The Authentic Neve 1073 Interface for Your Studio
In 1970, the Neve 1073 wrote the book on characterful mic preamplification and punchy “British EQ.” The 1073 mic/line input module defined the massive, authoritative sound of the legendary Neve 80-series consoles that dominated professional recording studios in the Golden Age of Analog. Now, with the Neve 1073SPX-D channel strip digital audio interface, this iconic piece of kit can be the centerpiece of your DAW-based studio. Neve has combined its proprietary 1073 preamp and equalization circuitry with a state-of-the-art USB audio interface to infuse your recordings with the renowned sound that professionals have coveted for over a half-century. Packed with Neve’s unparalleled Class A circuitry, advanced 24-bit/192kHz AD/DA conversion, a front-panel Mic/Line/Instrument input, ADAT connectivity, balanced inserts, a powerful headphone amp, metering, an output fader, and more, the Neve 1073SPX-D gives you a flexible plug-and-play solution for recording, mixing, and monitoring.
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Neve large-format console sound for all your recordings
The sonic magic delivered by authentic Neve 1073 circuitry has captivated music lovers for decades. Back in the day, this sound was exclusively in the domain of world-class recording studios with commensurate budgets that permitted the installation of large-format Neve consoles in their control rooms. Now, small-studio and mobile-rig owners can enhance their recordings with the sonic glories of the 1073 while enjoying the streamlined workflow and productivity boost afforded by a cutting-edge digital interface. Musicians and engineers who tend to record one track at a time can run all their sources through the Neve 1073SPX-D channel strip interface and produce a recording that benefits from many of the sonic advantages that top studios with Neve consoles have long enjoyed.
The industry’s most esteemed front end
There’s never been a signal processor more famous or revered than the Neve 1073. With its uniquely euphonic tonal quality, seductive warmth, low-mid punch, and subtle harmonic distortion, the 1073 has provided studios with the industry’s most esteemed front end for producing radio-ready product that blasts right out of the speakers. Carrying on the 1073 pedigree, the Neve 1073SPX-D gives you a genuine 1073 preamp/EQ module seamlessly integrated with an innovative USB interface in a tidy 1U chassis with the superior build quality for which Neve is famous. The 1073SPX-D also offers ADAT Lightpipe I/O that allows it to act as an audio expander for existing ADAT-equipped audio interfaces such as the Neve 1073OPX or another 1073SPX-D, making it easy to integrate a complete 1073 channel strip into your studio and expand your setup as necessary. Considering all that it does, the Neve 1073SPX-D is poised to simplify workflows across a broad range of audio production scenarios.
“Access the famed 1073 sound” directly from your computer
“The 1073SPX-D is a natural evolution of our analogue and digital circuit designs. After extensive research, it became clear that there was no single device that can handle both the analogue processing and digital conversion capabilities that the 1073SPX-D now offers in a single rackmount unit. Now, small home studio setups, or artists on the road can access the famed 1073 sound directly from their desktop or laptop computer, without the need for additional equipment. When our team began development of the 1073SPX-D, a no-compromise approach to circuit design was applied throughout, ensuring that the 1073SPX-D remains true to the Neve name, and delivers the sound quality that our customers demand.” — Robin Porter, AMS Neve chief engineer, on the thinking behind the development of this groundbreaking product
Legendary, authoritative “big iron” sound
Since the 1970s, the Neve 1073 has reigned as the most sought-after mic preamp and equalizer on the planet — one reason being its inimitable sound, another its impressive versatility. While today’s 1073SPX-D retains all its vintage bona fides, AMS Neve remains an R&D-driven company that continually improves its classic designs to meet and exceed the performance requirements of today’s hybrid analog-digital workflows. For instance, with 10dB more gain on tap — a gargantuan 80dB — than vintage 1073s, the 1073SPX-D handles even your lowest-output passive ribbon mics on quiet sources. The Neve name is synonymous with custom transformer-balanced Class A topology, and the company continues to innovate in that realm with its state-of-the-art Marinair transformers, deployed on the input and output stages of the 1073SPX-D. Fortified with its “big iron” transformers, the 1073SPX-D delivers wide, linear bandwidth while maintaining audiophile quality throughout the spectrum for rich, full-bodied sound with formidable lows, assertive midrange presence, and sweet, airy highs.
