An introduction to the Manley VoxBox

An introduction to the Manley VoxBox

Vocal is usually the central element of a song. The human voice is foremost the natural musical instrument. Behind each note is a beautiful and complicated system. The lungs act as an air supply. A tone is produced when vocal cords vibrate. The chest and head cavities function as amplifiers. And the articulators shape the fine sound. When these work together, the result of a song is sublime. The better the vocal is recorded and mixed, the better chance for the recorded song to reach the people who hear it. The Manley Voxbox is specifically designed and optimized for the vocal recording, but its all-tube color and tone are equally based on Bass drums and other instruments used along with the vocal. Manley Laboratories is a newcomer to the audio hardware scene, having debuted in the 1990s in California. Voxbox is a channel strip. One can use the pre-built preamp, and it sounds perfect. The Voxbox plugin is a Unison enabler, and so when placed in Apollo Unison insert slot, it effectively turns the Apollo preamp into a Voxbox preamp complete with its unique gain staging tube color, custom transformer sound, and tonality of the original hardware. Voxbox has all the elements expected in a channel strip: Tube preamp, optical compressor, De-Esser Compressor, and passive EQ(Equalizer) built-in, which has a mid dip, a high peak, and low peak but it how these elements interact that makes the Voxbox so unique. The Gain control on the VoxBox injects negative feedback into the input circuits. So, it's much as tone control as gain control. Lower gain settings are neutral and transparent, whereas higher gain settings push the tone forward.

 Using the Manley Voxbox, one could easily track harmonizing, rich vocals in real-time. The Manley VOXBOX was introduced in 1997 and combined the finest of Manley's audio designs into a formidable 3U compact, featuring their high-fidelity tube mic preamp, vactrol optical compressor, Pultec-style passive EQ, and de-esser/limiter. The VOXBOX is a premium tube-driven toolbox for excellent vocal tracks, including Manley's famed boutique, build quality, including in-house wound transformers.

The Manley VOXBOX Channel Strip plugin flawlessly emulates the hardware's rich, feedback-style mic preamp, chock-full of Class A vacuum tube tone. The VOXBOX plugin perfectly captures the impedance, gain staging, and circuit behaviors that have made the gear renowned, thanks to UA's breakthrough Unison technology. Unison's bi-directional control and communication are key, from the plugin to the Apollo audio interfaces' digitally controlled mic preamps.

               For years, bassists have used the Manley VOXBOX as a secret weapon, with its high-end tube signal path and sleek EQ and compression appointments. Engineers have also used the Manley VOXBOX for clean electric guitars, strings, and drums because of its always-musical results, which can take any source well beyond the ordinary. 

Manley Limiter

The Manley Stereo Variable Mu Limiter Compressor can be used for various applications. The unit can be used stereo or as two separate limiting or compression channels. It can be used as a balanced line amp with a gain of 24 dB! and as a low-level signal preamp. If desired, greater input gain levels can be utilized to induce gentle tube distortion. Simple settings can improve the signal in various ways that are difficult to define, but they include tube warmth, richness, greater clarity, and magic. We know some well-known producers and engineers who use LIMITER-COMPRESSORS to record all potential tracks, mix, and master them. 

It's critical to comprehend the attack and recovery controls. The attack control affects the reaction to transients and percussive sounds. The time it takes for the gain to revert to normal or zero reduction is known as recovery. On certain limiters, this is referred to as "RELEASE."

All-Tube Signal Path

Manley has been focusing on creating superior all-tube gear since the late 1980s. In summary, Manley knows tubes, and the VOXBOX benefits from their extensive experience in tube circuit design. This channel strip was built in the United States. It has all-tube, Class A vacuum tube electronics, and the extraordinary strong build quality that Sweetwater has expected from Manley.

Mic-Preamp section

As its name suggests, the Manley VOXBOX is equipped with a great microphone preamplifier section. In fact, the preamp design is based on Manley's renowned Mono Microphone Preamplifier, providing you with all of the fundamentals for outstanding analog tone, whether you're using the balanced mic input, balanced line input, or 1/4" front-panel instrument input. An excellent 3-position highpass filter switch allows you to roll-off at 80Hz or 120Hz to prevent rumble, and onboard, high-current 48V phantom power may be switched from the front panel. Finally, a clever 5-position gain switch enables you to vary the amount of negative feedback introduced, allowing for a wide range of drive levels and slew rates. Change tube tonal qualities quickly and efficiently as you dial in everything from laid-back and mellow to up-front and aggressive – it's a fun way to get creative and find the right sound for each performer or instrument.

Opto-Compressor

The all-star compressor part of the VOXBOX was developed using features from both Manley's best-selling Variable MU and the optoisolator-based ELOP (Electro-Optical) limiter. Manley also devised a method of compressing the signal before reaching the tubes while minimizing distortion and frequency responsiveness. This implies that the VOXBOX may minimize mic-pre clipping while also eliminating entire stages of electronics, effectively shortening your microphone's standard path in half — a significant benefit. Manley also invented the sidechain, creating the "Parametric Compression" technique, which simultaneously uses up to four separate time constants and controls them using simple attack, release, and threshold settings.

The Light Dependent Resistors of the VOXBOX's rapid ELOP limiter, the swift LA-2A, the slower LA-3A, and several other sophisticated and highly Manley-tuned settings are used to create the onboard presets. Overall, the VOXBOX compressor produces unique sounds that are ideal for drums, bass, vocals, and other instruments. It's even a terrific compressor for sending full mixes through if you connect two VOXBOX units together.

Pultec-Style Equalizer

When Manley added their Pultec-style Mid Frequency Equalizer to the VOXBOX, they took it up a notch. It now has 33 frequencies spread across three bands, including six new frequencies in the 20–150Hz range and six new frequencies in the 6.4–20kHz range. The Equalizer on the VOXBOX is equipped with actual inductors and Class-A circuitry to deliver that fantastic sound. The line input, preamp output, or insert return can all be patched in through an EQ input switch. The switch also serves as a bypass button for the preamplifier or external processors for processing two distinct tracks.

De-Esser and Limiter

The de-Esser and limiter sections of the VOXBOX allow you even more control over the source. Manley added a passive LC network to handle the de-essing for the peak limiter, which is based on the ELOP limiter concept. To tame troublesome frequencies, there are four carefully chosen notch frequencies: 3kHz, 6kHz, 9kHz, and 12kHz. In addition, a fifth setting provides an LA-2A-style limiter: compress before EQ, then limit after EQ. You can even insert the de-esser while the song is playing, allowing you to apply it only when necessary.

Features of Voxbox Channel Strip

• 5 nickel laminated Manley transformers with mu-metal enclosures

• 2K ohm Mic input, 48V Phantom power, high-current

• Gain of mic preamp: 40–60dB 

• Gain of mic preamp: 40–60dB Input for DI instruments

• Line and Insert (balanced XLR, 1/4") inputs

• Outputs for the preamp and EQ (balanced XLR, 1/4") 

• XLR outputs with transformer balance

• 1/4" unbalanced transformerless results

• Compressor with De-Esser Stereo Link/Limiter 

• Compressor with De-Esser Stereo Link/Limiter 

• Sifam metre with 5 readout modes and a large lit display.

• 0.3 percent THD + N (1kHz @ +20dBu)

• +31dBu maximum output

• Rackmount chassis with 3U capacity.

• Dimensions: 19" x 5.25" x 10"