The 1073 Legend Lives in Warm Audio's Splendid WA273-EQ
The legendary 1073 wrote the book on characterful mic preamplification and EQ. These venerable circuits helped define the punchy sound of '70s rock — and countless recordings and live concerts ever since. Today, this coveted tone can be yours for a song, with the Warm Audio WA273-EQ mic/line/instrument preamp. In both design and performance, the 2-channel WA273-EQ pays homage to the revered British console lineage that started it all. Throughout the audio industry, the 1073 is considered the holy grail of preamps and EQs, with a rich, sweet, and bold tonality that's ideal for making audacious statements with your music. After years of R&D, painstaking reverse-engineering, and countless hours of listening, Warm Audio captured the sonic essence of this classic perfectly in their boutique WA273-EQ. With 80dB of gain and a fully discrete transformer-balanced signal path, the sound is a revelation: harmonically rich bottom end, focused midrange, and slightly resonant highs.
Warm Audio WA273-EQ 2-channel Mic/Line/Instrument Preamp and EQ Features:
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Handwired, hand-assembled 1073-style preamplifier/EQ
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Fully discrete, Class A, transformer-balanced circuitry
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UK-made Carnhill Transformers
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80dB of gain handles any type of microphone, including low-output ribbons
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Resistor-stepped rotary gain switches for easy recall
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Tone buttons change input transformer impedance for mic optimization and tonal shaping
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Polarity switches
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48V phantom power
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4-position inductor-based highpass filters, selectable for Off, 50, 80, 160, or 300Hz
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Inductor-based 3-band equalization per-channel
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Low-band boost/cut at 35, 60, 110, or 220Hz
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Mid-band boost/cut at 360, 700, 1600, 3200, 4800, or 7200Hz
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High-band boost/cut at 10, 12, or 16kHz
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Additional high-band frequency EQ points added (compared to vintage 1073)
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XLR mic inputs
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Line-level TRS inputs
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TS Send/Receive insert jacks
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XLR and TRS line-level outputs
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DI instrument inputs
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Output level controls
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LED level indication meters
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Rugged 19" rackmount chassis
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Ground lift switch
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Internal IEC 115V/230V power inlet