A Single Channel '73 for the Rest of Us

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 amps (with and without EQ) that each pay careful homage to British audio history.

The WA73-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 WA73-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 WA73-EQ can't handle.

Features:

• Like the original 73-series British console preamp, the WA73 series preamps include all the features that deliver a complete and professional recording experience.
• The high-pass filter makes it easy to remove unwanted noise from the bass frequencies that plague recording and mixing.
• Switchable unbalanced send/return inserts make it possible to add a compressor, EQ, or your favorite processing gear before hitting the output transformer.
• The WA73 also includes critical preamp features like 48V phantom power, instrument & line-level inputs, XLR/TRS input/output options, polarity inversion, and the classic Warm Audio Tone control to handle varying recording demands.
• The WA73-EQ and WA273-EQ’s dedicated, switchable EQ sections offer added versatility and convenience, allowing users to record multiple sources simultaneously or utilize two different microphone setups.

Specifications:

• Single or Dual-Channel, Class A, ''73-Style British Console Microphone Preamp with EQ.
• UK-Made Blore-Edwards EQ Dual-Concentric Switch Potentiometers.
• Polarity Switch.
• 48V Phantom Power.
• 4-Position Inductor-Based High-Pass Filter – 50, 80, 160, 300 Hz.
• XLR Mic Input.
• Line-Level TRS Input.
• TS (Unbalanced) Send/Receive Insert Jacks.
• XLR & TRS Line-Level Outputs.
• Direct-In Instrument Input.
• Output Control.
• LED Level Indication.
• 19" Rack-Mountable.
• Ground Lift Switch.
• Internal IEC 115V/230V Power Inlet.
• Single Chassis Depth: 9.5” | 23.75 cm.
• Dual Chassis Depth: 11” | 27.5 cm.

Components & Internal Specs (Per Channel)

• UK-Made Carnhill Transformers.
• Hand-Wired, Hand-Assembled, Fully Discrete.
• Inductor-Based 3-Band EQ.
• Low-Band Boost/Cut: 35, 60, 110, 220 Hz.
• Mid-Band Boost/Cut: 360, 700, 1600, 3200, 4800, 7200 Hz.
• High-Band Boost/Cut: 10, 12, 16 kHz.

Performance Specs (Per Channel)

• 80 dB of Gain – Resistor-Stepped Gain Switch.
• Frequency Response: 20 Hz – 20 kHz (+/– 0.5 dB).
• Tone Button – Changes Input Transformer Impedance for Varying Tone.
• Polarity Switch.
• Additional High-Band Frequency EQ Points Added (Compared to Vintage 1073).