Full Description
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In-depth control section
Sparkle and shine with the two-position high-frequency AIR boost switch. You can choose between 3 or 6dB of AIR boosting @ 30kHz, providing added sparkle and high-end content for your input source. This can be ideal for use with Ribbon microphones, which normally provide a darker sound, allowing you to incorporate the high-end sparkle usually associated with condenser microphones. There is also a high pass filter. You can choose between four settings (50Hz, 80Hz, 160Hz, 300Hz) which is excellent for removing unwanted low end and reducing proximity effect.
Versatile connectivity
The PRE-73 MKIII also boasts a wide range of connectivity, allowing you to process and incorporate a variety of musical equipment. From studio-grade microphones to high-level instruments such as electric guitars, this high-end preamp can handle it all. It features a combination XLR/TRS input jack with separate output XLR and TRS jacks for optimal versatility. It also boasts an insert jack for incorporating EQs and other external units.
Robust design
The robust yet retro-style design, bases its tonality and eye-catching finish on vintage microphone preamps. The PRE-73 MKII was inspired by the classic 1073 module, providing the same punchy warmth associated with the original preamp. The robust all-metal chassis features an ergonomic control section with retro-style attenuators and buttons.
Each button has a corresponding LED light that shows when the function is or isn’t in use. There is also a convenient 4-segment LED meter for monitoring your input signals, providing precision monitoring for your equipment. The circuit board has been reaped specially for the Carnhill input transformer for added convenience. It also comes complete with an external power supply, minimising interaction with audio circuits and transformers for the purest signal quality possible.
Features
- Vintage style electronics. No integrated circuits in the signal path
- Custom made mic and line input and line output transformers and highpass inductor. The circuit board is prepared for the Carnhill transformers and high pass inductor
- Traditional 1073-style gain switch that is also used to select the mic or the line input jack
- Two combo XLR/TRS mic and line input jacks and separate output XLR and TRS jacks for flexible connections
- Maximum gain on the mic input is 80 dB, enough to handle passive ribbon mics with quiet sound sources
- Switchable impedance on the mic input, 1200 or 300 ohms. Changing the load impedance will change the tone of many mics
- Gain range on the line input: -20 to + 10 dB
- An active instrument input for guitar and bass that passes the signal through the mic input transformer, with selectable input impedance, hi-Z or 100 kohm, by an internal jumper
- Switchable phantom power and absolute phase
- Gain switch plastic knob and metal knobs for the other controls
- The phantom power can deliver up to 10 mA according to the specification standard
- The 6.8 kohm phantom power resistors are matched to within 0.1 to maintain good common-mode rejection in the circuit
- Selectable 1073-style inductor based highpass filter at 50, 80, 160 or 300 Hz with a slope of 18 dB / octave
- Selectable two position AIR EQ with a boost of about 3 or 6 dB at around 30 kHz
- An output pad allows the user to add character by attenuating the output signal after the output transformer by -7, -14, -21 or -28 dB for overdriving the output stage and the output transformer by adding gain and then lower the output signal to a suitable level with the pad
- A simple but effective 4-step LED output level meter
- Tantalum capacitors in the signal path
- Switches on the back panel for 600 ohm output termination and ground lift
- Relays are used to control internal switching for phantom power, mic low-Z, insert and DI for shorter circuit board signal paths. The relays are controlled by front panel switches.
- Circuit board star grounding scheme
- Power supply with separate regulators for the audio circuit and the relay and LED circuit
- External power supply to avoid interaction with the audio circuits and transformers
- A solid build quality that will last many years of normal use
Specifications
- Preamp Type: Desktop
- Phantom Power: 48V
- Frequency Filter: 50Hz,80Hz,160Hz,300Hz
- Input type: Direct, XLR
- Air Equaliser Boost: 6dB boost at 30,000Hz
- Range: -10 to 80dB
- Maximum Gain:80dB
- Impedance Modes: hi-z, low-z
- Voltage Supply Time: 10 seconds
- Modes: Active/Passive
- Polarity Switch: Yes
- Output Termination Resistor: 600 ohms