Guitar & Recording
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A-Designs
In recording, there are certain things that you can only know through years of experience, such as which preamp works best on vocals, which one rules on guitar, or what preamp to use if you have a dark-sounding instrument or mic that needs some brightening. With A Designs Audio's EM series preamps you can let the 60 years of combined experience and super tone-sensitive ears of Jon Erickson and Pete Montessi save you years trying eek secrets out of pro engineers and lurking on forums. Each preamp in the series is designed to handle specific recording chores with the remarkable sound quality that A Designs Audio is now famous for. (Read the buzz on the forums, you'll find nothing but raves.) Best of all, you get high-quality audio in a space-saving and affordable package. Custom transformers, the key to a big punchy soundIn solid-state preamp design, the key to a big punchy sound rests in the input and output transformers. (That's where you get what is known as the big iron" sound of the '70s). To ensure top-quality sound, A Designs has their transformers custom-built by Tom Reichenbach of Cine-Mag, whose lineage extends back the days when his father Ed built transformers for Altec-Lansing in the '40s. Not only are the transformer hand-made, they're also ear-made" by Jon (who spent years rebuilding vintage gear for LA studios), and Peter (longtime LA musician and preamp guru), who won't okay a transformer design until they get exactly the sound they're looking for. With the A Designs P1, you can put those ears and 60 years of combined experience to work for you and bring your recordings to new sonic heights.The sound of the EM-BlueThe A Designs EM Series is a twist on the P-1 (based on the best-selling Pacifica). Each color has its own sound. This was accomplished by using different custom wound output and input transformers. The EM-Blue is equipped with a nickel custom-wound output transformer. This emphasizes the highs and produces a much more airy top end tone. When used with a dark -sounding microphone or an alto vocalist, it can produce an absolutely heavenly sound. You will also find this pre useful for recording a snare drum for that crisp crack sound. Plus, you just might want to hear what an electric guitar sounds like going thru nickel transformers (trust us, you do!). So, to get down and dirty with an electric guitar you ll want to use the EM-Blue s DI and 20dB pad, and crank the gain for a slight growl.Solid build quality and functionality The A-Designs EM-Blue features a 1/4-inch Hi-Z direct inject input for instruments, switches for 48-volt phantom power (with LED indicator), -20dB pad and phase reversal, 62dB of gain, a large aluminum cast knob for gain, custom-wound input and output transformers, two thumb screws for easy installation, and an extremely solid build quality. Most of all, the EM-Blue is another stellar example of the A Designs Audio mission: pro audio made affordable, and quali |
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A-Designs
In recording, there are certain things that you can only know through years of experience, such as which preamp works best on vocals, which one rules on guitar, or what preamp to use if you have a dark-sounding instrument or mic that needs some brightening. With A Designs Audio's EM series preamps you can let the 60 years of combined experience and super tone-sensitive ears of Jon Erickson and Pete Montessi save you years trying eek secrets out of pro engineers and lurking on forums. Each preamp in the series is designed to handle specific recording chores with the remarkable sound quality that A Designs Audio is now famous for. (Read the buzz on the forums, you'll find nothing but raves.) Best of all, you get high-quality audio in a space-saving and affordable package. Custom transformers, the key to a big punchy soundIn solid-state preamp design, the key to a big punchy sound rests in the input and output transformers. (That's where you get what is known as the big iron" sound of the '70s). To ensure top-quality sound, A Designs has their transformers custom-built by Tom Reichenbach of Cine-Mag, whose lineage extends back the days when his father Ed built transformers for Altec-Lansing in the '40s. Not only are the transformer hand-made, they're also ear-made" by Jon (who spent years rebuilding vintage gear for LA studios), and Peter (longtime LA musician and preamp guru), who won't okay a transformer design until they get exactly the sound they're looking for. With the A Designs P1, you can put those ears and 60 years of combined experience to work for you and bring your recordings to new sonic heights.The sound of the EM-Red