Cranborne Audio Camden EC2
Two Channel Preamp, Signal Processor, and Dual Headphone Mixer
Based on the award-winning Camden 500 preamp and signal processor for 500 series, the Camden EC2 combines the sonic capabilities of one of the cleanest and most transparent preamps on the market with the flexibility of a compact 1u 19″ chassis that integrates into any recording rig. setup with or without 500 series connectivity.
The Camden EC2 features two discrete Cranborne Audio’s ‘Camden’ preamp topologies using the same Mojo analog saturation circuit that engineers and musicians around the world have fallen in love with. The Camden EC2 delivers stunning performance with low noise and low distortion, as well as frequency and phase linearity at all gain settings. The overall result is -129.8dB EIN (150ohm, unweighted), THD+N as low as 0.0002%, frequency response of ±0.7dB from 5Hz to 200kHz at maximum gain and< 2° phase shift @ 20Hz – 20kHz.
Thanks to 12-way rotary gain switches for each preamp and dedicated Mic, Line and Instrument modes, the Camden EC2 can perform in stereo/dual-mono mic setups, stem saturation processing thanks to Mojo, and instrument DI solutions thanks to dedicated ¼” link outputs for each channel.
Vintage Personality
Combined with Cranborne Audio’s custom Mojo analog saturation circuitry, the Camden EC2 can take on the guise of a vintage British transformer-based preamp with Thump, a gooey tube-based preamp with Cream, or a stunningly clean and natural preamp when Mojo is bypassed. Put any Camden preamp in its line mode and the Mojo saturation circuitry can now apply vintage colors to your stems and even stereo mixes during the mixing phase.
Advanced Tracking Tools
Camden EC2 is much more than two Camden 500s in a metal box. Two reference quality headphone amplifiers with discrete line mixers allow direct monitoring of both Camden preamps with headphones plugged directly into the front panel of the Camden EC2. Experiment with mic placement to find the sweet spot of a guitar cab, kick drum, or acoustic instrument; or configure them to create a fully analog zero-latency monitor mix that combines the local Camden preamps with playback from an external playback source via the Aux inputs on the rear panel of the Camden EC2.
CAST Enabled
Camden EC2 also uses Cranborne Audio’s unique CAST system to distribute audio through studios or stages using affordable cabling, while achieving the highest sonic results. By reusing the internal copper wires of a Cat 5 cable to carry balanced analog audio to and from other CAST products, the Camden EC2 can be used to expand the connectivity of your Cranborne Audio equipped studio.
If your studio is already built around a Cranborne Audio 500R8 or 500ADAT, connect Camden EC2 to their CAST input connectors and you can receive Camden EC2’s preamps directly on the interface’s inputs, ready for further processing and recording. That same Cat 5 CAST connection also sends a stereo monitor mix generated by the 500R8/500ADAT back over the same Cat 5 cable and directly into Camden EC2’s Aux 1 headphone mixer for monitoring.
This flexibility allows 500R8/500ADAT users to place their Camden preamps elsewhere in the studio, while the 500R8/500ADAT 500 series frees up slots to accommodate more EQ and compressor modules after their Camden EC2 and before the 500R8/500ADAT converters. to place.
A second CAST port on the Camden EC2 allows its rear panel I/O to be moved to a remote location such as a vocal booth or live room with Cranborne Audio’s passive N22 CAST breakout box or active N22H headphone amplifier. These breakout boxes allow the engineer using the Camden EC2 to make the most of the available studio space by placing an N22 in a hallway, reverb room, or next to the musician in the isolation booth for instant monitoring and microphone connectivity.
Designed, engineered and manufactured in the UK
With an abundance of available I/O, the Camden EC2 offers maximum flexibility with all audio interfaces and 3rd party recorders through dedicated XLR outputs (26.5dBu max output level), impedance balanced 1/4″ jack outputs (20.5dBu max output level), TRS plug-ins for connecting external hardware, and link outputs when using the Camden EC2 as an instrument preamp.
The Camden EC2 is much more than two Camden 500s in a metal box. It’s another Cranborne Audio product made in the UK under the watchful eye of the team and boasting elite audio specifications and dedicated features that defy its price tag and are accessible to professional, project and home studio technicians.
