Mercury Recording Equipment Company

G810 Rack Systems

Mercury D Series

The Mercury D Series G810 Rack System is the first of many products in the new Mercury D Series Line. From the outside, you might think you have seen this product or something similar before, but there is more than meets the eye with the Mercury G810 Rack System. David Marquette and Mercury used a combination of 20 Years experience custom racking vintage modules and new, innovative features to completely reinvent the 500 Rack inside and out with the new, Mercury D Series G810 Rack System.

Powerful

The Mercury D Series G810 Rack System solves the biggest complaint for users of other '500 racks' in the marketplace: Lack of Power, especially when using products that are not built to the specifications of the '500' Standard. The products not built to that standard take more then their share of the power to work, which in turn causes problems with all other modules in the rack. This is not an issue with the Mercury D Series G810 Rack System.

The power specification for Mercury D Series G810 Rack System is much higher than the spec of the '500' Standard. Providing more power does not solve the power problems of '500' Racks, so, Mercury successfully designed a better Power Structure not just providing more amps/watts. Mercury designed the Mercury Power Regulation Circuit as a solution to '500' Rack power problems. The Mercury Power Regulation Circuit is not only in the rack, it is on every channel of the rack offering individual regulation per channel. The Mercury D Series G810 Rack System is the first '500' Rack to have this feature and is why we feel this is not only a better rack but a better system overall. The Mercury Power Regulation Circuit allows each channel to be isolated from the channel next to it or any other channel in the rack, which will protect from faults or emissions from problematic modules. No module in the Mercury D Series G810 Rack System shares DC power with another module in the rack.

In addition of the Mercury Power Regulation Circuit, there is also the Mercury Soft Start Circuit featured in the Mercury D Series G810 Rack System as well. The Mercury Soft Start Circuit allows power to 'ramp up' slowly and will gradually and gently apply voltage to your expensive D Series or '500 Series' modules when you power up. This is better for your modules as well it reduces the danger to woofers that could be damaged with 'turn-on' thump when part of a larger system.

It might not be the first thing you think of when buying equipment, but the power for any recording device is the foundation of how it works. In Professional Audio a clean, regulated and abundant power supply affects the headroom of your Preamps, Equalizers and Compressor/Limiters etc... Stable, Abundant, Isolated power simply allows your equipment to work better and avoids cross talk between channels. For example, If you have a rack full of 8 or 10 limiters for drums you are going to hear things distort sooner on peaks if there is not enough power in reserve. We have solved those issues with the Mercury D Series G810 Rack System, allowing you to concentrate on recording music, not calculating the amperage or total power you need in your rack.

Rock Solid Construction

The Mercury D Series G810 Rack System is simply built like a Tank. Featuring thick aluminum rack ears, and a durable steel chassis, for both strength and optimum shielding for internal electronics. Like all Mercury Recording Equipment Co. products, the Mercury D Series G810 Rack System is engineered to be reliable and look good in your studio but built to be road-worthy.

Flexible

On the back panel of the Mercury D Series G810 Rack System - I, there are Gold Pin XLRs (for channels 1-10) and DB25 (DSUB) connectors for channels 1-8 to give you choices of how you install your system. The Mercury D Series G810 Rack System - I is rack mountable, but you can also use as a Table Top Rack as well. The Mercury D Series Line will have several choices of power supplies to be able to power a single rack or several in the future. The first is the Mercury D Series PSU-1. All Mercury D Series Power Supplies feature Studio Quality, Low Noise, Linear Power designed for Audio. The D Series PSU-1 Power supply is also rack mountable or can sit on the tabletop next to the rack or on the floor etc... You can also mount two D Series PSU-1 Power Supplies together as a dual 1U unit to save valuable rack space, and there are places for optional feet on the bottom if needed.

Plenty of Features

The Mercury D Series G810 Rack System has many features to make your recording experience easier. The G810 Chain Switch (per channel), This switch allows simple, convenient, internal signal flow among modules. Example: If you have a Mic pre in Channel 1 of your Mercury D Series G810 Rack System, an EQ in Channel 2 and a Limiter in Channel 3, you could plug your Microphone cable in the input of Channel 1 and an XLR Cable into the Output of Channel 3 directly to you recording device and engage the Chain Switch on Channel 1 and 2 and they will all be "Chained" together. Note: This also works if you are using DB25 connectors to your patch bay as well. The G810 Link Switch, (per channel), This switch provides 'Linking' of modules that support that feature. Ground Lift - The ability to 'lift' the ground connection to insure quiet operation in all environments.

The Future

The Mercury D Series G810 Rack System is just the beginning. It is the first part of the Mercury D Series System that will feature Mercury D Series Modules, like Preamps, EQ and Limiters. More, there are new products and problem solving tools for engineers to use to make the gear they already use better. The Mercury D Series G810 Rack System has 10 slots, 1-8 are designed for Mercury D Series or any '500 Module' to be installed, and you can also install these on slots 9 and 10 as well. But in the very near future we will have several Mercury G8 Modules for slot 9 and 10 that will let you do things with the Mercury D Series G810 Rack System to make recording easier and also have choices at your fingertips.