The A Designs EM Series is a twist on the P-1 (based on the best-selling Pacifica). Each color has its own sound. This was accomplished by using different custom wound output and input transformers. The EM-Red comes with a 50/50 output transformer. A Designs Audio added a little kick to this one by changing the input transformer as well. The result is more up front mids ! You ll find this very useful when recording acoustic guitar with a condenser microphone. You can also use the EM-Red for recording toms, both rack and floor. As with all the A Designs Audio modules, the EM-Red is VPR Alliance compliant, and features a 48V phantom power switch, DI input, and phase reversal switch. Solid build quality and functionality The A-Designs EM-Red features a 1/4-inch Hi-Z direct inject input for instruments, switches for 48-volt phantom power (with LED indicator), -20dB pad and phase reversal, 62dB of gain, a large aluminum cast knob for gain, custom-wound input and output transformers, two thumb screws for easy installation, and an extremely solid build quality. Most of all, the EM-Red is another stellar example of the A Designs Audio mission: pro audio made affordable, and quality without compromise.Requires the A Designs R52 (product # 180038) dual slot external power supply (See access |
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A-Designs
In recording, there are certain things that you can only know through years of experience, such as which preamp works best on vocals, which one rules on guitar, or what preamp to use if you have a dark-sounding instrument or mic that needs some brightening. With A Designs Audio's EM series preamps you can let the 60 years of combined experience and super tone-sensitive ears of Jon Erickson and Pete Montessi save you years trying eek secrets out of pro engineers and lurking on forums. Each preamp in the series is designed to handle specific recording chores with the remarkable sound quality that A Designs Audio is now famous for. (Read the buzz on the forums, you'll find nothing but raves.) Best of all, you get high-quality audio in a space-saving and affordable package. Custom transformers, the key to a big punchy soundIn solid-state preamp design, the key to a big punchy sound rests in the input and output transformers. (That's where you get what is known as the big iron" sound of the '70s). To ensure top-quality sound, A Designs has their transformers custom-built by Tom Reichenbach of Cine-Mag, whose lineage extends back the days when his father Ed built transformers for Altec-Lansing in the '40s. Not only are the transformer hand-made, they're also ear-made" by Jon (who spent years rebuilding vintage gear for LA studios), and Peter (longtime LA musician and preamp guru), who won't okay a transformer design until they get exactly the sound they're looking for. With the A Designs P1, you can put those ears and 60 years of combined experience to work for you and bring your recordings to new sonic heights.The sound of the EM-SilverThe A Designs EM Series is a twist on the P-1 (based on the best-selling Pacifica). Each color has its own sound. This was accomplished by using different custom wound output and input transformers. The EM-Silver has a custom wound steel output transformer, which outputs a darker sound than the P-1, EM-Red, and EM-Blue, great for adding body to thin vocals. The EM-Silver is also very good match with ribbon microphones, which makes sense because steel transformers were widely used in the early days of recording and broadcast along with ribbon microphones. The sound/color/flavor you ll receive depends which ribbon mic you have. With today s influx of ribbon microphones there is a wide choice of character range available for you to determine which tone you are looking for or need. Another feature of the EM-Silver is a DI (direct inject) for use with electric instruments. Thanks to the DI and its darker sound, the EM-Silver is a great pre for bass guitar and keyboards. Also, you may like to try the EM-Silver (depending on microphone) for your kick when recording drums! All in all, the Silver is a very versatile tool.Solid build quality and functionality The A-Designs EM-Silver features a 1/4-inch Hi-Z direct inject input for instruments, switches for 48-volt phantom power (with LED |
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A-Designs
