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WA73-EQ is a single channel British-voiced microphone preamp with three-band inductor EQ, built on the 1073 circuit. It is the one-channel version of the WA273-EQ, for a vocal chain or a single instrument path rather than a stereo pair.
One channel of the circuit that made British records sound British.
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.
At a Glance
| Brand | Warm Audio |
|---|---|
| Model | WA73-EQ |
| Product type | Microphone Preamp |
| Warranty | Warm Audio limited warranty |
Is One Channel Enough?
For a vocal chain, a bass DI or a single instrument path, yes, and it costs considerably less than the two channel version. If you record stereo sources or drum overheads you need two matched channels, which is the WA273-EQ.
What Does the EQ Section Do?
Three bands of inductor-based EQ in the same analogue path as the preamp. Inductor designs give broader, more musical curves than op-amp EQ and they stay pleasant when pushed, which is why console EQ is described the way it is.
Can I Use It as a DI?
Warm Audio's 1073-style preamps include an instrument input, so a bass or guitar can go straight in and pick up the transformer character on the way through.
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.