Tag Archives: preamp

Black lion audio announces new B173mkII AND B12A mk3 portable preamps

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Black Lion Audio announces availability of British-style B173 mkII and American-style B12A mkIII portable preamps


CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, USA: boutique audio company Black Lion Audio is proud to announce availability of the B173 mkII and B12A mkIII — British-style (1073) and American-style (312A) portable preamps packed into convenient half-rack-sized units, respectively, allowing users to mix and match as they sonically see fit — as of October 1…
Simply speaking, Black Lion Audio’s B173 mkII is the most portable 1073 ‘British sound’ around! As such, it uses the same Cinemag input and output transformers that are found in the company’s ‘full-size’ B173 Quad mic preamp to duly deliver a whopping 70dB of gain, alongside a revamped gain stage and a lower noise floor for a cleaner, lower distortion sound. Sonically, the front panel-positioned Hi-Z IN (high impedance input) brings a harmonically rich tone to guitars, keyboards, and synthesizers, while the stepped input 1073-style GAIN and variable OUTPUT LEVEL attenuation knobs allow for flawless control over transformer saturation. 48V phantom power and phase inverse controls round out the front panel with self-explanatory XLR IN (input) and TRS OUT (output) connections literally bringing up the rear.
Representing the most portable 312A ‘American sound’ around, Black Lion Audio’s B12A mkIII uses the same Cinemag input and output transformers that are found in the company’s ‘full-size’ B12A Quad preamp to duly deliver a whopping 70dB of gain — just like its B173 mkII half-rack-sized sibling. Similarly, the front panel- positioned Hi-Z IN input also brings a harmonically rich tone to guitars, keyboards, and synthesizers, while the stepped 312A-style input GAIN control allows for perfect recall. Remaining on the front panel, there are also 48V phantom power and phase inverse controls, plus an 18dB PAD, while the B12A mkIII’s rear panel-positioned XLR IN and TRS OUT connections mirror those found on the B173 mkII. 

The B173 mkII is available to purchase through Black Lion Audio’s growing global network of dealers/distributors (https://www.blacklionaudio.com/dealers) with a MAP (Minimum Advertised Price) of $449.00 USD and an SSP (Suggested Selling Price) of €449.00 EUR (including VAT). For more in-depth information, please visit its dedicated webpage here: https://www.blacklionaudio.com/store/products/mic-pres/b173-mk2/

The B12A mkIII is available to purchase through Black Lion Audio’s growing global network of dealers/distributors (https://www.blacklionaudio.com/dealers) with a MAP of $399.00 USD and an SSP of €399.00 EUR (including VAT). For more in-depth information, please visit its dedicated webpage here: https://www.blacklionaudio.com/store/products/mic-pres/b12a-mk3/

Fuse Audio Labs looks back towards rare Fifties-vintage, all tube pre for VPRE-2C plugin

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DUESSELDORF, GERMANY: DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) plugin and audio DSP (Digital Signal Processing) developer Fuse Audio Labs is proud to announce availability of VPRE-2C — its latest plugin par excellence, based on a rare all-tube, transformer-based booster amp whose basic circuit design has been used in countless tube consoles for broadcast and recording during the late-Fifties and early-Sixties — as of February 7…

VPRE-2C enriches any recording with an authentic-sounding tube vibe in the most intuitive way. While lower GAIN settings produce a well-defined, balanced sound with an accentuated midrange, turning up this level-compensated control also significantly increases the perception of warmth, weight, and smoothness.
Saying that, the plugin also emulates its inspirational hardware forerunner’s two triode-strapped 6J7 pentodes for a rich THD (Total Harmonic Distortion) spectrum as well as the original transformer configuration to bring back its signature low-end mojo, while also adding a selectable pre-/deemphasis filter and a MIX control for a greater variety of tones. Another exclusive feature is its BOOST mode — for kicking in more solid drive and coloration.
“Creating VPRE-2C was a fun project,” proclaims Fuse Audio Labs CEO Reimund Dratwa. “Rebuilding and modeling the original circuit was a rather straightforward affair, but tweaking this classic amplifier into a versatile and easy-to-use tone box in the digital domain required some thought for sure! The result really is a ticket back in time to deliver that wonderful vintage sound whenever anyone hears it calling out to them.” 

VPRE-2C is available at an introductory promo price of €24.50 EUR until March 7, 2020 — rising thereafter to its regular price of €49.00 EUR — directly from Fuse Audio Labs’ website here: https://fuseaudiolabs.com (All prices include VAT, where applicable.)

