Radial Workhorse Powerstrip

Product description

Text by Radial:
Vancouver BC - Radial Engineering Ltd is pleased to announce the PowerStrip™, a single space 500 series power supply designed to house three of Radial’s expanding range of modules while still being 100% compatible with older Lunchbox™ devices.

Company president Peter Janis explains the development: "Before launching the PowerStrip, we looked at other single rack space housings that already exist in the market and noticed that they could only be loaded with two modules. This, in our view, poses a serious limitation as one normally combines a preamp, equalizer and compressor into a channel strip. In other words, you really need three modules to do things right. This led us to design the PowerStrip with an external power supply, thus allowing sufficient space to mount three modules."

Mounting modules is easy. The PowerStrip comes complete with Phillips screws to secure the modules as they slide into position via the 15 pin EDAC connector. This is ‘wired’ following the original API standard while unused pins are used to feed the Omniport™ ¼” TRS connector. This innovative connection allows the 500 series manufacturer to personalize their modules by assigning the Omniport to perform a module-specific task. This could for instance be a key input on a gate, an instrument input on a preamp or an effects send and receive port should this be advantageous.

To add flexibility, the PowerStrip is equipped with standard XLR i/os and is supplemented with ¼” TRS connectors. These can be used as ‘multi’ outputs or for cross-patching. Once modules are inserted, an innovative ‘feed’ switch replaces the old API patch cord system with an elegant solution that immediately sends the output from the first slot into the second and then to the third. This of course makes it easy to create the ultimate channel strip by combining a Radial PowerPre™ preamp, Q3™ coil EQ and a Komit™ compressor-limiter. A second ‘link’ switch advances the standard once again by replacing the old ‘solder for stereo’ approach with a simple switch. Now any two modules that are designed to be stereo-linked can be arranged this way by simply toggling a switch.

To ensure maximum signal handling, the PowerStrip comes complete with an 800 milliamp external power supply. This provides more than 250 milliamps per module via a pooled supply to allow high demand devices such as the Radial PowerTube™ tube preamp to be comfortably supplied while still providing sufficient current to feed two other standard modules. Full AES compliant 48 volt phantom is of course supported and activated via the preamp’s usual phantom power on-off switch. The PowerStrip’s external switching power supply may be fed using 100V to 240V thus enabling it to travel around the world by simply changing the electrical cable. And as with all Radial products, the PowerStrip is made ultra roadworthy with a 14 gauge steel enclosure and top-of-the-line connectors throughout.