Avalon Design U5

The Avalon U5 is a 2U half-rack/desktop mounted professional Class A preamp and DI box.

With an Avalon U5 preamp and DI box, you can finally say goodbye to the flat and flabby tones that have traditionally been the sound of DI'd instruments, especially if you play bass guitar. The U5 preamp section takes care of that with a variable-gain class-A circuit and a great 6-position passive tone selector - the tone shaper uses pre-selected curves to give body to your bass and silkiness to your strings on the acoustic guitar. The Avalon U5 is also fitted with a high-cut switch to remove stray top-end noise and an earth-lift to remove the chance of a ground loop. Plus, you can go in straight from your amp speaker output into the back panel. In addition, you get a headphone amp built-in, as well - that's pretty comprehensive for a DI box.

All the Avalon range is built with the kind of care and attention to detail you find on the U5 - Avalon Design has become a specialist at this sort of thing since it first started. But in the end it's the users that make the products a success and they have nothing but good things to say about the Avalon U5 - no matter whether they play live, run PAs or record through them in the studio. Read their comments about the Avalon U5 and decide whether it's now time for you to get the DI sound you deserve.

Avalon U5 Overview:

Pure Class A, 100% discrete design

Smooth musical detail and sonic excellence

Variable gain preamp to +30dB.

Dual microphone and line outputs

Hi-Z 3,000,000 ohm input impedance

Very low noise -100dB

High headroom +30dB

Six tone bank selections.

DC coupled Class A output for superior bass

High cut switch eliminates noise

LED active signal indicator

Headphone monitor output jack

Low distortion less than 0.5% THD and IMD

High level 400 watt speaker input

Active to thru selector - ground isolation switch

100% discrete power supplies for audio path

Internal toroidal power supply for low noise

Long lasting, stainless steel hardware

Technical Specs:

Circuit Topology: 100% discrete, high-voltage Class A

Gain: Switched 3dB steps, maximum gain +30dB

Input Impedance: 3 ,000,000 ohm unbalanced (single ended) Maximum

Input Level +24dBu unbalanced, 400w speaker input

• Output Connectors (2): XLR type, pin 2 hot electronic balanced

• Maximum Output Level (Class A): +30dBu DC coupled, balanced 600 ohms (mic and line out)

• Headphone Output: 0.5w into 600 ohms

• Noise 20kHz Unweighted: -100dBu minimum gain position

• Distortion THD, IMD: 0.1% at +10dB

• Frequency Response, -/+0.5dB: 5Hz to 100kHz

• Frequency Response, -3dB: 1Hz to 500kHz (input band limited)

• High Cut Filter: -3dB at 8kHz minimum phase design

• Tone Selector: Six position rotary switch, all passive filters

• AC Power: Internal toroidal AC supply

• Dimensions: 8.5 x 3.5 x 12 in (216 x 88 x 305mm)

• Weight-Packed: 12lbs (5.4kg)

• Rack mount kit (1) RM-1: Single U5 19 inch rack mount kit (holds one half rack unit)

• Rack mount kit (2) RM-2: Dual U5 19 inch rack mount kit (holds two half rack units)

This item, like everything we supply, comes with the complete support of our expert team. Our excellent technicians have been specifying, building and supporting studios for over twenty years. If you have any problems with installation, setup or everyday use, they’re never more than a click away, and always happy to help.

You can contact them here.