SPL Vitalizer Mk3-T Stereo Harmonic Enhancer/Exciter/EQ

SPL Vitalizer MK3T Overview

Make audio productions sound more alive with the Vitalizer Mk3-T from SPL, a rack-mounted combination exciter, enhancer, and EQ processor. Swapping the golden frame of its predecessor for SPL Studio Series black and adding a higher internal audio voltage of ±18V, the Mk3-T delivers greater sonic results for studios and live venues alike.

Gain Stage

Drive

Drive controls the level going into the filter network. The level can be changed between -20 and +6 dB. In the center position (0 dB) the level is identical to the input level.

The OVL LED indicates a potential overload of the input stages as well as internal overloads. The OVL LED lights up 3 dB before an overload. This ensures that the Vitalizer always delivers the perfect sound.

Vitalizing Section

Bass Sound

The Bass Sound control can be used to adjust between two bass sound colors:

• Soft: moving the Bass Sound control from the center position to the left makes bass sounds soft and warm.
• Tight: if the Bass Sound control is moved from the center position to the right, this makes bass sounds dry and percussive.

Bass Comp

The Stereo Vitalizer Mk3-T features an easy-to-use and effective one-knob compressor that is integrated solely into the bass processing path, leaving the original bass content untouched. Attack, Release, and Threshold are pre set.

Increasing the Bass Comp value on the one hand increases the compression ratio and at the same time lowers the threshold value. The compressor works with a soft knee control characteristic to sound as unobtrusive as possible. By integrating it into the bass path, the high end remain lively and airy, even at strong compression rates.

Mid-Hi Tune

The Mid-Hi Tune control is used to set the starting frequency of a broadband shelving filter. In line with the setting of Process control, all frequencies above this value right through to the end of the audio range are processed.

The control range is between 1.1 kHz (hard right) and 22 kHz (hard left). A Sovtek 12AX7 double triode tube is used within the Mid-Hi Tune filter and gives the mid frequencies more accurate transparency, with a soft and silky sound pattern.

Process

The Process control determines the ratio between Bass Sound and Mid-Hi Tune to the original signal and determines the attenuation intensity of dominant mid frequencies.

EQ Section

LC-EQ

The LC EQ is a mid-high processing stage built around a passive coil-capacitor (LC) network. The LC-EQ creates more presence and definition in the midrange, especially for speech intelligibility and transparency. In the high-frequency range, the coil convinces with extremely low noise.

The frequency can be controlled between approximately 2 kHz (Low) when panned hard left stop and around 20 kHz (High) when panned hard right. The high-frequency structure improved with the LC-EQ ensures a cleaner separation of the instrumentation and provides silky highs.

Intensity

The Intensity control determines the level of the LC-EQ. As the intensity increases, the gain of the set high and mid-high frequencies increases.

At the same time, the perception time is shifted, so that soft high-frequency components are not masked by loud ones. This improves speech intelligibility and clarity. The brilliance of any audio signal can be increased without sounding sharp.

History of Coil Capacitors

Coils are known for their pleasant sound in filter circuits. In the `60s, coil filters were often used, later replaced by RC filters (resistor-capacitor network) due to their high pricing.

Nowadays, the coil sound is desired again, especially for the mid and high frequencies, since saturating the coil produces a harmonic behavior that is pleasant to listen to. This can be compared to the difference between a tube stage and a transistor stage.

Expansion Section

Stereo Expander

The Stereo Expander increases the width of the stereo image. Working on established inter-channel phase principles, the Stereo Expander control is used to increase the subjective soundstage width of any stereo source.

Tube Powered

A Sovtek 12AX7 double-triode tube is also used in the stereo expander. In it, the right and left channels are mixed together. The tube now adds its typical tube harmonic spectrum to the stereo signal, which consists mainly of straight harmonics.

In addition to widening the stereo image, the tube also produces a greater range of low frequencies, a clearer definition of reverb spacing, and a softening of the high-frequency range, which has a very positive effect when processing digitally recorded material.

Warm-Up Mode

The On switch is used to activate the Vitalizer Mk3-T. When activated, the switch lights up. If the device is in bypass mode, the switch is not illuminated.

When this switch is blinking, the device is in warm-up mode. The tubes are being brought to the optimum operating temperature.

De-Masking Function

De-Masking Unmasked

A key feature of the Vitalizer technology is the unmasking of superimposed sound components. The Vitalizer thereby relates the time of perception of a frequency to its amplitude. Through a minimal temporal offset of loud frequencies, quieter, previously superimposed sound components are de-masked and thus become audible.

Example

In one example, you might have a boom and a punch sound in the bass frequency range. Normally, the two transient sounds would overlap each other, causing some of the boom to cancel out some of the punch, which results in the punch sound being largely masked by the boom.

With de-masking, the boom transient is identified due to being louder than the punch and is shifted forward slightly in time, making the punch audible again. This results in a more accented and powerful sound.

Physical Features

Inputs and Outputs

All inputs and outputs of the Vitalizer Mk3-T are equipped with Neutrik XLR jacks with gold-plated contacts and Neutrik 1/4" TRS jacks. The XLR and TRS jacks are connected in parallel. The signal transmission is electronically balanced with a nominal level of +6 dBu.

On the output side, there are two signals per output. The processed signal can therefore be sent to two different devices. In case of a double assignment of the inputs, the two input signals are mixed together.

Ground-Lift Switch

The Ground switch on the back of the Vitalizer Mk3-T can be used to eliminate ground loops by disconnecting the internal ground from the housing ground when the switch is pressed.

Built to Last a Lifetime

The Vitalizer Mk3-T has a 4mm thick, black anodized aluminum front panel and aluminum knobs milled from solid metal. The housing is made of high-quality steel and is powder coated in elegant black.

Premium Circuitry

As with all SPL devices, the Vitalizer Mk3-T was developed not only according to plan but also by ear. Many important components are installed on the circuit boards using through-hole wiring technology. This way SPL can ensure that they use the best sounding components.

Made in Germany

In order to ensure meticulous oversight of production, all SPL devices are manufactured in SPL`s own production facility in Niederkruchten on the Lower Rhine, Germany.