Note that a 14-day trial version of VPRE-2C without any limitations is also available.
For more in-depth information, please visit the dedicated VPRE-2C webpage here: https://fuseaudiolabs.com/vpre2c.html


Antelope Audio announces availability of EDGE Strip discrete preamp and modelling mic bundle

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SANTA MONICA, CA, USA: having turned heads and opened ears during a must-see showcase at The 2018 NAMM Show in Anaheim, CA earlier this year, high-end professional audio equipment manufacturer Antelope Audio is proud to announce availability of the EDGE Strip bundle — comprising the trailblazing EDGE modelling microphone and specifically-designed DISCRETE MP Discrete Dual Ultra-Linear Microphone Preamp, perfectly paired to tender the same audio quality as a locker-full of vintage mics and rack-full of outboard gear as an all-in-one solution for high-quality studio recordings with vintage analogue sound — as of February 28…

Antelope Audio’s talented team of engineering experts, led by capable company CEO Igor Levin, designed DISCRETE MP to perfectly match the frequency response of the already-available, trailblazing EDGE, a large-diaphragm modelling microphone featuring dual edge- terminated capsules for a smooth/natural sound, reproducing the expressiveness and character of costly classic microphones — albeit without excessive expense. Elsewhere, the EDGE Strip-bundled DISCRETE MP dual-input microphone preamplifier places the same transistor schematic that beats at the state-of-the-art heart of the aptly-named DISCRETE 8 ThunderboltTM & USB Interface with 8 Discrete Mic Preamps and DISCRETE 4 ThunderboltTM & USB Interface with 4 Discrete Mic Preamps series siblings — released to critical acclaim late last year — at its user’s fingertips.

Furthermore, the EDGE Strip bundle comes complete with the free native-format Fusion AFX Pack plug-ins, including several microphone and preamp emulations alongside the BA 1073 EQ (inspired by the Seventies-vintage channel module with a specific analogue punch putting in an appearance on many notable recordings) and STAY-LEVIN compressor (personally designed by Igor Levin at Antelope Audio to capture the spirit of its historic hardware namesake that shaped the special sound of a slew of Sixties Stateside classics).

Clearly, then, the days of spending tens of thousands of dollars on a vintage mic collection are over, thanks to those must-have microphone emulations: BERLIN 47 FT allows authentic access to the sound of one of the most popular microphones in the history of audio recording; BERLIN 67 carries with it the true sound of an iconic tube condenser microphone with multiple — cardioid, omni, and figure eight — polar patterns, popularised as a result of its signature sound and adaptability; BERLIN 87 is the go-to microphone when it comes to recording brass sections, guitars, overheads, piano, percussion, strings, and vocals; and TOKYO 800T, a vintage tube mic with a super-low noise floor and extreme sensitivity that is a top choice for many masters of vocal recording. Reality bites still further with ANTELOPE V76, GIRAFFE G9, and BAE 1073 MP preamp emulations par excellence.

Evidence has it that Antelope Audio has always collectively prided itself in coming up with technologies that unite the digital and analogue audio worlds. While both DISCRETE MP and EDGE are all-analogue devices, making them fully compatible with any audio interface and A/D converter central to any studio setup anywhere, DISCRETE MP allows users to explore the full potential of EDGE in both Antelope Audio– centred setups or other audio systems. Saying that, thanks to its 1kHz hardware calibration OSC (oscillator), DISCRETE MP easily adapts to any studio setup.

Still deeper, DISCRETE MP masterfully makes available Antelope Audio’s signature sonic footprint of pristine audio quality. The unique discrete design of its preamp allows Antelope Audio to modify each individual aspect of the preamp, putting total control over colouration, clarity, and character in the hands of discerning users.

Ultimately, DISCRETE MP powerfully punches well above its (950g) weight while packing a lot into its diminutive (190mm W x 46.5mm H x 157mm D) dimensions, as evidenced by its impressive technical specifications: two INPUTS on MIC-XLR and LINE-USE 1/4” JACK, offering 20dBu max balanced @ 2kΩ (XLR only) and 29dBu max balanced @ 13K to ground (TRS only); two TRS OUTPUTS (22dBu max); USB CONTROL I/O (USB 2.0 Full-Speed Type B for remote control only); and a mic preamp pushing out an accomplished gain range of 0dB to 61dB (in 1dB steps) alongside 48V phantom power.

Put it this way: when taken together as the EDGE Strip breakthrough bundle, Antelope Audio’s all-new, all-analogue DISCRETE MP Discrete Dual Ultra-Linear Microphone Preamp and already-available EDGE modelling microphone make for a killer combination!

 

EDGE Strip — a breakthrough bundle of Antelope Audio’s all-new, all-analogue DISCRETE MP Discrete Dual Ultra-Linear Microphone Preamp and already-available, trailblazing EDGE modelling microphone — is now available to purchase through Antelope Audio’s growing global network of dealers with an MSRP of €1,295.00 EUR. (Note that the free native-format Fusion AFX Pack plug-ins are all iLok protected; users can create a free account for the iLok Licensing System and purchase the third-generation iLok Smart Key from here: https://www.ilok.com.)

 

For more in-depth information, please visit the dedicated EDGE Strip webpage here: https://en.antelopeaudio.com/products/edge-strip/

Watch Antelope Audio’s cutting-edge EDGE modelling microphone demonstration video here: https://youtu.be/ZE-aiemDI58