PRESONUS DigiMAX 96k Product Review

Product Reviews
Audio Media, June 2001
DigiMAX 96k
By Simon Tillbrook
To review a microphone pre-amplifier is an awkward prospect. These items in our
effects rack hold such importance to the overall sound, but their performance in this
respect is subjective.
So many variables are involved when judging them: Microphone choice, placement,
acoustic environment, and so on. On this occasion however the task was made so
much easier by a unit that was universally liked by all who came into contact with it.
The PreSonus DigiMAX is an eight-channel microphone pre-amplifier with dual
domain limiters and digital outputs. Now there's a mouthful. This unit comes in two
parts — a single rack space processor and a separate power supply. Four green LEDs
on the face of the power supply confirm the presence of each of the power rails.
The front of the very pretty rack unit (sculptured aluminum panel with blue anodized
knobs) is clearly split into eight numbered sections. Each channel consists of a dual
concentric rotary control, the inner part, the pre-amplifier gain control, utilizes Class
A discrete input buffer with a dual servo gain stage giving 60dB of gain (the
amplifier has inherent gain of 12dB, so a total gain of 72dB).
The outer part controls the dual domain limiter's threshold, from 0 to +24dB. All
channels have switchable phantom power, found rather annoyingly on the rear of the
unit, a pad switch reducing the incoming level by 20dB, and a unique feature called
EQ Enhance. When pushed this engages a signal cut of 3dB, centered at 1kHz, from
250Hz to 5KHz to give a smoothing effect on the mid-range.
In addition to these features, Channels 1 and 2 also have a phase reverse button and
an instrument input accessed by a standard jack socket.
PreSonus Audio Electronics | 7257 Florida Blvd, Baton Rouge, LA 70806
T 225.216.7887 F 225.926.8347 | www.presonus.com