Cranborne Audio Camden EC2 2-Channel Preamp, Signal Processor, and Dual Headphone Mixer

The ultimate studio front-end, Camden EC2 combines award-winning mic/line/hi-z preamps with Cranborne Audio’s acclaimed Mojo analogue saturation circuits and two reference-quality headphone amplifiers with discrete line mixers.

Award Winning Pedigree
Based on the award-winning Camden 500 Preamp and Signal Processor for the 500 series lunchbox format, Camden EC2 combines the sonic capabilities of one of the markets cleanest and most transparent preamps with the flexibility of a standalone, 1u, 19” chassis that can integrate into any recording setup with or without 500 series connectivity.

Featuring two discrete instances of Cranborne Audio’s ‘Camden’ preamp topology, Camden EC2 achieves unprecedented low-noise and low-distortion performance as well as frequency and phase linearity at all gain settings.

Use Camden EC2 to capture your audio sources with complete transparency; boost low-sensitivity microphones without adding noise and colouration; and capture instant and coherent transients without phase shift that cause summing abnormalities. Camden EC2’s preamps exhibit performance specifications that rival (and in most cases, exceed) the most revered ‘transparent’ preamps on the market.

The 12-way rotary Gain switches for each preamp provide perfect stereo matching for stereo mic’ing setups and it’s dedicated mic, line, and hi-z input modes allows Camden EC2 to not only become your go-to mic preamp, but also a line-level saturator and dual-channel DI thanks to dedicated 1⁄4” jack Link outputs for each channel.

Vintage Persona
Using it’s Mojo analogue saturation controls, both of Camden EC2’s preamps transform from extraordinarily clean, natural, and precise sounding, into thick, gooey, and vintage-sounding preamps at the turn of a dial.

With two discrete Mojo styles per channel, Camden EC2 takes on the persona of vintage transformer-based preamps using its Thump Mojo or gooey tube-based preamps using its Cream Mojo.

Unlike transformer or valve-based preamps, Mojo’s saturation is completely variable allowing you to dial-in the amount of saturation you need for each source. Keep it at 3-4 for authentic preamp saturation or crank it up to 11 for a more exaggerated effect!

Perhaps most crucially and unlike transformer-based preamps, when you need something clean and transparent for a particular session/source, Mojo can be completely bypassed and removed from the signal using the pots’ built-in, true-bypass switch to reveal the true clarity of the Camden preamp design.

Record through Mojo to apply instant analogue colouration during tracking or send line-level sources through the Mojo to add vintage colouration to your DAW tracks or stereo bus during the mix phase.

Advanced Tracking And Reamping Tool
Two reference-quality headphone amplifiers with independant line mixers allow for direct monitoring of both Camden preamps using headphones connected directly to Camden EC2’s front panel.

Monitor the preamp signals directly using headphones during mic placement to find the sweet spot of the instrument/source or create zero-latency artist mixes by combining the preamps with external playback from the Aux Input jacks on Camden EC2’s rear panel.

With its extraordinary hi-z circuit and dedicated 1⁄4” jack Link outputs for each channel, Camden EC2 is the perfect tool for reamping bass and electric guitars.

Simply connect your instrument to one preamp using its hi-z input, connect the 1⁄4” Link output of that preamp to your amplifier/effects pedals and capture that signal using the second preamp. With both the dry DI and wet amplified signals recorded simultaneously using both preamps on Camden EC2, you can process the affected signal further or reamp the dry DI signal at a later date.

C.A.S.T. Enabled
Camden EC2 also utilises Cranborne Audio’s unique C.A.S.T. system for distributing audio around the studio or stage using affordable Cat 5e, Cat 6, or Cat 7 cabling whilst achieving the highest sonic results.

Connect Camden EC2’s C.A.S.T. OUT port to Cranborne Audio’s 500R8 or 500ADAT, and you can send Camden EC2’s preamps directly to the interface's inputs ready for further processing and recording. At the same time through the same cable, 500R8/500ADAT transmit their built-in monitor mix directly to Camden EC2’s headphone mixer for monitoring.

This allows 500R8/500ADAT users to relocate their Camden EC2’s preamps and headphone amps into the live room using a single Cat 5e, Cat 6, or Cat 7 cable whilst freeing-up 500 series slots in 500R8/500ADAT for more EQ and Compressor modules and extra processing before hitting 500R8/500ADAT’s converters.

