FELiX2 - Two Channel Blending Preamp

The FELiX2 is the newly improved/updated version of the (already fantastic) original model. See below for the updated features if you're already familiar with the FELiX, or read on for the full story!

If you're a home studio nerd (like I am) then you're very likely familiar with the amazing products by Grace Design. Their preamps, compressors, and other audio gear is well-known for its boutique nature, thoughtful features, and excellent sound quality.

They've smartly redesigned their high-quality preamps for the studio into road-ready compact units for the stage. The FELiX (and its little brothers ALiX, a one-channel spinoff, and BiX, a highly compact 1-channel model - see related items) is a "studio quality, 2 channel blending acoustic instrument and mic preamp, designed for working musicians, engineers, sound companies or venues looking for the highest quality solution for amplifying stringed instruments."

With all the useful features that we usually recommend -- high pass filter, parametric EQ controls, notch filter, quality EQ, high-impedance input for piezoelectric pickups, phase reverse on each channel as well as a variable phase (between channels) -- it's got the goods. And with two input channels, one of which can be either 1/4" (with optional 12v phantom power) or XLR (with optional 48v phantom power), you can blend or switch between pickups, or a pickup and a mic, a mini-mic and a pickup, or... whatever moves you.

One of the big reasons to get a preamp when you have piezo pickups (pretty much meaning most upright bass pickups) is to create a "buffer" for the very high impedance that those pickups present. Each of the FELiX 1/4" inputs are switchable between three very useful impedance levels (Ch1/Ch2): 1/1 MegOhm, 10/20 MegOhm, and 10/332 kOhm. Adjusting these input impedances to properly buffer the output of your specific pickup will help you get the best, most natural sound out of your bass.

The dual DI outputs provide major flexibility - you can send the blended signal OR each separate channel to the pair of DI's - so if you want to send the pickup and a high-end mic like the DPA to the house as a blend, or as separate channels, you can do either. And there's a dedicated THIRD output on a 1/4" jack that is level-controlled for a stage amplifier, which can take either the mix output or the channel 2 output.

The boost switch activates a 10db variable boost, so you can set a separate volume level that you can jump back and forth from. This is particularly handy if you play both pizz and arco, as the sustained attack of the bow normally means that arco gets amplified a good bit louder. In this case, just click the footswitch when you pick up the bow to "click down" to the lower output, and you won't blow out anyone's eardrums.

FELiX also has multiple mono/true stereo effects loop options, a dedicated tuner output, and a built-in headphone amplifer. There's even a remote footswitch jack, so if you'd rather put FELiX on top of your amp, or somewhere else out of the way, you can still use the footswitch capabilities (mute/tune, and the boost switch).

All this, with a 5-year warranty!

TL;DR
(Too Long; Didn't Read)

• 2-channel, blending or switching preamp
• Channel 1: 1/4" instrument with selectable impedance, adjustable gain range (internal jumper) and 12v phantom OR XLR with 48v phantom
• Channel 2: 1/4" instrument with selectable impedance and 12v phantom. Channel 2 input can also be used to input two signals on a TRS cable and split them out to the two separate channels (like with a Rockabilly pickup setup)
• New for V2 - Effects Loop Options: New dual mono or true stereo FX loop allows for independent FX loops on either channel or stereo FX operation with mono or stereo in
• Notch Filter or Low Cut Filter, selectable per input channel
• Phase Reverse (per channel)
• New for V2 - Variable Phase Control: Built in variable phase control on channel 2 allows users to adjust mic / pickup blending systems to be perfectly phase coherent
• Dedicated Tuner Output
• New for V2 - Stereo amp output for connecting to stereo stage amp rig
• Dedicated Amplifier Output, can include Channel 2 or Both Channels Blended
• New for V2 - Dedicated Headphone Amplified Output (now STEREO)
• Dual DI outputs; can be set to send each channel separately, or each DI can also contain the blended signal
• 3-Band EQ per channel with parametric Midrange (adjustable Q). Can also alter "Low Corner Frequency" per-channel settings with internal jumper
• Footswitch operation built in with option for external footswitch.

The New Features in the FELiX v2 in a simple list

• STEREO OPERATION!
  • New dual mono or true stereo FX loop allows for independent FX loops on either channel or stereo FX operation with mono or stereo in
  • Stereo amp output for connecting to stereo stage amp rig
  • Stereo headphone output for stereo headphone bliss
• VARIABLE PHASE CONTROL
  
  • Built in variable phase control on channel 2 allows users to adjust mic / pickup blending systems to be perfectly phase coherent
• MORE EQ POWER
  
  • HIGH shelving EQ control updated to include 2 transition frequency settings at 1k and 2k, allowing for more flexible high frequency tone control
  • New notch filter uses a much higher Q setting for better surgical control of problem frequencies
• NEW POWER SUPPLY
  
  • Class II power supply eliminates ground loops when connecting to stage amps and other non-isolated stage equipment
• BETTER STAGE MANNERS
  
  • New protective side rails and slightly lower profi le knobs to help protect controls from extra left feet and floppy stray instrument cables