Warm audio WA273-EQ
If there’s one style of preamp that professional engineers would unanimously agree has defined the tone of pop/rock records for decades, it would most definitely be the venerable '73-style of mic pre. '73-style preamps have been massively used in recording and live applications for many years and are still considered to be the “Holy Grail” of preamp choices today. The Warm Audio “WA73 Family” consists of single and dual channel '73-style preamps (with & w/out EQ), that each pay careful homage to British audio history.
When we at Warm Audio decided to release the WA273-EQ it was imperative that it met vintage expectation in both design and performance. The tone and sweet character that vintage '73-style mic preamps impart is so unique and familiar, that we had only the pure desire to release sonically accurate reproductions. After years of R&D, careful reverse-engineering, and countless hours of auditioning, the WA273-EQ has been born!
The WA273-EQ is a “Desert Island” boutique preamp, but it can also be classified as a studio and live work-horse. Classic '73-style preamps are known for being versatile tools that work with all kinds of microphones from Condenser, to Dynamic, to Ribbon. The WA273-EQ equally shines on all types of microphones and sources including; vocals, acoustic/electric guitars, bass, drums, percussion, orchestras, keyboards, and even as a tone shaping tool to run partial or complete mixes through. With 80dB of gain and a fully discrete Carnhill Transformer balanced signal path, there’s no recording, mixing or engineering task that the WA273-EQ can’t handle.
Carnhill transformer made in England
Potentiometer / Concentric Switch Blore Edwards Made in England
80 dB gain, adjustable by rotary switch
Tone switch, changes the input impedance of the transformer
- Polarity switch
- Switch for 48V phantom power supply
- 3-band inductance EQ
- Low boost / cut: 35, 60, 110, 220 Hz
Medium boost / cut: 360, 700, 1600, 3200, 4800, 7200 Hz
- Acute boost / cut: 10, 12, 16 kHz (additional frequencies compared to 1073 Vintage)
- High-pass filter with 4-position switchable inductance (50, 80, 160, 300 Hz)
- XLR microphone input (on the back and on the front)
- Line input in balanced 1/4 "jack
- Insert Send and Receive in 1/4 "unbalanced jack
- Instrument input (DI) in front
- Control of the output level
- Level LED indicator
- Frequency response 20 Hz - 20 kHz (+/- 0.5 dB)
- Rackable 19 "
- Ground lift switch
- 115V / 230V internal power supply
Ref. Euroguitar : 78677