Injecting the classic warmth of tube technology from a pivotal era in music history, the Warm Audio WA-MPX Microphone Tube Preamplifier faithfully recreates the renowned preamp utilised in the AMPEX 351 tape machine. This iconic microphone preamp, once employed by legendary figures like Les Paul, Elvis Presley, Nat King Cole, Roy Orbison, and others, has now been made accessible to contemporary musicians. Outfitted with three genuine vacuum tubes (comprising two 12AX7 tubes and one 12AU7), the WA-MPX delivers up to an impressive 90 dB of clean gain. It even offers an additional 20 dB high-gain boost to accommodate low-output sources. Embodying a vintage aesthetic, complete with a brushed aluminum faceplate and stylish Bakelite-style knobs, this preamp is as visually captivating as it is sonically exceptional.
The WA-MPX presents a wealth of options for shaping your input. With high- and low-pass filters, polarity selection, switchable +48V phantom power, and a versatile tone control that allows you to manipulate impedance and add character, this preamp gives you complete control over your sound. Furthermore, it features selectable tape saturation, enabling the introduction of harmonic distortion and natural compression to your audio signals. The custom-wound, large-core CineMag transformer ensures reliable performance and contributes to the alluring, vintage-inspired tonality that countless modern artists, including Mark Ronson, John Mayer, St. Vincent, and Amy Winehouse, strive to achieve.