Mercury D Series G810 Rack System: Q & A

Q: What is Mercury D Series?

A: Mercury D Series is a new line from Mercury Recording Equipment. The first product is the Mercury D Series G810 Rack System which is a new, innovative design for a better way to work in the "500 Series" format. David Marquette, of Marquette Audio Labs, manufacturer of Mercury Recording Equipment, used 20 years of experience building custom racks for vintage modules like Neve, Calrec, Langevin, Telefunken/Siemens and others to design the D Series G810 Rack System and the D Series Power Structure.

Mercury D Series G810 Rack System is more flexible, more innovative, more stable and a more reliable way of using and powering 500 Modules. With this new innovative design Mercury chooses to not use the term "500 Series" as that is the old way of thinking, using and powering 500 Modules.

Mercury "D Series" and "500 Series" have common roots, and both use the same pinout, but a very different approach is especially apparent with the New Mercury D Series Power Structure compared to the old 500 power method. With many new improvements and innovative features, we feel Mercury's D Series is a leap forward in the format.

Q: What makes the Mercury G810 Rack System different than other 500 racks?

A: No other 500 Rack has the combination of features that the Mercury D Series G810 Rack System has. Starting with the Mercury Power Structure and Mercury Regulation Circuit per channel, providing isolation for each channel in the rack: no module in the D Series G810 Rack System shares regulated DC power with any other module in the rack.

Q: Why does the Mercury D Series G810 Rack System cost more?

A: First and foremost, there is no '500 rack' like Mercury D Series G810 Rack System, so you can not compare it to others on price, flexibility or reliability. No corners were cut with the G810 Rack System, high quality parts are used and most importantly All Mercury Products are Proudly MADE IN THE USA. The PCBs, Metal Fabrication, Paint, Silkscreening, Anodizing, Circuit Design, Labor and Ideas all come together in California, USA for The Mercury D Series G810 Rack and Power Supplies.

The Mercury D Series G810 has a heavy duty steel chassis, thick aluminum ears and custom-made aluminum handles. There is a steel backplate for external connections (XLR I/O and DB25 I/O), and a steel module connector plate inside, so the electronics are shielded away from modules and outside interference... (You do not see the PCB with the G810 unlike others where electronics are exposed to noisy modules or outside interference or potential problems.

The G810 System also uses high quality gold pin EDAC Module connectors, and gold pin Neutrik XLRs for both audio and power. Quality switches are used for Link, Chain and Ground Lift functions.

The D Series PSU-1 and PSU-2 also has a heavy duty steel chassis, gold pin Neutrik XLRs on PSU, and custom cable. The parts used on the power supply PCB are rated higher than needed – to last longer and provide ultimate stability and the reliability you want in professional audio equipment.

Your modules will thank you for using a Mercury D Series G810 Rack System. After spending $8k to $12k to fill the rack with modules—don't you both deserve a more flexible, more innovative, more stable and more reliable way of working?

Q: What is the Mercury Regulation Circuit?

A: The Mercury Regulation Circuit is an innovative way to isolate each channel from the others in the rack andnot share regulated DC Power with each other. Power comes from the Mercury D Series PSU to the G810 Rack with a Custom Gold Pin Cable. Unregulated DC Voltages are sent to the Rack were there are Mercury Regulation Circuits at each Connector (there are 10x Mercury Regulation Circuits per G810 Rack, one per channel). This allows each channel to have its own DC regulated power, or essentially each has its own Power Supply.

There is no question this is a better, more professional way to power a rack with 10 modules in it, especially if from 10 different companies with different spec and build quality.

Q: How does a Rack "power supply" work?

A: When discussing how a power supply works in a 500 rack, there are many variables to consider. A company normally chooses to use a linear or switching PSU these days. Some technically-minded people debate that Linear power is better, more of an 'Audiophile' or Professional Audio choice. Mercury agrees with this way of thinking and the D Series PSU-1 is a High Quality Linear Power Supply.

The two Biggest Advantages of a Linear PSU are: A) a Linear PSU should last you longer than a Switching PSU and B) a Linear PSU is cleaner / quieter power, up to 10,000 times less Ripple & Noise than a switching PSU. Our goal is to build a High Quality Professional Audio Products, so quiet power and equipment working well past the warranty are important to us.

The two Biggest Disadvantages of a Linear Supply are: A) Linear power supplies are 3 to 4 times more costly than switching power supplies, and B) they get warmer than a switching supply.

Mercury was fully aware of these facts while designing the D Series G810 Rack System. Our goal was to design the best power structure available and starting with a high quality Linear PSU was the first step towards accomplishing this, and with an external PSU there is no issue with heat or noise with modules in the G810 Rack.

The next step, after choosing a PSU, a company chooses to have the PSU internal (inside the rack), which can and does cause problems, especially from other companies making modules not keeping this in mind. The other choice is an External (outside the rack) PSU, and then the company has to decide whether to have the external PSU shielded (in a steel chassis) or not (usually in black plastic box). Note: plastic itself does not shield from RF or interference—some are coated inside to have a metal layer to shield the plastic case, but some are not coated).

