Blackstar POLAR4 4 Channel Guitar Interface

Introducing Blackstar’s POLAR audio interfaces, designed specifically for anyone who records guitar. Our market research shows that most people who use an audio interface to record music at home record guitar. We conducted extensive Human Centred Design (HCD) which identified three main challenges people experience when recording guitar directly through an interface: poor feel / response, difficulty setting input levels without clipping and hard to use. Our POLAR interfaces overcome all these challenges making them the ultimate solution for anyone who records guitar.

POLAR provides the ultimate solution for these customers, with three clear reasons to purchase:

1. Feel and response of a real guitar amp
The only audio interface in the market with a FET input stage and “Enhance” feature that mimics the behaviour, characteristics, and electronics normally found on the input stage of a valve guitar amplifier. Plugging a guitar directly into a normal audio interface produces an anaemic signal with peaky transients, which makes playing through amp plugins sound like... a plugin, not an amp.

With the flick of a switch, POLAR’s “Enhance” feature makes all software amp plugins sound better by restoring the touch, feel and response of real amps. Works perfectly with pedalboards, no need for D.I. boxes or extra hardware.

2. Setting levels made foolproof
Our innovative input stage will never digitally clip, allowing the user to drive the interface like an amp. The input stage has an impressive amount of headroom running on +/- 12V giving 24V headroom, an outstanding comparison to competitor units at 5V. Setting guitar input levels and improving your tone has never been easier.

We put an equal amount of effort into designing the POLAR MIC preamps, which boast a response that matches one of the most famed preamps in studio history: the Neve 1081. In a blind A/B setup, the POLAR sounded identical to the vintage Neve. Additionally, the “Enhance” function on the MIC input acts as a gentle high-frequency lift that adds just the right amount of air and clarity to vocals.

3. Quick and simple to use
While “Enhance” improves feel, it was also engineered with an input stage that can never digitally clip for foolproof input level setting. Users can set levels quickly without worrying about clipping, allowing them to focus on the most important part: the music.

POLAR’s innovative features, alongside an incredibly low noise floor (115db), 48V phantom power and headphone outputs that can drive both high and low impedance models, make POLAR the go-to audio interface for all musicians who record guitar and audio.

POLAR 4 also adds MIDI capability and dual headphone outputs, elevating its feature set for professional recording and production situations.

Specification

• 2-channel and 4-channel versions
• FET high headroom +/-24V inputs, low noise -121dB
• INST “Enhance” switch reacts like the input stage of a valve amplifier
• INST “Enhance” input never clips, foolproof input level setting
• MIC “Enhance” adds air and clarity
• MIC preamp same response as Neve 1081
• Headphones Outputs (two on 4-channel)
• Monitor Outputs
• 48V Phantom Power
• MIDI In & Out (4-channel only)