The Complete Handbook of Channel Strips

Chapter 1: Understanding Channel Strips

A channel strip is not a mystery, and it is not a 'flavor box'. It is a complete, single-channel signal processor designed to perform specific, repeatable functions on an audio signal as it travels from its source to a destination. To a power user, this is nothing new. But to truly understand them, you must look past the faceplate and past the marketing language, and see a simple chain of building blocks, each with a defined job and a defined effect on the electricity flowing through it. Whether you are a studio engineer, an integrator, or a serious enthusiast, the functional literacy of a channel strip is the same. Once you understand the architecture, you can evaluate any model on its merits and, more importantly, use it correctly.

A channel strip in its most complete form is a grouping of several discrete audio processors working in series. The first stop for any signal is the input stage. In the analog world, this is where a weak signal from a microphone, a line-level instrument, or a direct box is elevated to a working voltage level that the rest of the electronics can manage. The primary component here is the preamplifier, or 'pre'. The preamp does more than just add gain. It sets the fundamental impedance that the source 'sees'. This impedance matching is not about 'tone'; it is about transferring the maximum amount of signal and preserving the frequency response intended by the source. For