Detail 01
66dB of gain
Enough headroom to drive quiet ribbon and dynamic mics that stall out on typical interface preamps.
Product detailSKU #1302806632243
Rupert Neve DesignsPortico 517: 500 Series Mic Pre / DI / Comp
1/3
Independent shopping perspective
The Korena take
500 Series module combining a mic preamp, instrument DI, and compressor. For anyone building a channel strip in a lunchbox rack.
Strong match
Who this is for
- Tracking vocals or bass to one module without extra outboard
- Home studios wanting front-end gain and compression in one slot
- Guitarists and bassists recording direct into a rack
Consider the trade-offs
When to look elsewhere
- Anyone without a 500 Series chassis to house it
- Multi-channel drum tracking — this is a single channel
- Interface-only setups that already have enough clean preamps
What matters in use
The specifications, translated
Catalog numbers tell only part of the story. These are the details most likely to change how this product feels, sounds, or fits into a setup.
Detail 02
Equivalent input noise better than -128dBu
Noise floor stays under the mic's own hiss even at high gain, so quiet sources stay clean.
Detail 03
Silk mode
Deliberately raises second-harmonic distortion to about 0.2%, adding warmth and thickness instead of staying clinically flat.
Detail 04
-3dB at 160kHz
Bandwidth extends far past hearing. Phase behavior in the audible top end stays linear, which reads as openness.
Detail 05
+23dBu maximum output
Hot output level. You can drive converters hard without clipping the module itself.
Detail 06
+48V phantom power
Runs condenser mics directly. No separate phantom supply needed in the signal path.
Final check
Know before you order
- 01A 500 Series rack or lunchbox is required and is not included
- 02Confirm your chassis supplies enough current per slot before filling it
- 03Single channel only — stereo sources need two modules
Product questions
Before you decide
Straight answers to the questions shoppers most often ask about this product.
01Do I need a 500 Series rack for this?
Yes. It's a module, not a standalone box. It has no power supply or enclosure of its own and must be installed in a 500 Series chassis.
02Can I plug a bass straight into it?
Yes. It includes a DI input, so you can record bass or guitar direct and compress it in the same module.
03What does the Silk control do?
It adds second-harmonic distortion, around 0.2%, instead of the near-zero figure the module hits normally. Used to warm up sources that sound too clean.
04Will it power a condenser mic?
Yes. It supplies +48V phantom power within 1%, so standard condensers run directly from the module.
Reference
Full specifications
The complete catalog record, organized around the decisions musicians make when comparing gear.
1 detailsSound
- Frequency Response
- Main Output, no load, -0.2dB @ 10Hz -3dB @ 160kHz
2 detailsConnections & power
- Phantom Power
- +48 Volts DC +/- 1%
- Maximum Output Level From 20hz to 40khz
- +23dBu
1 detailsSize & weight
- Noise Measured At Main Output Unweighted 22hz 22khz Terminated 150 Ohm
- Gain at unity: better than -100dBu; gain at 66dB: better than -62dBu Equivalent Input Noise: better than -128dBu, noise factor 1.5dB
2 detailsOther
- Crosstalk
- Measured channel to channel: Better than -90dB @ 15kHz.
- Total Harmonic Distortion and Noise
- @ 1kHz, +20 dBu output: Main Output: Better than 0.001% @ 20Hz, +20 dBu output: Main Output: Better than 0.002% Silk Engaged: Better than 0.2% Second harmonic