Military-grade build quality
The robust build quality of the 1073SPX-D — including its rotary switches, stout metalwork, and internal circuitry — is manifestly superior even to most of today’s high-end pro audio gear. And it’s a joy to use. In operation, everything feels just right, from the satisfying precision click of the switches to the spoon-in-honey throw of the pots. As was all pro audio gear of the era, vintage Neve equipment was built with mil-spec parts and Class A topology — which, together with their extraordinary sonics, explains why we still see half-century-old Neve consoles in major studios worldwide. This is how they used to build professional audio equipment — and Neve still incorporates these time-honored techniques into its hybrid in-house production, combining modern surface-mount technology with traditional discrete through-hole audio path construction, which includes the hand mounting of Marinair transformers and Class A transistor-based amplifiers.
The legend continues
At Sweetwater, the name Neve commands reverence. Neve 80-series consoles had a huge, punchy, and authoritative sound that defined ’70s rock. From London to New York to Los Angeles and beyond, top studios were installing Neve desks as fast as they could. By 1978, with the introduction of the majestic 8078 — the pinnacle of handwired analog “production” consoles — and NECAM automation system, Neve boards were the main component of the success formula for any recording studio with world-class aspirations. In the decades since, Neve has innovated with groundbreaking products such as the VR, VX, and 88R large-format consoles. Today, the company continues to advance the state of the art with cutting-edge products like the 1073SPX-D that sound incredible and intelligently address the challenges of the digital age.
Neve 1073SPX-D Channel Strip USB Audio Interface Features:
- Complete 1073 channel strip and audio interface in a 1U 19-inch rackmount chassis
- Seamless integration into modern studio configurations
- 1 Mic input, 1 Line input, 1 Line output, Insert send/return
- 8 x 8 ADAT Lightpipe optical I/O
- Discrete Class A circuit design delivers the legendary Neve sound
- 1073 Mic Preamp with 80dB of gain handles even your lowest output passive ribbon mics
- 48V phantom power accommodates your condenser microphones
- Classic 3-band 1073 inductor-based equalization
- 18dB/octave highpass filter, selectable at 50Hz, 80Hz, 160Hz and 300Hz
- Custom Neve Marinair input and output transformers
- Packed with versatile features, including balanced inserts, metering, output fader, and more
- Complete audio Interface provides a robust all-in-one solution for multiple studio workflows
- Pristine 24-bit/192kHz AD/DA conversion complements the classic 1073 analog circuitry
- Plug-and-play connectivity via class-compliant USB connection
- ADAT-to-USB integration enables I/O expansion for enhanced tracking and mixing capabilities.
- ADAT expansion mode augments an existing audio interface with a complete 1073 channel strip
- DIGI I/O routing lets you use the 1073 as a hardware insert in your DAW
- Multiple DAW monitoring pathways for enhanced flexibility
- Monitor Blend feature for customized, latency-free monitoring
- Powerful headphone amplifier drives any vintage or modern headphones
- Lo-Z button optimizes impedance for a wide range of vintage or modern mics
- Front-panel Combi input: XLR = Mic, 1/4-inch jack = Line/DI for instruments
- Stepped Elma rotary switch delivers accurate levels throughout the gain range, obviating the need for a mic/line switch
- 3 distinct gain stages provided by 2 independent preamps provide gain for DI, Line, and Mic signals
- USB-to-Host: Type-B USB 2.0 port for connection to Mac/PC
- L/R Monitor I/O
- Word clock out
- Meticulously crafted by Neve in the UK