The 500HR is a dual-slot, single-space, rack-mounted frame with power supply for A-Designs and other 500 Series compatible audio modules including:A-Designs EM-PEQ Equalizer #241581A-Designs EM-Gold Preamp Module #180029A-Designs P1 Single Channel Microphone Preamp Module #189906A-Designs 500-Red Microphone Preamplifier #189907A-Designs 500-Blue Microphone Preamplifier #189908A-Designs 500-Silver Microphone Preamplifier #189909You are able to use the 500HR and A-Designs module combinations in four basic ways: Loaded with two preamps it becomes a dual-channel mic preamp Loaded with two EQs, it is a dual-channel EQ Loaded with one preamp and one EQ it is a complete pre/post EQ recording channel Use one preamp and the EQ in the 500HR and bypass your pre on your guitar/bass/keyboard amplifier and have a totally different amp for any live situation! |
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A-Designs
Economical, quiet, and compact unit for controlling your audio level. Can be connected to any audio system requiring output gain control. Gives you line level control for guitar, bass, or keyboard amp extension speakers without clipping. Gives useful gain control over mic preamps and power amps, or use multiple units for independent stereo control over powered monitors. It's the no-brainer solution for controlling audio from a variety of sources. |
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A-Designs
The A-Designs ATTY2'D (pronounced "Attitude"), is the big brother of the successful ATTY passive audio line level controller. Think of the ATTY2'D as an ATTY on steroids. It offers fully independent control over 2 stereo pairs and 2 mono signals.The applications have now expanded from a passive line level controller to a host of other uses such as controlling output between multiple products like microphone preamps, CD players, talk backs, and audio surge protectors. It can also be used in a surround sound environment. |
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A-Designs
In recording, there are certain things that you can only know through years of experience, such as which preamp works best on vocals, which one rules on guitar, or what preamp to use if you have a dark-sounding instrument or mic that needs some brightening. With A Designs Audio's EM series preamps you can let the 60 years of combined experience and super tone-sensitive ears of Jon Erickson and Pete Montessi save you years trying eek secrets out of pro engineers and lurking on forums. Each preamp in the series is designed to handle specific recording chores with the remarkable sound quality that A Designs Audio is now famous for. (Read the buzz on the forums, you'll find nothing but raves.) Best of all, you get high-quality audio in a space-saving and affordable package. Custom transformers, the key to a big punchy soundThe A-Designs Audio Erickson Montessi - Gold microphone preamp module is designed to complement the other A-Designs preamp modules and further expand the sonic palette with its own unique frequencies. In solid-state preamp design, the key to a big punchy sound rests in the input and output transformers. (That's where you get what is known as the big iron" sound of the '70s). To ensure top-quality sound, A Designs has their transformers custom-built by Tom Reichenbach of Cine-Mag, whose lineage extends back the days when his father Ed built transformers for Altec-Lansing in the '40s. Not only are the transformer hand-made, they're also ear-made" by Jon (who spent years rebuilding vintage gear for LA studios), and Peter (longtime LA musician and preamp guru), who won't okay a transformer design until they get exactly the sound they're looking for. With a rack full of EM series preamps, you can put those ears and 60 years of combined experience to work for you and bring your recordings to new sonic heights. Another color for the EM paletteThe EM-Gold combines the output transformer of the A-Designs EM-Silver, which will translate into a darker sound, and the input transformer of the A-Designs EM-Red, which gives you up-front" mids. As a result, the EM-Gold brings more midrange frequencies to the lower end of the sonic spectrum, which makes it an excellent choice for drum miking (toms in particular). It also excels on various guitars (especially if you want that midrange chunk" that moves the speakers), vocals, MP3/drum machines, and bass and if you've ever heard the A Designs REDDI, you know that nobody knows their way around bass tone better than A Designs Audio. Solid build quality and functionality The A-Designs EM-Gold features a 1/4-inch Hi-Z direct inject input for instruments, switches for 48-volt phantom power (with LED indicator), -20dB pad and phase reversal, 62dB of gain, a large aluminum cast knob for gain, custom-wound input and output transformers, two thumb screws for easy installation, and an extremely solid build quality. Most of all, the EM-Gold is anoth |
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A-Designs
