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Avalon V5 Microphone Preamp - Black

Single-channel Discrete, Class A Microphone Preamplifier/Direct Box/Re-amping Box with Passive Tone Shaper Network Filtering and Variable Impedance Input - Black
$1,742.00

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Avalon V5 Microphone Preamp - Black
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This article was Written By

Our Product Research Team

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From Preamp to Re-amp!

The Avalon V5 preamplifier takes an unusually fresh approach to signal routing, giving you a phenomenal mic pre, instrument DI, and re-amping matrix — all in one compact desktop module! It's easy to get lost in the beauty of the V5's technical details, from its sealed silver relays to its ultra-high-performance rotary switches, but you won't be thinking about any of that when you hear how good this Avalon box sounds. And when it comes to dialing in the perfect tone, you just can't beat the V5's incredible passive Tone Shaper network. All things considered, the Avalon V5 preamplifier adds a ton of versatility to your studio.

This pint-sized pre packs pristine tone

Go ahead — wax poetic about the V5's 100% discrete, DC coupled, Pure Class A amplifiers. Dive into the technical details if you like. You won't find a thing about the V5 any die-hard spec hound won't dig. But none of that compares to how good the V5 sounds. That has a lot to do with the V5's extremely high-voltage operation, which provides plenty of headroom for hotter signals and the gain needed to push even the most subdued sound sources. No matter what you plug into it, you'll be impressed by what you get out of your Avalon V5.

A serious signal-routing workhorse

When Sweetwater says you can plug anything into the Avalon V5 and get excellent results, we're not exaggerating. That's because Avalon built the V5 to accommodate a massive range of signal types. On the input side, you've got two microphone impedances to choose from, including lo-Z for high-output condensers and a hi-Z setting that lets you get the most out of sluggish ribbon mics. There's also a 10-Mohm direct instrument input with zero impedance loading that's perfect for active and passive pickups alike. And thanks to the combination of an ultra-clean line-level input and a transformer-isolated hi-Z output, you can even use the V5 as a complete re-amping solution, making it an invaluable studio super-tool.

Shown in Silver

Tons of tone-shaping options onboard

Controlled by a single rotary switch, the V5's Tone Shaper circuit provides you with a fast, effective, and musical way to sculpt your sound to perfection. Included among the V5's 10 Tone Shaper options are six presets taken straight from the award-winning Avalon U5. Among these 10 presets, you'll find two of Avalon's most popular Air-Lift passive vocal processing filters, which add extra life to your voice. And to top it all off, Avalon built both a passive lowpass filter and a hiss/buzz filter into the V5, allowing you to get the clearest possible audio.

Avalon V5 Desktop Preamplifier Features:

  • An amazing all-in-one microphone preamplifier, DI, and re-amping box any engineer can appreciate
  • Made from top-shelf components using all-discrete, high-voltage, Class A components for absolutely pristine sound
  • Dual hi-Z and lo-Z microphone inputs accommodate anything from low-output ribbons to high-output condenser mics
  • 10-Mohm direct instrument input with zero impedance loading lets you plug in virtually any instrument with either active or passive pickups
  • Transformer-isolated re-amping output allows you to send signal back to an external guitar amplifier for re-amping
  • Passive Tone Shaper provides you with 10 amazing tone presets that let you instantly tweak your sound to perfection (including 2 Air-Lift vocal settings)
  • 6 Tone Shaper settings adopted from the Avalon U5
  • Built-in lowpass filter and buzz/hum filter ensure the cleanest possible sound
  • Large VU meter provides easy and accurate monitoring

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Tech Specs

  • Preamp Type: Solid State Class A
  • Number of Channels: 1
  • Phantom Power: Yes
  • Pads: Yes
  • Polarity Switch: Yes
  • EQ: 10 x Filter Presets
  • Analog Inputs: 1 x XLR (mic), 1 x XLR (line), 1 x 1/4" TRS (line), 1 x 1/4" (Hi-Z)
  • Analog Outputs: 1 x XLR, 1 x 1/4" (line out), 1 x 1/4" (-18dB out), 1 x 1/4" (thru)
  • Rack Spaces: 2U
  • Power Source: Standard IEC AC cable
  • Height: 3.5"
  • Depth: 12"
  • Width: 8.5"
  • Weight: 12 lbs.
  • Manufacturer Part Number: V5 Black

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Customer Reviews

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Rated 5/5

Love the Avalon sound for tracking vocals (Hip-Hop / RnB)

I had an Avalon 737 + a Manley Ref C for years and loved it for tracking vocals (Hip-Hop / RnB). Eventually the 737 needed repairs, so while waiting for it I decided to try different preamps. I tried the Empirical Labs EL-9, Heritage Audio 73, Golden Age 73 pre, Manley Core Channel Strip, and Shadow Hills Mono Gama.

All of them had something missing from that clean sound I was accustomed to with the Avalon. So I picked this up and it did the trick. I realized I definitely am a fan of this particular clean sound for vocals.
I mainly record my voice (low male) so I give it a high tone/shape boost. I can imagine that for some very bright female vocalists, I may want to go with a little darker/vintage tone, depending on the project. But that could be more important with the mic choice. And I'd say in general, this could work great for any modern vocals.
I did keep the Shadow Hills Mono Gama for a 2nd pre option.
Music background: Music Producer / Recording Artist
Rated 5/5

Secret Weapon

From Vocals, to acoustics. Even on the low end this V5 is exactly what I was looking for in regards to taking that next step, in quality in all my recordings.
Music background: Engineer and Producer
Rated 5/5

Perfection

Unbelievable. I purchased this product as a professional microphone preamp to support my 2 electronic bands and for any studio clients that may be recorded at my studio.

Excellent build quality. Solid knobs, metallic body, quality visible internal parts, strong inputs, strong buttons, and beautiful look.

Sound: A perfect blend of 3-dimensionality, classic sound, accuracy, clean sound, and a faithful representation of your microphone. A humongous amount of gain with equally huge headroom; it can go for miles! The tone controls offer noticeable change of the perfect frequencies to produce a sound well suited for every different sound and style. Very well appreciated for recording the sound the way it should be, as opposed to wondering if you are EQing the right frequencies or not. It is all passive cutting EQ as well as far as I understand, which I love.

Features: Perfect job by Avalon. It includes every feature you could possible think of for a preamp, It is not missing anything.

Overall: The perfect preamp to get you into the big leagues. Unbelievable sound, value, build quality and more that you would expect from the Avalon name. Keep your work simple and reliable with the presets. Just the right amount of settings, nicely divided into intuitive sections on the interface and incredibly easy to use. I can't imagine finding a better preamp at this range. Humongous headroom. Just buy it. If you are serious, you couldn't possibly regret it.
Music background: Musician, Recording Engineer, Producer, Mixer, Programmer
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