Bending the expectations of what a microphone is supposed to do, the Revelator from PreSonus is a multi-pattern USB microphone that features onboard EQ and compression, as well as a built-in digital mixer.
The Revelator is a condenser microphone capable of cardioid, figure-8 and omnidirectional patterns at sample rates of 44.1, 48, 88.2 and 96 kHz, with 24-bit resolution (44.1 and 48 kHz only on macOS while in Multi Mode).
It is powered via standard USB bus power. Specifications include 1 mV/Pa sensitivity, 110 dB maximum SPL (<3% THD), frequency response of 20 Hz to 20 kHz, and a dynamic range of 77.5 dB. Those are some of the “normal” characteristics of the Revelator.
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Here’s where the Revelator departs from traditional microphones: It has a headphone output with volume control and zero-latency monitoring, mute control, and preset select switch. The mic can be controlled via PreSonus Universal Control software which runs on Windows 10 (64-bit only), macOS 10.13 or higher (64-bit only), Android and iPadOS. UC provides control over the Revelator’s onboard DSP functions including a software mixer with voice effects such as Double, Detuner, Vocoder, Ring Modulator, Filter and Delay, an independent reverb bus, preset editing, and a Fat Channel with HPF, Gate, Compressor, EQ and Limiter.
Four presets may be stored in the microphone, enabling those settings to be used when the mic is connected directly to an iPad Pro or a Lightning- or USB-C-equipped iPhone or iPad (requires optional Camera Connection Kit). Additional presets are available using UC.
A 6×6 audio interface provides two dedicated input streams for the microphone, two dedicated output streams for headphone monitoring, and 4×4 I/O virtual streams for application-to-application recording and playback with loopback options for macOS and Windows.
The Revelator is bundled with a desktop stand, Studio One Artist and Studio Magic software suite, and is Chromebook compatible. MSRP is $179.00. More info here.