The classic all-tube Pultec PEQ-1A goes down on the record books as one of the most venerated equalizers of all time, cherished by recording and mastering engineers for its almost mythical ability to improve the sound of just about anything running through it. Finally, after much research and development, A-Designs Audio announces that it has managed to capture much of the essence of the famed EQ in a new product -and one that fits in a compact 500 Series module frame size, no less!Dubbed the EM-PEQ, A-Designs Audio was able to shrink this highly sought after filter design into the now red-hot 500 Series format without compromise to either build quality or sonic caliber. The EQ section design and control layout of the classic PEQ-1A has been meticulously maintained, as well as its wonderfully smooth musicality.Makeup amplification is achieved through the use of the same discrete Class AB amplifier found in A-Designs Audio's popular solid-state Pacifica mic preamp, putting a slightly unique twist on the classic design of yesteryear.Additional features include a nickel core output transformer, gold Grayhill rotary switches, Wima caps, and a true hard bypass. Instead of using common off-the-shelf chokes, A-Designs uses a custom-wound tapped inductor wound to the original values. Fully-balanced, noise-free operation with modern impedance specs make for dummy-proof operation and fast studio integration.The new EM-PEQ is an approved API VPR Alliance product and may also be used in Brent Averill Enterprises racks and A-Designs Audio's R52 manufactured by Avedis Audio Electronics. |
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A-Designs
The HM2EQ is a world-class tube/hybrid 3-band equalizer with a dual-mono design. The A-Design's HAMMER is built to sound musical for larger EQ functions typically found on expensive mastering EQs. It features continuously variable boost and cut controls, but with fixed frequency settings. The HAMMER is engineered with a filtering system that allows the even harmonics to flow through the 12AT7 tubes, filtering out unwanted noise.Some notable users who ve dropped the Hammer on their tracks are Golden Ears Bruce Maddocks, who s mastered mastered Hans Zimmer film scores for Pirates of the Caribbean, The Last Samurai, and Batman Begins, and renowned engineer/producer Ronan Chris Murphy (King Crimson, Terry Bozio) who says, The Hammer is all about gorgeous smooth top and high mids. It totally opens up the top and brings high mids forward in a really pleasing way. . . . I am just not used to being able crank the top on the rock cymbals so much and have them stay so smooth. Another engineer I really respect described the EQ as "the best EQ" he had ever used . . . The unit is housed in a 2U metal chassis with an aluminum faceplate and features a toroidal power transformer. Each channel features identical controls, including switches for bypass, high cut and low cut, as well as six large aluminum rotaries for the EQ section - knobs for the LF (30/50/100/200/300/400), MF (250/500/1.2k/1.6k/2k) and HF (2.5k/3.5k/5k/7.5k/10k/15k) bands, plus accompanying knobs offering ñ13dB of boost/cut for each frequency range.Connections to and from the product are accomplished on the rear panel via a pair of balanced Neutrik XLR input jacks and pair of balanced XLR output jacks.The HM2EQ is designed for applying broad-shaping EQ across many octaves while sounding beautiful without adverse effects on tone. Very low noise floor. It also has hi-cut at 8Khz and lo-cut at 84Hz filters. There is no other EQ available quite like this. |
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A-Designs
There aren't many companies that can design and build one preamp that engineers and producers feel that they could make an entire record with. A Designs Audio has built two. The all-tube MP-1A and the solid-state Pacifica, but we're here to talk about the MP-1A (you can check out the Pacifica later). With A Designs Audio's MP-1A, not only do you get a never-ending sweetspot and sonic majesty, it also gets top marks in "works and plays well with others." Meaning, while some preamps are picky when it comes to mics, the MP-1A welcomes all and sounds great no matter what you put through it ribbon, dynamic, or condenser. Better still, while the MP-1A falls squarely into the realm of "color" preamp, it never overwhelms a track with too much character. If you've been searching for an all-tube preamp with a rich bottom end, sweet and airy top end and enough tonal versatility to record all of your tracks without over-colorization at mixdown, think A designs Audio MP-1A.A Designs Audio MP-1A, First Take: True tube in, tube out mono mic preamp World-class custom-wound transformers Two "tone" switches, give you four unique tone signatures. Audiophile quality and components and a price