'Shielding' or Electromagnetic shielding is the practice of reducing the electromagnetic field in a space by blocking the field with barriers made of conductive or magnetic materials. Shielding is typically applied to enclosures to isolate electrical devices from the 'outside world', and to cables to isolate wires from the environment through which the cable runs. Electromagnetic shielding that blocks radio frequency electromagnetic radiation is also known as RF shielding. (from wikipedia)

Mercury's choice was an external PSU so power is shielded away from the modules inside the G810 Rack and to make room more innovative ideas in slots 9 & 10 with our G8 modules and build something more than a 'rack'. The D Series PSU is also built in a steel chassis so it is shielded from your other equipment and does not pick up interference from outside sources.

All these choices do affect how well a rack or any electronic device works for audio, but regardless, the DC power of the chosen PSU is then shared by every module in the rack. Either by a cable from external PSU to the rack or internally with a trace on the PCB or wire connecting power from one connector to the next. An easy analogy we use to describe how this works is: the Power Supply is a tree and a branch of the tree goes to each channel, so if there are 10 channels, the tree has 10 branches. But every channel has one source for its power. With the Mercury D Series G810 Rack System the analogy is much different. The D Series PSU is a forest of 10 trees and each channel of the G810 has its own tree and its own source of power.

A slightly more technical explanation of how a Linear PSU works is: AC (Alternating Current) power (either 120V or 240V in this case) enters the PSU from your wall to with an AC cord to the PSU, it then goes to a Transformer or Transformers that convert(s) that AC voltage to a lower voltage (closer to your intended DC voltage). With an additional circuit, that lower AC voltage then is converted to DC (Direct Current) and regulated to a specific voltage to be stable for your intended device.

With Mercury D Series G810 and D Series Power Supplies all that happens as well, but in a manner like no other rack on the market. It all starts in the PSU-1 or PSU-2 where the AC enters and is converted to Lower Voltages of AC with an additional circuit, that voltage then enters the G810 and is converted to Stable, DC Power at each EDAC connector for each channel/module. This gives each channel its own source of Regulated DC power, and in effect its own Isolated Power supply.

Q: Is MERCURY D SERIES compatible with 500 Series?

A: YES... and No.

Yes! - The Mercury D Series G810 Rack System will power up, and has the compatible pin out for standard 500 Series Modules.

No - The Mercury D SeriesPower Suppliesare NOT compatible with any other rack. These are new, proprietary PSUs that can only be used with a Mercury D Series G810 Rack System or future Mercury D Series Equipment. No other manufacturer's PSU can be used with a Mercury D Series G810 Rack either.

Q: Will Mercury be making D Series Modules?

A: YES. Mercury has plans for many Preamps, EQs and Limiters. They're in early design stages and will bring them to market when they are ready. Please Like the Mercury Facebook Page or follow Mercury on Twitter to see Products Updates and Previews. Modules were not our main focus, we did not want to be just another company making a 500 mic pre. To do what we want to do in the future we had to have a better power structure than what was available. Power is the foundation of how well any powered device works—period. We also wanted to have a system that is and will be expansive for future growth and products, not just another slotted rack that holds modules. With the Mercury D Series G810 Rack System we succeeded with both. Now we will focus on Mercury D Series Modules and G8 Modules.

Q: What is a Mercury G8 Module?

A: Mercury D Series G8 Modules are proprietary modules, 2 slots wide (for channels 9 & 10), or 1 slot wide (for channel 10). These innovative modules will hook up to the ribbon cables on the right side of G810 Rack System that will allow you to 'communicate' with the modules in channels 1-8. Making it possible for future G8 Summing modules, G8 Mixer modules, G8 Enhancement modules. The Mercury G810 Rack System is not just another rack – it is a growing, expanding recording system.

Q: Does Mercury G8 Module work in other racks?

A: No. The Mercury D Series G8 Modules are proprietary to the Mercury G810 Rack System and will go in slot 9 & 10 (or some in just slot 10 only).

Q: What is the difference between Mercury D Series G810 Rack System - I and Mercury D Series G810 Rack System - II?

A: Mercury D Series G810 Rack System has all the features available in the G8 System. Mercury Power Structure, rack-mountable or tabletop usability, G8 module compatible in slots 9 & 10, Ground Lift, chain for channels 1-10, link for channels 1-10, XLR In/Out for channels 1-10 and DB25 for channels 1-8.

Mercury D Series G810 Rack System II has the same Mercury Power Structure, rack-mountable or tabletop usability, G8 module compatible in slots 9 & 10, Ground Lift, no chain function, sequential linking only (Ch. 1 to Ch. 2, Ch. 3 to Ch. 4 etc.), XLR In/Out for channels 9-10 only and DB25 for channels 1-8. Mercury D Series G810 Rack System II is meant to be used with a patch bay so you can chain things together there, instead of on the back of the rack. The Mercury D Series G810 Rack System II is NOT a lower quality system, we just took into consideration that some people will not need all of the features and lowered the cost to help provide a quality product with only the features needed.

Pricing