Warm Audio WA12 MKII Mic Preamp, Black

Warm Audio WA12 MKII Mic Preamp Black

The Warm Audio WA12 MKII recreates the punchy, focused sound of classic American 12-style console preamps. With 71 dB of analog gain and a fully discrete, CineMag USA transformer-balanced signal path, it is a front-end upgrade for any audio interface, adding harmonics and tone shaping as well as gain.

The output attenuation control sits after the output transformer, so the preamp and transformers can be driven into saturation for a richer, overdriven sound, or run at low gain for a more open, dynamic tone. The Tone button switches the mic input impedance from 600 to 150 ohms for extra colour, useful with ribbon or darker microphones. A front Hi-Z input with JFET stage handles bass and guitar.

Key features

• Single-channel mic preamp and instrument DI
• 71 dB of gain, fully discrete, transformer-coupled through-hole design
• CineMag USA input and output transformers
• Socketed 1731-style discrete op-amp, replaceable with most 6-pin (2520 footprint) op-amps
• Output attenuation after the output transformer for driving into saturation
• Tone button (600 / 150 ohm input impedance), -20 dB pad, polarity, +48 V phantom power, LED metering

Specifications

• Inputs: XLR microphone, front active Hi-Z instrument input (2 megohm)
• Outputs: XLR and TRS, transformer-balanced
• Gain: 71 dB
• Power: internal power supply (grounded 3-pin cable)
• Chassis depth: 25 cm
• Colour: black