A Designs Pacifica
Dual-channel, Solid-state Microphone Preamp with 1/4" DI, and Custom Input Transformers


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ItemID: Pacifica   Retail Price: $2,250.00
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PACIFICA DESCRIPTION
 
'70s Vibe "All iron" Solid-state Preamp Brings Back the Quad Eight!
A Designs Pacifica - If you're looking for a preamp with the depth of a Neve, the clear midrange of API, and the top end of a Massenburg, you'll find all that in the Pacifica by A Designs. In fact, that's what people who have access to all of the above are saying about the Pacifica. A Designs Pacifica brings back the sound of the Quad Eight console of the '70s (Pink Floyd's The Wall and Boston's More Than a Feeling were mixed on Quad Eight), which in its day was considered the best of the top three - the other two being Neve and API. If you're a small studio that can only afford one really good preamp, give the A Designs Pacifica some serious consideration.

A-Designs Audio Pacifica at a Glance:
  • Unique preamp based on the legendary Quad Eight Console
  • All analog, custom-wound input and output transformers
  • Two front-panel Hi-Z inputs
  • Unique look and sound
  • Phase, -20 Pad, and 48v switches


What makes Pacifica different?
In the early days of large recording consoles there were but three companies that were dominating the studios. Quad Eight was arguably considered as one of the best sounding at that time. The A Designs Audio "Pacifica" recaptures this sound with a preamp unlike any you have heard before. No wonder the Pacifica has been nominated for the Mix Magazine 2006 Tec Award!

Custom wound input AND output transformers
In building any mic-pre with soul, one of the most important elements are the transformers. A Designs actually tracked down the original drawings for the old Quad 8 console transformers and went one step further - they convinced the son of the original Quad 8 designer to rebuilt them for A Designs -by ear-by hand. After many prototypes of core alloys and experiments in winding techniques, the sound of the A Designs Pacifica was born. Employing sonically crafted input and output transformer pairs, the Pacifica's sound is unlike anything on the market.

Direct Inject
Unlike modern transformerless designs, The Direct Inject front panel input is designed to go directly to the input transformer for fullest sound. The Pacifica offers extraordinary tone to today's guitar, bass and keyboard players.

Color Scheme
A Designs Audio wanted to keep the look of the old Quad Eight consoles with its Pacifica; the faceplate is a creamy off-white and the cast-aluminum knobs are red along with the red and gray switch caps. All of these are duplicates of the original colors from that era. The Pacifica is as distinctive in looks as it is in sound.

Pad, Phase and 48v
The Pad is a -20dB, the Phase reverses Polarity, and the 48v is a full 48volt Phantom Power supply for condenser microphones. These three features will provide you with all the tools necessary for a great sound.


A Designs Pacifica Features:
  • 72dB Gain
  • Custom wound input and output transformers
  • -20dB Pad
  • 48v Phantom Power
  • Phase Switch
  • Direct Inject Hi Z
  • Custom cast aluminum knobs
  • Balanced XLR output connectors
  • Red LED Phantom Indicator
  • Blue LED power indicator
  • On/Off power switch and internal power supply
  • Toroidal power transformer
  • Single rackspace form factor
  • Lots of tone without tubes!
  • All solid-state design

If you can only afford one really good preamp for your studio, give the A Designs Pacifica some serious consideration.


Customer Reviews
 What Can I Say.......WOW!!!!  
by G. Scott from Allentown, PA, September 15, 2008
Music Background:  Recording Engineer, Live Sound Engineer


“This is my first dedicated mic pre for my studio, I've been using the mic pre's on my Allen & Heath GL2400 for a while (which are not bad mic pre's at all), and I wanted dedicated mic pre for vocals. At the recomendation of my sweetwater representative, Mike Picotte, he suggested the Pacifica, along with other mic pre's. So did some online research I decided to go with the Pacifica and I'm very...” Read More
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Sweetwater Expert Advice
 
  "This preamp has changed everything for me. My guitar tracks have never sounded this good with this little effort. Vocals sit beautifully in the mix. I tried for months to justify buying a Pacifica, and now that I have one I can't believe that I waited so long. The classic “Quad-Eight” sound that I've been longing for is now a reality!"
Nick Schenkel

  "I recently put the Pacifica to use and instantly fell in love with it. My first application was for keyboards. The Pacifica really boosted my low end, but still shined on the highs. I was equally impressed with using it for drums (TLM 103 on kick, Beta 57 on snare). The kick was full and round and the snare sat perfectly in the mix with hardly any EQ. This is a versatile 2-channel preamp that will definitely earn its place in your studio."
Matt Collins

  "The Pacifica delivers the results I demand in critical recording applications."
Craig Wilson


More Dual-Channel Preamps from A Designs:
· A Designs MP-2A
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