Connect Camden EC2’s C.A.S.T. IN port to Cranborne Audio’s N22 or N22H and you have a cost-effective analogue snake - use N22 or N22H to easily relocate Camden EC2’s preamp inputs to a remote location such as a vocal booth, live room, hallway, or reverb chamber using Cat 5e as cheap, high-quality, analogue multicore.

Meticulously Designed and Engineered In The UK
With an abundance of I/O available, Camden EC2 facilitates the maximum amount of flexibility with all 3rd party audio interfaces and recorders by including dedicated XLR outputs, Impedance balanced 1/4” jack outputs, and Link outputs when using Camden EC2 as a DI.

So much more than two Camden 500’s in a metal box, Camden EC2 is another Cranborne Audio product engineered and designed under the team’s watchful eyes. Camden EC2 features elite audio specifications and application-based features that defies its price tag and is accessible for professional, project, and home studio engineers.

• Two discrete mic/line/hi-z preamps featuring the award-winning ‘Camden’ topology from the Camden 500 Preamp and Signal Processor for 500 series

• Audio performance at the near-theoretical limits of noise, distortion, and phase/frequency linearity at all gain settings
○ EIN: <-129.5dBu, 150 Ohm source, unweighted, <-135.5dBu, Inputs common, unweighted
○ THD+N: <0.00025% (1kHz, 35dB gain, +24dBu out)
○ Intermodulation Distortion: <0.0006% (50Hz and 7kHz, 35dB gain, +20dBu out)
○ Phase Shift: <2.75° (20Hz to 20kHz, 40dB gain), <6° (20Hz to 20kHz, Max Gain)
○ Freq. Response: ±0.7dB (<1 Hz to >1000 kHz, 35dB gain), ±1dB (<5 Hz to >200 kHz, Max Gain)

• Unique 48v status LED
○ 48v LED Lights Orange to indicate voltage charging or dissipating to prevent damage to ribbon microphones and to ensure voltage is fully charged before use
○ 48v LED lights RED when voltage is fully charged and ready to use

• Two instances of Mojo analogue saturation circuits with variable control, true bypass, and 2 discrete styles - Thump and Cream
○ Thump excites low-end content by boosting lower odd/even harmonics from a range of 160Hz to 20Hz and below
○ Cream boosts odd/even harmonics whilst also reducing the amplitude of the fundamental frequencies and applying typical transformer-style transient taming

• Two discrete headphone mixers with independant CH 1, CH 2, and Aux Input level controls
○ Monitor the Camden preamps directly with headphones during mic placement to find the sweet spot of the instrument/source
○ Create zero-latency artist mixes by combining the Camden preamps with external playback from Aux Input 1/4” jacks on Camden EC2’s rear panel
○ Use the reference grade headphone amps for critical listening by sending stereo mixes from the interface into the Aux input and monitoring directly using Camden EC2’s headphone outputs
○ 'Stereo’ switch to pan CH1 & CH2 left and right in each headphone mix for true stereo monitoring

• Two reference-quality, high-powered headphone amplifiers
○ Freq. Response: <±1dB, <1 Hz to >100 kHz
○ Output Impedance: 0.33 Ohms
○ THD: 0.0003%, 1kHz
○ Output Wattage: 2x250mW @ 600 Ohm, 2x450mW @ 220 Ohm, 2x250mW @ 100 Ohm

• Balanced XLR outputs and impedance balanced 1/4” jack outputs for maximum connectivity into audio interfaces and other downstream equipment

• Dedicated Impedance balanced 1/4" jack Link outputs for true instrument DI functionality and splitting instrument inputs to balanced or unbalanced amplifiers and effects

• C.A.S.T. OUT port for connecting Camden EC2 into 500R8/500ADAT
○ Transmit Camden EC2’s preamps directly into 500R8 and 500ADAT’s 500 series modules inputs for recording/processing
○ Receive a stereo mix generated from 500R8/500ADAT and monitor using Camden EC2’s headphone mixers
○ All managed and distributed via a single shielded Cat 5e, Cat 6, or Cat 7 cable

• C.A.S.T. IN port for connecting N22/N22H Cat 5 snakes to relocate Camden EC2 I/O elsewhere in the studio
○ Receive 2 mic/line signals from N22/N22H directly into the preamp inputs of Camden EC2
○ Transmit Camden EC2’s Aux 1 headphone mix into N22/N22H for direct monitoring by the musician
○ All managed and distributed via a single shielded Cat 5e, Cat 6, or cat 7 cable

