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WA273-EQ is a two channel British-voiced microphone preamp with EQ, built on the 1073 circuit that defined the sound of British rock and pop recording. Each channel carries its own three-band inductor EQ, so the tone shaping happens in the same analogue path as the gain rather than afterwards.
The 1073 sound, on two channels, at a fraction of what an original costs.
A Dual 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 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.
At a Glance
| Brand | Warm Audio |
|---|---|
| Model | WA273-EQ |
| Product type | Microphone Preamp |
| Warranty | Warm Audio limited warranty |
What Makes a 1073-Style Preamp Different?
The circuit uses transformers on input and output and a discrete gain stage, which adds harmonic content and a forward midrange as level increases. It is not a neutral preamp and is not meant to be. The character is the reason people buy it.
Why Does Inductor EQ Matter?
Inductor-based EQ behaves differently from the op-amp designs in most modern gear, with broader, more musical curves that stay pleasant when pushed hard. It is a large part of what people are hearing when they describe a console EQ as musical.
WA273-EQ or WA73-EQ?
The WA273-EQ is two channels, the WA73-EQ is one. The circuit is the same. Choose two channels for stereo sources and drum overheads, one for a single vocal or instrument chain.
Why Warm Audio
Warm Audio builds recreations of the classic studio hardware most engineers will never get to own, at a fraction of what the originals cost. The company sources premium components, CineMag and custom transformers, Fairchild-grade capacitors, NOS tubes where the design calls for them, and puts them into circuits copied closely from the originals rather than approximated. It has grown from microphones and preamps into compressors, EQs, direct boxes, guitar pedals and cable.