SPL Audio 2210 Vitalizer Mk3-T Rack Stereo Harmonic Enhancer / Exciter / EQ

Patented. Legendary. Spectacular.

The patented Vitalizer circuitry makes the Vitalizer Mk3-T an unsurpassed sound designer.  Whether live or in the studio, audio productions sound more alive, have more details, more  transparency, a higher perceived loudness and, if required, an overwhelming bass foundation. The Vitalizer Mk3-T not only swaps the classic, golden robe of the previous model for the new,  black design of the SPL Studio Series – the higher internal audio voltage of +/-18 V elevates this third generation SPL classic to greater sonic results and impresses with an even better and more detailed sound experience.

The Vitalizer is based on findings of psychoacoustics and audiometry. Its filter network is one of the few patented filters. It makes the richness of detail of audio signals more audible. Interventions in the sound image are more of a musical nature. Music productions sound more natural, lively, differentiated, easier to understand, more deeply layered and more widely spread apart.

Drive

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

OVL 

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.

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 (0)  to the left makes bass sounds soft and warm, referred to as Soft. Tight: If the Bass Sound control is moved from the center position (0)  to the right, makes bass sounds dry and percussive, referred  to as Tight. The scale dots on the right symbolize this contoured, tight bass sound and are therefore displayed in squares.

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 preprogrammed. Increasing the Bass Comp value on the one hand increases the compression ratio (Ratio) and at the same time lowers the threshold value (Threshold). 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! The Gain Reduction LED “GR” indicates that the compressor is operating.

Mid-Hi Tune

The Mid-Hi Tune control is used to set the starting frequency of a  broad-band 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 kHz (hard right) and 22 kHz (hard left).  One of the Sovtek 12AX7 double triode tubes is used within the  Mid-Hi Tune filter and gives the mid frequencies even 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.

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 approx. 2 kHz (Low) when panned hard left stop and approx. 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.

Coils are known for their pleasant sound in filter circuits. In the 60's, 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 for the listening sensation. This can be compared to the difference between a tube stage and a transistor stage.

Intensity

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

Stereo Expander

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

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.

The De-Masking

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.

The Vitalizer adapts the frequency spectrum to the curves of equal loudness, which improves the loudness perception in particular.

The non-linear sensitivity of the human hearing is described already  in the 1930s by the “Fletcher-Munson curves”. These “curves of equal loudness” (today defined by the standard ISO 226:2003) illustrate the equal perception of  loudness as a measure of sound pressure level, over the frequency spectrum, for which a listener perceives a constant loudness when presented with pure steady tones.

Inputs and outputs

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

Looks great, feels great – and lasts for a lifetime

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

Sounds good

With all SPL devices we develop not only according to plan, but also by ear. Many important components are installed on the circuit boards using Through-hole technology. This way we can ensure that we can use the best sounding components.

Home is where the heart is

That’s why we manufacture all devices in our own production facility in Niederkrüchten on the Lower Rhine, Germany.