• External high-current 24v, 1.25a power supply with latching connector

Preamp
• Test Signal Path: APx555 (Line Out) - Input 1 - Line Output - APx555 (Line In)
• Input Impedance: Mic= 8.9 kOhms 48v Off, 5.4 kOhms 48v ON, Line = 24.3 kOhms, Hi-Z= 1.5 MOhm Unbalanced, 3 MOhm Balanced
• Max Input Level: Mic = +17.6dBu (<0.003% THD), Line = +26.5dBu (<0.02% THD), Hi-Z = +24dBu (<0.02% THD)
• Minimum Gain: Mic= 8dB, Line = 0dB, Hi-Z = 3dB
• Maximum Gain: Mic = 68dB, Line = 60dB, Hi-Z = 63dB
• Equivalent Input Noise (EIN): <-129.5dBu (150 Ohm source, unweighted), <-131dBu (150 Ohm source, A-weighted), <-135.5dBu (Inputs common, unweighted)
• Frequency Response: ±0.7dB (<1 Hz to >1000 kHz, Min Gain), ±0.7dB (<1 Hz to >1000 kHz, 35dB Gain), ±1dB (<1.5 Hz to 900 kHz, 63dB Gain), ±1dB (<5 Hz to >200 kHz, Max Gain)
• Phase Shift: <2.75° (20Hz to 20kHz, 40dB Gain), <4° (20Hz to 20kHz, 63dB Gain), <6° (20Hz to 20kHz, Max Gain)
• THD+N: <0.00025% (1kHz, 35dB Gain, +24dBu out)
• Intermodulation DIstortion: <0.0006% (50Hz and 7kHz, 35dB gain, +20dBu out), <0.0005% (50Hz and 7kHz, 35dB gain, +15dBu out)
• Hi-Pass Filter (HPF): 80Hz, -3dB, 12dB/Oct
• CMRR: >70dB, typ >85dB, 35dB gain, 10-20kHz, 100mV Common mode
• Slew Rate: 20V/uS, 35dB gain, +25dBu out
• 48v LED Thresholds: Off = 48v Off, voltage fully discharged, Amber = 48v voltage charging/discharging, Red = 48v fully charged
• Signal LED Meter Thresholds: Blue = -20dBu, Green = -12dBu, Amber = +21dBu, Red = +24dBu
• Max Output Level: Balanced XLR = +27.5dBu (<0.002% THD, 30dB Gain), Impedance Balanced 1⁄4” Jack = +21.5dBu (<0.002% THD, 30dB Gain)
• Output Impedance: Balanced XLR = 150 Ohm, Impedance Balanced 1/4” Jack = 150Ohm Balanced, 75 Ohm Unbalanced
• Link Max Output Level: Impedance Balanced 1/4” Jack = +21.8dBu (<0.006% THD)
• Link Output Impedance: Impedance Balanced 1/4” Jack = 75 Ohm Unbalanced, 150 Ohm Balanced (Buffered Output)

Headphone Amplifier
• Test Signal Path: APx555 (Line Out) - AUX Input - Headphone Output - APx555 (Line In)
• Frequency Response: -1dB, <1Hz to >70kHz
• THD: <0.0006% (-104.4dB) @ +20dBu, 1kHz, A-weighted, 300 Ohm load
• THD+N: <0.00085% (-101.4dB) @ +20dBu, 1kHz, A-weighted, 300 Ohm load
• Output Impedance: 0.33 Ohms
• Output Wattage:
250mW x 2 @ 600 Ohms, 1kHz
650mW x 2 @ 220 Ohms, 1kHz
1.21W x 2 @ 100 Ohms, 1kHz
500mW x 2 @ 32 Ohms, 1kHz
• Dynamic Range: 114.5dB A-weighted, AES17 method, 20Hz - 20kHz, 300 Ohm load
• Noise Floor: -93.5dBu A-weighted, 20Hz - 20kHz, 300 Ohm load

Power
• AC Requirements: 100V – 240V AC, 50 – 60 Hz
• Total Power Consumption: 24v, 1.25A DC, 30W

Environmental
• Operating Temperature: +1 to 35 degrees Celsius
• Storage Conditions: -20 to 50 degrees Celsius

Dims/Weights
Unit
• Width: 481mm (19") (Rackmount)
• Height: 44.45mm (1.75") (1u)
• Depth: 240mm (9.5")
• Weight: 2.8kg (6.2lb)

Shipping carton
• Width: 600mm (23.6")
• Height: 120mm (4.7")
• Depth: 350mm (13.8")
• Weight: 4.1kg (9lb)