below comparable boutique preampsTrue tube mic preampThe MP-1A is a classic 1-channel tube mic pre based on the celebrated MP-1. It offers the same true tube in / tube out design, plus the same quality that made the original MP-1 and MP-2 the buzz of the professional audio industry. New features include a -20 db pad switch, two selectable tone switches for four possible tones, plus 60db of gain (perfect for next generation ribbon mics) Classic features include a world-class Cinemag input transformer coupled with a custom wound output transformer, delivering the low noise and top quality sound that you demand from a high-end, high-priced mic-pre. Additional features include a balanced combo XLR/1/4 inch input, a true VU meter, phantom power and phase reverse switches, and a front panel line level input jack.Custom transformers, the key to punchy sound and quiet operationA lot of preamp builders believe that transformers are things to be avoided, but in reality, they're responsible for the sound we prefer in rock/pop music. The trick is finding good ones. Bad transformers can ring or decimate the upper frequency range, but when a transformer is properly designed and built, such as those by Cinemag (who's lineage includes making transformers for the top consoles in recording history) they are a thing of beauty, delivering a full, punchy sound like no other. Plus, thanks to the superior electronic isolation of transformers, noise and hum is reduced. That's why you can overdrive an MP-1A and get rich, milky distortion without the extra noise. The transformers you find in A Designs Audio's preasmps are hand- and "ear-" built by Tom Reichenbach of Cinemag. Tom is the son of the designer of the lege |
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A-Designs
There aren't many companies that can design and build one preamp that engineers and producers feel that they could make an entire record with. A Designs Audio has built two. The all-tube MP-2A and the solid-state Pacifica, but we're here to talk about the MP-2A (you can check out the Pacifica later). With A Designs Audio's MP-2A, not only do you get a never-ending sweetspot and sonic majesty, it also gets top marks in "works and plays well with others." Meaning, while some preamps are picky when it comes to mics, the MP-2A welcomes all and sounds great no matter what you put through it ribbon, dynamic, or condenser. Better still, while the MP-2A falls squarely into the realm of "color" preamp, it never overwhelms a track with too much character. If you've been searching for an all-tube preamp with a rich bottom end, sweet and airy top end and enough tonal versatility to record all of your tracks without over-colorization at mixdown, think A designs Audio MP-2A.A Designs Audio MP-2A, First Take: True tube in, tube out stereo mic preamp World-class custom-wound transformers Two "tone" switches, give you four unique tone signatures. Audiophile quality and components and a price below comparable boutique preampsTrue tube mic preampThe MP-2A is a classic 1-channel tube mic pre based on the celebrated MP-1. It offers the same true tube in / tube out design, plus the same quality that made the original MP-1 and MP-2 the buzz of the professional audio industry. New features include a -20 db pad switch, two selectable tone switches for four possible tones, plus 60db of gain (perfect for next generation ribbon mics) Classic features include a world-class Cinemag input transformer coupled with a custom wound output transformer, delivering the low noise and top quality sound that you demand from a high-end, high-priced mic-pre. Additional features include a balanced combo XLR/1/4 inch input, a true VU meter, phantom power and phase reverse switches, and a front panel line level input jack.Custom transformers, the key to punchy sound and quiet operationA lot of preamp builders believe that transformers are things to be avoided, but in reality, they're responsible for the sound we prefer in rock/pop music. The trick is finding good ones. Bad transformers can ring or decimate the upper frequency range, but when a transformer is properly designed and built, such as those by Cinemag (whose lineage includes making transformers for the top consoles in recording history) they are a thing of beauty, delivering a full, punchy sound like no other. Plus, thanks to the superior electronic isolation of transformers, noise and hum is reduced. That's why you can overdrive an MP-2A and get rich, milky distortion without the extra noise. The transformers you find in A Designs Audio's preasmps are hand- and "ear-" built by Tom Reichenbach of Cinemag. Tom is the son of the designer of the legend |
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