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Golden Age
Premier PRE-573 PREMIER 500-series Preamp
The
PRE-573 PREMIER is a one-channel vintage style microphone, line and
instrument preamplifier. The signal path uses only discrete components
like resistors, capacitors and transistors. The microphone and line input
and the line output are transformer balanced, using two different
transformers, each one optimized for its purpose.
This
is the way audio components were built before integrated circuits became
available. The subjective sound quality delivered by vintage equipment is
often prefered to the one delivered by modern units, a situation that is
even more obvious now when music is recorded with clean sounding digital
audio equipment.
The
circuit used in the PRE-573 PREMIER is similar to the preamp section in
the classical 1073 module with a corresponding sound character that is
warm, punchy, sweet and musical. These classic characteristics have been
heard on countless recordings through the years and it is a versatile
sound that works very well on most sound sources and in most genres. The
essence of this sound is now available at a surprisingly low cost, making
it available to nearly everyone.
FEATURES
* Vintage
Style electronics. No integrated circuits in the signal path.
*
UK-made
Carnhill in- and output transformer. The output is balanced and fully
floating and can drive a 600 ohm load up to level of about 28 dBu.
*
Maximum
gain in MIC mode is 80 dB, enough to handle passive ribbon mics with
quiet sound sources.
*
The
total gain range goes from -10 to +80 dB. The 20 to 70 dB range (in
MIC mode) is handled by a turn switch and a toggle switch selects an
additional 5 or 10 dB gain.
*
Switchable
impedance on the mic input, 1200 or 300 ohms, will change the tone of
many mics.
*
The
input can be configured to accept line level signals by another
switch, the level is then lowered by about 30 dB and the input
impedance increased to about 10 kohm.
*
A
selectable two-position 6 dB / octave highpass filter with fres of
about 45 or 180 Hz.
*
A
flexible front panel instrument input for electric guitar or bass that
can be switched between a high impedance active or a mid-Z passive
mode. These two DI-options makes it possible to get different tones
from instruments. Mains connected sound modules or other signal
sources should be connected to the MIC/LINE input of the 500-rack,
unless they have a fully floating, transformer balanced output stage.
* The
output level control makes it possible to make fine gain adjustments
and also to overload the main gain stage(s) for more character and
then lower the signal to a suitable level before the output stage.
*
Insert
jack for inserting Golden Age Project and Premier 500 Series eq and
effect units. The insert is activated by removing a jumper at the back
of the module.
*
A
soft start circuit that ramps up the supply voltage slowly (~10 sec.)
to avoid a power-on current surge.
*
Phase
switch and switchable phantom power with a LED indicator.
*
Selectable
AIR equalizer adds a boost of about 6 dB centered at 30 kHz.
*
A
simple but effective signal and overload indicator is offered by a
single LED that starts glowing red at about +4 dBu and then increases
its intensity up to the maximum output level.
*
Tantalum
and polystyrene capacitors used in the traditional positions.
*
The
6.8 kohm phantom power resistors are matched to within 0.1% to
maintain good common-mode rejection in the circuit.
*
Selectable
600 ohm output termination at the back of the module.
*
Circuit
board star grounding scheme.
*
A
solid build quality that will last many years of normal use.
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