ART MPA Gold (No Longer Available)
Two-Channel Tube Microphone Preamplifier with Variable Impedance
We recommend these great replacements:
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ART Pro MPA II
2-channel Tube Microphone Preamplifier with 48V Phantom Power, Selectable Input Impedance, and VU Metering
Retail Price: $379.00
Save 21% when you buy today!
Sale Price: $299.97
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Item ID: MPAGold
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Sorry, the ART MPA Gold is no longer available. We've left this page up for reference only. Check out the great alternatives on this page or call toll-free (800) 222-4700 to speak with a Sweetwater Sales Engineer about similar products.
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Worth Its Weight In Gold!
A professional tube microphone preamplifier is defined by warmth, presence and clarity - core elements which make a performance truly come alive. Sister to the ART Digital MPA, the ART MPA Gold performs to incredibly high standards, with a tone, functionality and performance that will satisfy even the most discerning user. Like the Digital MPA, the ART MPA Gold features Variable Input Impedance to optimize the ART MPA Gold for the widest range of microphones. Variation of the input impedance of a mic preamplifier changes the load against which the microphone has to push. This variation dramatically alters the performance of a mic, and creates numerous sonic possibilities for microphone performance. The variable impedance control of the ART MPA Gold is infinitely variable, as opposed to steps, allowing you much finer control over the tuning of the impedance. The selectable Tube Plate Voltage function delivers a wide variety of tones. The tube circuit is differential, and provides the equivalent of a 300V power supply on the high voltage setting. Not to mention it has very low distortion and noise. The normal setting maintains ART's classic tube sound - warm with smooth overload characteristics. The ART MPA Gold's unique tube circuitry utilizes two 12AX7A vacuum tubes and renders unsurpassed sonic detail and clarity with the broadest range of microphones. The 12AX7A tube preamp section provides gain while maintaining the incredible dynamic range of the previous stage and controlled overload characteristics. Condenser microphones, ribbon microphones, dynamic microphones - new and vintage - all become more versatile and deliver their maximum performance when they interact with the ART MPA Gold's Variable Input Impedance. You'll discover that your microphones will sound better than ever. In addition to the VU meters, the ART MPA Gold has Tube Warmth LED Metering which measures the left and right audio channel levels. The meters act like a normal histogram for the average signal level and the display holds the highest LED on alone for one second. While the average level function attack and release are measured in milliseconds, the peak function has a 20 microsecond attack time. Additionally, the analog meter range is switchable between -10dB and +4dBU. The ART MPA Gold's High Pass Filter is continuously variable from 15Hz to 150Hz. Many other preamps have a fixed switch. This makes the ART MPA Gold a more flexible audio processor. The ART MPA Gold is truly a modern, world-class tube microphone preamplifier, and its audio performance will surely exceed your expectations. ART MPA Gold Features:- Variable Input Impedance For Flexible Microphone Voicing (150 Ohms to 3000 Ohms)
- Selectable Tube Plate Voltage
- Large VU Meters with Range Switch
- Tube Warmth LED Meter
- Improved Discrete Class A Input Microphone Preamplifier
- Lower Noise At Low Gains, Wider Frequency Response and Lower THD Than the Pro MPA
- Front Accessible Instrument Input Jack With Very High Input Impedance
- Automatically Switches To Instrument Input When You Plug In
Can We Help?
call toll-free (800) 222-4700 or E-mail us
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I liked this so well, I bought a second one!
by Dean Vincent - Studio D from New Carlisle, Ohio
April 13, 2009
Music Background: Recording Engineer
This is an amazing piece of equipment. The operation is very intuitive. The variable high-pass filter allows you to model the sound to your exact likeness. Acoustic guitars and vocals just plain c ... read more [+]ome alive. You can add just the right amount of pleasing tube warm for each channel. I liked this pre-amp so well, I bought a second one. If you like the LA610, you will appeciate the sound to value this puppy pumps out! close [-]
Excellent deal for the money.
by Brian C. from Denver, CO.
