{"product_id":"mercury-66-limiting-amplifier-037-used","title":"Mercury 66 Limiting Amplifier #037 (Used)","description":"The \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: bold;\"\u003eMercury 66 Studio Limiting Amplifier\u003c\/span\u003eis an ‘All Tube - All Transformer’, fully balanced, variable-bias \nlimiter. Based on the most sought after product in this genre, the \nlegendary Fairchild 660. This limiting amplifier is recognized essential\n tool for making great recordings. Many manufacturers have tried to copy\n the Fairchild circuit but have failed to capture the true sonic essence\n and presented a similar look and functionality but failed to capture \nthe overall tone of the original. Until now.\u003cbr\u003e\n\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\nMercury Recording Equipment has gone to great lengths to recreate the \npride and passion of the past, both sonically and aesthetically, while \noffering the reliability of a modern build. The choices made in looks, \nlayout, functionality, features and build quality all answer back to one\n question: How would \"they\" have done it today? So, the Mercury 66, like\n all Mercury products, has no I.C.’s (chips), and is proudly hand built \nand or assembled in the USA. Using no-compromise parts \/ components and \nhas transformer balanced input and outputs. As well, with the Vintage \nstyle VU Meter, large bakelite knobs, powder coated chassis and front \npanel the Mercury 66 has a very distinctive 1950’s aesthetic so that \nthey look as good as they sound! \u003cbr\u003e\n\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\nSome might ask, Why recreate one of the most complicated pieces of \nrecording equipment ever made? The Mercury 66 has a massive, custom \npower supply transformer, a choke, 3 audio transformers, a control amp \ntransformer and 8 tubes squeezed into a 3U chassis. All together the M66\n weighs in at 38 pounds for a mono amplifier! The answer is: Mercury 66 \nStudio Limiting Amplifier is based the classic Fairchild 660 limiting \namplifier because we were inspired buy the unique sound that only this \ncan circuit deliver to your audio signal path. There is truly nothing \nelse like it. Proudly, using parts that are available today, we have met\n all the original specifications, but most importantly, the Mercury 66 \nsounds like a Fairchild 660.\u003cbr\u003e\n\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\nIts performance features include: exceptional tone and musical focus; \nabsence of audible thumps, distortion or noise; extremely fast attack \ntime that can produce full limiting in 1\/5000th of a second; variable \nrelease time from .3 seconds to 25 seconds; useful as a limiter or a \ncompressor depending on the program material and control settings; \nreliability and stability (All components operate well below their rated\n maximums); all tube, fully balanced (push-pull) transformer coupled \ncircuitry; and simple, easy to use controls.\u003cbr\u003e\n\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\nThe Mercury 66 Studio Limiting Amplifier uses a single push-pull stage \nof amplification which is transformer coupled input and output (XLRs) \nwith no capacitors in the signal path) with a high control voltage. The \nresult: the unit never produces any audible thumps, and has low \ndistortion and noise under all conditions (either as a limiter or \nstraight through amplifier). The Control amplifier is also fully \nbalanced, transformer coupled in\/out. The unit makes use of a very \nstable high current vacuum tube voltage regulator. It has ample and \naccessible input, threshold, attack, release time and metering controls \nallowing for convenience in the control room when making adjustments. \nThe attack time is very fast and catches short transients. The release \ntime of .3 to 25 seconds provides real flexibility: Three positions of \nthe six available make the release time a function of program material, \nwith fast recovery for short duration peaks and overall reduction of \nprogram level should the program level remain high. It can be used as a \nlimiter or compressor. For example, use it as a 2 to 1 ratio compressor \nwith a threshold 5 dB below average level, or as a peak limiter with a \n20 to 1 ratio with threshold 10 dB above normal program level, or \nanywhere between these extremes.