Warm Audio WA73 British Microphone Preamp

Description

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Warm Audio WA73 British Microphone Preamp
If there’s one preamp that professional engineers would unanimously agree has defined the tone of pop/rock records for the last 50+ years, it would most definitely be the venerable 1073.  The 1073 has been massively used in recording and live applications for decades and is still considered to be the “Holy Grail” of preamps today.  The Warm Audio “WA73 Family” provides single and dual channel re-creations of this classic British preamp (with & w/out EQ), that each pay careful and humble homage to the original circuit.
When we at Warm Audio decided to release the WA73 it was imperative to us that the products pay respectful homage to the sacred British console history in both design and performance.  The tone and sweet character that the vintage units impart is so unique and familiar, that we had only the pure desire to release truly sonic accurate replicas.  After years of R&D, careful reverse-engineering, and countless hours of auditioning, the WA73 has been born!
The WA73 is a “Desert Island” boutique preamp, but it can also be classified as a studio and live work-horse. The classic 1073 was known for being a versatile tool that worked with all kinds of microphones from Condenser, to Dynamic, to Ribbon.  The WA73 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 WA73 can’t handle.
UK Custom Carnhill Transformers
1073 enthusiasts unequivocally get excited about the component history in these classic circuits.  The signal transformers are a common topic of conversation.  The classic vintage units used various versions of transformers throughout the years, and the most coveted were the very first versions made by Marinair Radar.  Marinair Radar Transformers are regarded as the most desirable 1073 choice due to their fluid and forgiving nature.  They saturate sweetly when pushed, and have been known to make engineers cry when they hear how beautiful their mixes sound through them! Warm Audio worked closely with Carnhill Transformers of Cambridgeshire, UK, to design faithful replicas of these most coveted, early version transformers.  We at Warm Audio have not yet heard a modern day 1073-style preamp sound as close to the early vintage 1073 design as does our WA73 with these beautiful custom Transformers.
Hand Wired & Hand Assembled
The classic 1073 was hand-wired and so is the WA73!  Guru’s claim that a portion of the 1073’s classic tone can be attributed to the hand-wired nature of the build.  The WA73 is hand-wired and hand assembled, including the pcb components that are all populated by hand.
Capacitors & Signal Path
An important part of the classic British circuits not often discussed are the different styles of capacitors and output transistor used.  We found it important to maintain integrity to the original design by using tantalum and polystyrene capacitors in the signal path and an output transistor choice that is much smoother in the high gain settings than what is typically found in modern 1073-style replicas.
Shipping Policy
BUYER PAYS SHIPPING-WE SHIP VIA FEDEX OR UPS. WE ACCEPT PAYPAL.
*For an additional charge, overnight or upgraded shipping may be available to buyers in the USA. Email us for more info.
Alto Music will only ship to the address provided by PayPal, and must be a PayPal confirmed address. Any item(s) purchased at a total exceeding 9.99 (prior to shipping charges and or sales tax when applicable) will require a recipient signature upon delivery.
Warranty
New condition items carry manufacturer warranty. Contact us through eBay for more details.
Return Policy
Refunds are issued within 30 days of the date the customer's order is received. Merchandise and packaging MUST be in the same condition as when received. Items may be subject to a restocking fee up to 20%. Alto Music reserves the right to refuse any return if it appears the item has been used. The customer is responsible for return shipping costs. If the customer's order included free shipping, the customer will be refunded order amount, less Alto Music's original shipping cost.
There are absolutely no refunds for the following items:
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Harmonicas, Mouthpieces, Earbuds/Earphones/Headphones(if unsealed), or any item that may come in contact with the mouth, ears or nose.
Used merchandise carries a 30-day warranty through Alto Music, unless otherwise specified.
New merchandise carries the original warranty issued by the manufacturer.
There are no warranties for the following items:
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