November 14, 2008
Music Background: Home studio enthusiast.
The MPA Gold is my third preamp. I started with a Belari MP 101 then moved to a Behringer T1953. I've never tried the high-end equipment so I can only speak from my experience.
My sign ... read more [+]al chain is this: MPA Gold > ART Pro VLA II > Behringer parametric EQ > MOTU 8Pre > Logic Pro 8. The tubes add color but not too much to make things muddy. You can dial in a fine sound with the knobs and there's a feeling of quality to the unit. Overall there is a very nice sound I'm getting into Logic. Very full, solid and clean. My Breedlove A/E guitar sounds great through this setup.
If the MPA Gold fits your budget go for it. Save up if you have to...you won't be sorry. close [-]
In a word, WOW
by Steven Wright from New York, NY
November 9, 2006
Music Background: Professional classical cellist, jazz and rock bassist, composer and vocalist.
I just can't believe what a difference this tool makes to my recordings. I am a professional musician, classical jazz and rock (it's my living after all), and I record on my home daw system with Sona ... read more [+]r and some outboard gear (dbx compressors, audix, sennheiser, shure and apex 460 mics). My mic pre until now has been a little dmp3 from m-audio (bought it along with my m-audio 2496 card).
Rented the MPA gold to see if it would really make a difference, didn't expect much if any sonic difference (apparently the op-amps in the dmp3 and the mpa gold are both burr-brown, supposed to be good I was told by the dealer). I can only say that I was completely shocked at the improvement in the sound of my mics and DI from using the MPA gold.
I didn't do anything to it, stock tubes, it was a new unit I rented, but it is warm, beautiful, noise-free, incredibly powerful (easily can overdrive the input on my sound card if I'm not careful), sounds magical at high-plate-voltage setting (only setting I use now), I can easily dial in a bit of rumble removal with the built in eq knob (I have wood floors and can remove lots of signal crap that way on the meters that I can't hear but show up as low level signal in sonar), and the impedence knob is amazing at what it does. Especially with the apex 460 and the sennheiser mics for some reason, it changes them through many types of tonal pallats, some beautiful, and many are improvements over the DMP3 sound.
This has shown me that I can record the music I hear in my voice when I sing, it picks up the sound of my cello with truth I couldn't achieve before, and honestly I'm making recordings that sound very professional now and it appears to have been the limitations of the DMP3 before that held me back. the DMP doesn't have the options needed to get the best from your mics, and it just doesn't sound as magically warm and beautiful as this preamp.
I bought it 7 days after I rented it, and I swear it is the best device for the money, period. DON'T waste time comparing it to other highly rated items like the DMP3, it really is much more useful and musical. Also looks incredibly on my desk, I'm going to buy a rack unit to hold it and show it off because everyone LOVES how it looks (very cool lights and meters and golden metal finish!).
My favorite outboard music tool. Don't record without one! close [-]
MPA Gold
by Marvin Querido from Alabang, Muntinlupa, Philippines
August 19, 2007
Music Background: Session Keyboardist, Arranger, Producer, etc.
The impedance knobs lets you dial in a different sound or response from your mike, so that gives you more tonal possibilities right there. The sound is excellent. In my rack, where there's a pendulum ... read more [+]quartet, an la-610, 2 alpha channels, a joemeek twinq, 2 vtb1's, an rnp, rnc, and rnla, and several others it has no reason to be shy. It sounds great too. close [-]
It does what it needs to do.
by Super Nigron from NYC
January 7, 2009
Music Background: Woodwinds, Producer, Songwriter Forever a Student.
I must be honest, this is a good mic pre for the price. If you don't have "deep pockets" then this for you. I use it on electric guitars, bass and synths, vocals and my winds. It's ues on pretty much ... read more [+]everything because it's all I have at the moment. If you can make things happen with this then a high end mic pre will be a real treat. ( Depending on what your using it for ). Good perfomance, decent mic,decent mic pre, proper mic placement, decent acoustics and the right"vibe" and it's a wrap. GAME OVER !!!!!! close [-]
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