This Vintagetools VTCR rack is a meticulously crafted one-off unit designed for Siemens Sitral cassettes in 19" format. Its uniqueness lies in the combination of different module types with varying mechanical dimensions: The V276 microphone preamp and the U273A compressor differ in depth and mounting from the W295 equalizer, whose massive front panel presents an additional design challenge. Precisely integrating all modules into a single housing required extensive adjustments to achieve a clean and aligned result – none of the cassettes are simply "mounted on top." An oversized VU meter was seamlessly integrated into the front panel, and the U273A was enhanced with a three-position switchable, adjustable attack time. A custom control board was handcrafted for this purpose, and the VU meter was fitted with a specially adapted scale.
Countless hours of work went into this unique unit – not only in mechanical fabrication, but also in technical restoration.
Installed modules include:
V276: The first transistorized microphone preamp of the Sitral series and direct successor to the legendary TAB V76 tube amplifier – now almost equally sought after.
W295: The first equalizer of the Sitral series, later complemented by the W295a and W295b models.
U273A: A rare compressor, especially in the extremely scarce A version – now enhanced with adjustable attack time.
VU Meter: Vintage Siemens VU meter, driven and calibrated via a custom-designed circuit board. A matching scale was created and installed.
Power Supply: The integrated analog power supply is an in-house development. It automatically detects the incoming mains voltage and switches via relay to the correct tap of the internal toroidal transformer – completely without an external voltage selector. It is a fully analog power supply, not a switching power supply.
All modules have been professionally inspected, serviced, and calibrated by Vintagetools. A rack with this level of detail and technical refinement is unlikely to be found again in this form and quality.