules) category at the 32nd NAMM TEC Awards, as well as several discontinued devices.
As a multi-functional parallel processing tool formed from a dual mono blender, a stereo blender, and an M/S encoder/decoder, M/S Blender 500 flexibly acts as two individual mono blenders while working in standard mode. Alternatively, activating the Link function results in the L/M Blend knob controlling both channels to make blending stereo signals easier. Meanwhile, M/S mode encodes the (Out) left-right sends into mid/side sends and decodes the (In) returns back to the left/right — before the blend control(s). Both blend controls use potentiometers with 41 clickable positions, ranging from fully Dry to fully Wet. With Cue switchable functionality also provided, users can freely monitor the left, right, mid, or side signal — albeit M/S mode needs to be activated to cue the mid or side signal — which will be sent to both outputs. On top of that, M/S Blender 500 can also be used as an M/S encoder/decoder for any inserted processor(s). It is not necessary to use a stereo processor for M/S processing, however, since separate units can be used for mid and side processing and the processed signal can be blended back with the dry signal regardless.
Moreover, M/S Blender 500 users can process the mid and side signals separately when working with it in M/S mode, helping them to achieve a more focused midrange and add some ‘air’ to the side signal, and altering the side signal level means that they can control the width of a mix. After all, this is what parallel processing is all about. And now it is perfectly possible to achieve all this with studio-level sound quality at home (and away), thanks to TK Audio’s latest high-quality handcrafted 500-Series module, mounted for ease of use in a space-saving enclosure, ideally alongside any of the company’s other 500-Series modules — award nominated or otherwise.
M/S Blender 500 will be available as of July 1, 2022 at a list price of $899.00 USD/€739.00 EUR.
For more in-depth information, https://tkaudio.se/ms-blender500/.