| Folcrom RMS216 Details
Are you dissatisfied with the harsh, sterile sound of your Digital Audio Workstation? Do individual tracks sound good while full mixes sound flat and lifeless? Are you having a hard time deciding between an API or a Neve console for creating lush analog mixes from your DAW? Are you unable to afford either one? Do you have a rack full of expensive vintage and esoteric microphone preamplifiers sitting unused at mixdown time? Perhaps the RMS216 Folcrom from Roll Music Studios can help you find the sonic glory you've been missing.
The Folcrom is a high quality passive mixer intended for multichannel analog summing of digital mixes. It uses no active circuitry and provides no gain or level controls. The idea is to control the level, panning, EQ, and effects sends of your mix from within the DAW, and send as many as 16 different tracks or submixes to a high quality multichannel outboard DAC which in turn feeds the Folcrom. You then perform only the summing in the analog domain. This enables you to maintain absolute repeatability from within your DAW.
Each of the Folcrom's input channels features a balanced connection on standard 8-channel DB25 connectors and a pair of pushbutton switches to assign that channel to the Left or Right output, neither, or both. The output of the Folcrom is a stereo pair of balanced, 150-ohm signals on XLR connectors and requires approximately 30-40dB of make-up gain (program dependent). This signal is ideally suited for feeding into an outboard microphone preamp of your choosing. The Folcrom is therefore able to assume a wide variety of tonal character dependent on your choice of amplifier. The Folcrom itself has an extremely simple, pure, and transparent signal path. The absence of faders, EQ, aux sends, pan knobs, or any other superfluous features allows for an entirely passive circuit. There are no amplifiers, ICs, transistors, capacitors, or transformers in the signal path whatsoever. The simplicity of the fully balanced, symmetrical signal path allows the use of no-compromise passive components for ultimate fidelity. The unit passes signals "from DC to daylight" without coloration. The "sound" of your mixer is up to you and your preamps. Chances are your mic preamps just sit there unused at mixdown time anyway, so why not put them to work?
By excluding the make-up gain amplifier from the Folcrom, we are able to provide an ultimate quality summing buss without compromise and at a price that's less than you paid for your car. At the same time, it provides a unique opportunity for wide tonal control by allowing you to choose your flavor of make-up gain. Put those old Telefunken or RCA tube preamps to work when you want super thick warmth; or plug into your Great River MP-2 when you need pristine clarity. What other analog console can give you so many options, in such a small space, and at such a reasonable price?
Folcrom RMS216 Specifications
- Input channels: sixteen
- Input impedance: 10k ohms balanced
- Recommended source impedance: <100 ohms
- Maximum input level: +42dB rms
- Output channels: two
- Output impedance: 150 ohms balanced
- Recommended load impedance: 1300 ohms
- Output level: -35dB nominal
- Frequency response: 0-500kHz
- Crosstalk @1kHz: -90dB
- Power requirements: none
What We Think
The Folcrom is a great way to achieve some different separation and color variations during mixdown. Just like many old school consoles it’s a passive summing buss that requires amplifiers after the output. Mic preamp…it’s an amp any way you cut it! So it makes sense to be able to plug many different flavors of preamp in to change the overall timbre of the mix. Got a pair of (insert favorite flavor here) preamps? Plug ‘em in! |
