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Since Mesanovic entered the pro audio scene, founder and designer Deni Mesanovic has shown a deep commitment to every detail of his gear. Not only has he designed many of the components used in his ribbon microphones and monitors, but he’s also building them in-house at the brand’s Detroit-based facility.
That same commitment to in-house design and manufacturing is at the heart of Mesanovic’s new 500 Series modules. The M97 500 Series Preamp and MQ712 500 Series EQ both feature in-house wound input and output transformers and a discrete op-amp. Additionally, the MQ712 also features custom-wound inductors in its EQ circuit.
In our new Quick Hits, we’re racking up the M97 and MQ712, grabbing a few Mesanovic Model 2 microphones, and heading to the Scramble Shack. Watch below as we put the modules to work tracking and mixing Christian Ohly (Vocals), Bryan Reilly (Drums, Acoustic Guitar, Piano, Bass), and Dustin McLaughlin (Electric Guitar).
Mesanovic 500 Series Modules
Mesanovic M97 500 Series Preamp
We’ve extolled the virtues of Mesanovic’s custom components and designs, and you’ve heard both the M97 and MQ712 in our Quick Hits, but let’s get a little more specific about each module.
Starting with the M97, the preamp offers 64 dB of stepped gain, along with a variable output attenuator for greater control over its character. There’s some vintage-style color to be had, and the Trim control lets you decide just how much of it you want. Rounding out the controls are three switches for a -20 dB pad, polarity reversal, and 48V phantom power.
In terms of a Spec Check, here’s what you need to know. The M97 features a maximum input level of -2 dBu, a maximum output level of +28 dBu, a 1.5 kΩ input impedance, and a 75 Ω output impedance. The signal-to-noise ratio is 120 dB ref +4 dBu @ 0.01% THD+N.
Mesanovic MQ712 500 Series Equalizer
Similar to vintage EQ designs like the Quad Eight 712, Deni’s design for the MQ712 centers around a swinging input topology. The seven-band equalizer features fixed points at 65 Hz, 160 Hz, 400 Hz, 1 kHz, 2.2 kHz, 4.5 kHz, and 8.2 kHz, with each fluid potentiometer featuring a detent point at 0 dB and 12 dB to boost and cut with. The 65 Hz low band and 8.2 kHz high band can each be switched between shelf and bell curves. The four lower bands use pot-core inductors, while the three upper bands use toroidal inductors.