\u003cbr\u003e\n\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\nOne notable change on the Mercury 66 is the addition of the DC Adjust \nControl. On an original Fairchild 660 this was called DC Threshold and \nwas on the rear of the unit (not accessible from front panel). We put \nthat control on the front panel and labeled it DC Adjust to not confuse \nthe Threshold function. The DC Adjust lets you control DC (Direct \nCurrent) in part of the circuit to give the user more control of the \nfunctionality and level of compression. This gives you the control how \nthe amplifier reacts to the audio signal and basically how hard the \ncompression tube ‘works’, allowing you to ‘smash’ the signal or just add\n a ‘soft touch’ of compression along with the velvet tone and \noverwhelming musicality of the amplifier. This is possible by turning \nthe DC Adjust to the far left (counter clockwise) on the M66 you are \nadding more DC and adding more compression [or saturation] and if you \nturn to the far right (clockwise) you are decreasing the amount of DC \nand the amount compression [or saturation, for a lack of a better term \nand to make things easier to understand]. The best thing about this \nfeature is you can find that ‘sweet spot’, for that perfect amount of \ncompression. We like to think of this as the 'magic knob' as do most of \nour users and this sets the Mercury 66 apart from the original and other\n compressors and limiting amplifiers available today.\u003cbr\u003e\n\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\n\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: bold;\"\u003eFront Panel Controls\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\nInput Gain, AC Threshold, Attack\/Release, DC Adjust, Meter Zero (Trim), \nStereo Link and Power on\/off Switch. M66 Attack and Release Times: \u003cbr\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePosition 1 - Attack [ Fast - 0.2 ] Release, in Seconds [ 0.3 ]\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePosition 2 - Attack [ Fast - 0.2 ] Release, in Seconds [ 0.8 ]\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePosition 3 - Attack [ Med. - 0.4 ] Release, in Seconds [ 2.0 ]\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePosition 4 - Attack [ Slow - 0.8 ] Release, in Seconds [ 5.0 ]\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePosition 5 - Attack [ Med. - 0.4 ] Release, in Seconds [ Auto: 2.0 peaks, 10.0 program ]\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\n\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: bold;\"\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTransformers: 600 ohm Input and Output\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGain: 7 db (no limiting)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFrequency response: 40 Hz- 15 kHz +\/- 1 db\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNoise: = -74 dB below OdBm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTHD: = \u0026lt; 1%\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCompression Ratio: 1:1 to 1:20\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAttack Time: 1] 0.2, 2] 0.2, 3] 0.4, 4] 0.8 5] 0.4 6] 0.2 ms\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRelease Time: 1] 0.3, 2] 0.8, 3] 2 sec, 4] 5 sec, 5] auto 1, 6] auto 2\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTubes: (1) 6BC8, (2) 6V6, 12BH7, 12AX7, EL34, 5AR4 or GZ34, 5751\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRack Size: 3U\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\n\"The Mercury 66 has that thick, glommy quality that you just can't get \nwith any other device. It's killer at taming kick drums, beefing up \nvocals, squashing room mics, giving that magical shimmery sustain to \nacoustic guitars, etc.\" \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: bold;\"\u003e- Pete Weiss, TapeOp Magazine\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\n\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: bold;\"\u003eMercury M66 Users include:\u003c\/span\u003e Joe \nChiccarelli, Billy Corgan (Smashing Pumpkins), Rhett Lawrence (Kelly \nClarkson, Christina Aguilera), Devin Powers (Devin Powers Music, Movie \nand TV Scores), Scott Humphrey (Rob Zombie, Motley Crue, Bon Jovi), John\n McBride (Black Bird Studios and Rentals, Martina McBride) and Manny \nMarroquin, who has used his M66 on mixes for many Gold and Platinum \nArtists including: Alicia Keys, Brandy, Janet Jackson, Monica, Nikka \nCosta and many others! ","brand":"Mercury","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44449460813927,"sku":"27417","price":4995.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/8848\/5479\/files\/used_mercury_66_limiting_amplifier__037_c3527a10-4f27-4f52-892b-a3aa50a660e0.jpg?v=1787089046","url":"https:\/\/vintageking.mom\/products\/mercury-66-limiting-amplifier-037-used","provider":"Vintage King","version":"1.0","type":"link"}