Focusrite Liquid 4PRE (2007–)
Four channels of convolution preamp that promise a whole rack of vintage front ends inside a single 2U box.
Overview
Focusrite released the Liquid 4PRE at the New York AES show in October 2007. The pitch was bold even for pro audio: four channels of the company's Liquid dynamic-convolution preamp technology, able to emulate a growing library of classic and vintage microphone preamplifiers on all four channels at once. Sound on Sound (January 2008, p.6) reported the launch and noted the unit squeezes what would otherwise amount to a whole rack of processing gear into a 2U device.
Now the numbers. According to Focusrite's own launch material, Liquid technology delivers emulations of 40 vintage and classic microphone preamplifiers, and the library was described as still growing. The 4PRE stores 99 Unit Setup Memories, so every parameter of a given configuration can be recalled instantly, and a full session can be backed up. Each of the four channels carries phantom power, phase reverse, and a high-pass filter, plus controls for selecting line, mic, or instrument input. Those are the basics you'd expect on any serious four-channel front end. The Liquid emulation engine is what sets it apart.
Control is where the 4PRE gets interesting. The hardware can handle everything itself, but the unit also offers Ethernet connectivity running Focusrite's Liquid 4Control software, which allows comprehensive standalone control of multiple units directly from a DAW. A TDM/RTAS plug-in provides integrated remote control through Pro Tools hardware and software. There's also an "Operator Lock" function to prevent tampering during live events, which suggests Focusrite had rental and touring houses in mind, not just project studios.
On the digital side, the 4PRE offers AES and ADAT I/O, and an optional EtherSound card was listed at launch. Focusrite's advertising in Sound on Sound (April 2008, p.169) billed the unit with the line "the only pre's you'll ever need (but never need to touch)". That's marketing swagger leaning hard on the recall and remote-control story. It reads like advertising, but the claim about flexibility is the same one the independent press picked up on.
Pricing at introduction was not cheap. Focusrite listed the 4PRE at $3,499.99, with the EtherSound card adding $1,300. In the UK, Sound on Sound (January 2008, p.6) reported a figure of £2,013 including VAT. That put it firmly in the professional bracket. A nomination isn't a win, but it's a signal that the industry took the concept seriously.
The 4PRE asks its owner for some comfort with software and networking. The hardware can run standalone, but the emulation library, the memory recalls and the multi-unit networking all live in the control layer. Collectors and working engineers note that it suits rooms that track a lot of different sources and want to audition preamp characters without patching a rack. The trade-off is complexity: an Ethernet-dependent workflow and a software ecosystem that has to stay alive for the box to deliver its full promise.
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