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A Designs Pacifica 2-channel Microphone Preamp

Dual-channel, Solid-state Microphone Preamp with 1/4" DI, and Custom Input Transformers
$2,350.00

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'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.

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Tech Specs

  • Preamp Type: Solid State
  • Number of Channels: 2
  • Phantom Power: Yes
  • Analog Inputs: 2 x XLR
  • Analog Outputs: 2 x XLR
  • Frequency Response: 9Hz-101kHz
  • Rack Spaces: 1U
  • Height: 1.75"
  • Depth: 10"
  • Width: 19"
  • Weight: 11 lbs.
  • Manufacturer Part Number: PACIFICA

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Customer Reviews

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Rated 5/5

11 Years Later

I've had one of these for 11 years. It's my desert island preamp. I've done multiple shoot outs over the years with maybe 30 different preamps and the Pacifica consistently is in the top 3. I don't use it much on vocals these days but honestly.. whenever I do, the wow factor is there. It's my go to for Toms and if I had more, I'd use it on snare. It's been my main DI most of that time as well.
Rated 5/5

Amazing Go-To Preamp

I own and have owned a lot of preamps. APIs, BAEs, Millennias, Mercurys, you name it. This pre really is an amazing do-it-all preamp. I have ZERO complaints. I wish I had a dozen of these, honestly.

The description is spot on; it really does have a little bit of everything. There"s not a single source it doesn"t work on. The low end is extended but not tubby, The high end is open but not bright or harsh, the mids are detailed and not over-hyped. Not only that, but the DI on the front is actually good! So many front-panel DIs are just weak and lifeless.

If you"re looking for a pre that cuts out the worry of "what pre should I use on XYZ?" Or if you"re overwhelmed with these incredibly expensive "vintage reissues" or clones, unsure if they really live up to the hype (they usually don"t) This is the pre for you. Seriously fantastic, a modern classic.
Music background: Audio engineer / Mixer
Rated 5/5

An Owner 10 Years and Counting!!!

I've owned my Pacifica for over ten years now! For the most part it's been my main go-to mic preamp. I also own a UA LA610 which is great (and gets used a lot too) but for the most part I use the Pacifica for every mission-critical track. I produce songwriters and do most of the tracking of instruments myself. So (aside from drums- which mostly gets tracked in another studio) almost everything goes through this mic pre. The clarity of the mixes is always outstanding! The build quality of the unit is way off the charts. And Peter Montessi is as high-end an individual as the equipment he makes! You CANNOT go wrong with this mic preamp! And lastly, it looks awesome in a rack!
Music background: Producer/Arranger/Guitarist
Rated 5/5

7 years as my go to pre.

The Pacifica/Quade Eight is the sound I love the most.
Stack multiple tracks, and come to mix down the separation is a breeze.
It has a beautiful clean open sound, its well balanced, and although its clean it has that touch of magic that has become 'my' sound.
Its simple, sounds beautiful, and never disappoints.
Music background: KORA, MMQ, live musician and recording artist
Rated 5/5

A+

I have a Pacifica and Ventura. Love them both. A few other reviewers said the Pacifica is a great pre for synths. I agree 100%. It especially brings my Prophet '08 to a whole new level. It's like I can hear the insides of every oscillator, filter, etc.. The low end definition and depth is life changing (seriously), while the top end is noticeably articulate/sweet. Build quality is superior to other preamps in this price range. The fat red gain knobs are amazingly smooth and scream quality. Also, having emailed back and forth with Peter Montessi like a few other reviewers, I doubt anyone can top the level of customer satisfaction that A Designs provides.

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What Do Our In-house Gear Experts Think?

Carson McClain

Trying to get an amazing, minimal, acoustic drum sound? Get the Pacifica and a matched pair of Earthworks microphones. Your entire world of drum recording will be changed forever. This is a must-have preamp for the minimalist or the full-blown recording studio.

David Klausner

The A Designs Pacifica preamp is derived from the vintage Quad-Eight Pacifica console. Quad-Eight was essentially a sales and marketing company, and the consoles themselves were built by Electrodyne. Not many of the consoles were ever made, but they were used in very serious places - film studios like Universal and 20th Century Fox, record labels like Warner Brothers and Motown, and venues like the Hollywood Bowl and the Grand Ole Opry. The Pacifica console was often described as having the big boldness and forward presence of a Neve, but with the clear, harmonically rich mids of an API. Thanks to A Designs, you can get a modern, reliable recreation of this amazing sounding, versatile preamp that sounds great on pretty much everything.

Nick Schenkel

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!
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