Premium mixer manufacturer MasterSounds has released the Valve MK2, the sequel to its flagship rotary DJ mixer.
The Valve MK2 is a two-part series comprising a two-channel version, the Two Valve MK2, and a four-channel version, the Four Valve MK2. The mixer comes in a grey or a black casing, with each product being hand built by analogue product engineers Union Audio in Cornwall, UK.
As with the MK1, which was released in 2019, it maintains its “esoteric nature of sound and simplicity” through “world-class” valve summing, says the company, but with added and upgraded features. These new features and enhancements come in the form of a new VariableQ high-pass filter on each channel, a re-designed three-band EQ and RIAA Input stage, plus a high-quality Innofader.
The VariableQ filter is an exclusive MasterSounds effect that lets you adjust the resonance of the filter, resulting in “smooth mixing and resonant effects”. You can adjust the frequency range, so a high Q value means that only a narrow range of frequencies is affected, while a low Q value means that a wider range of frequencies is affected.
On this, Founder and Director of MasterSounds, Ryan Shaw tells us: “The new Variable-Q filter provides a natural roll-off at low frequencies, lending perfectly to mixing with filters alone, but as the knob is rotated the Q automatically rises to provide that classic analogue swept filter sound, with a high-pass filter frequency range of 18Hz – 1.8kHz.”
MasterSounds has also replaced the three-band EQ on each channel with a tight three-band design. This new version still maintains the classic vertical club-ready layout, but under the hood has tighter EQ curves, making for more “punctuated” mixing, the brand says. Each pot gives -20dB of cut and +6dB of boost per band, with channel frequency at 150Hz, 1kHz, and 2kHz.
Another cool addition to the mixer is the Innofader – an industry-standard sturdy replacement that comes with contour control, X/Y switch ability, and a through function. “We love the robust nature of Innofader which is a welcome addition for DJs who scratch on Valve MK2,” Shaw says.
The company has also changed the design of our RIAA circuit, which “in listening tests proved to give a more open sound signature”.
Speaking about the Valve MK2 esoteric DJ mixer, Shaw says: “We are so very proud of Valve, and the addition of the new features in our MK2 model elevates the DJ mixer’s playability for discerning DJs, from club and bar owners to home DJ’s. Valve’s club standard feature set and beautiful open, dynamic & transparent sound is a real gem to experience.”
“It’s hard to believe that five years have passed since we launched the original FourValve, but it’s a fitting anniversary on which to launch the new MK2!” adds Andy Rigby Jones, who’s the founder of Union Audio. “The addition of VariableQ high-pass filters and an all-new EQ adds another level of playability and audio manipulation. The new MK2 comes fitted with an Innofader as standard and a revised RIAA preamplifier, which along with all the other changes makes this a significant update on the previous model.”
The new MK2 range is priced at £1,895 for the Two Valve and £2,695 for the Four Valve model. Find out more at mastersounds.co.uk.
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