Heritage Audio HA73EQ ELITE Microphone Preamp & EQ Reviews
Heritage Audio's value-packed Elite series leverages the expertise gleaned from years of making acclaimed vintage-inspired equipment. For the HA73EQ Elite, Heritage Audio set its target high: their own widely respected, hand-wired HA73jr and DMA73 preamps — themselves based on the most iconic vintage console preamp/EQ module in history, the 1073. In Sweetwater's opinion, they have succeeded. You might ask how Heritage can offer the same world-class sound and performance at such a budget-friendly price. Through economies of scale, mostly. They don't cut corners on components (the HA73EQ Elite employs genuine Carnhill input and output transformers), but they do order parts and build in quantity, using lean manufacturing and modern construction techniques, in the same Spanish factory as the rest of their line.
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Highest Rated Reviews
Gives your vocals a new life!
I bought this for vocals especially, and it was either this or the warm 73. I'm sure the warm is great but this is the real deal. First syllable I sung, I heard an immediate difference. It was so warm, so forgiving. That's when it hit me, we buy $$ gear not to sound pristine, but for warmth and a forgiving nature. As a bad singer, it took weeks to get a track down that I was okay with, but now it's much quicker. Each knob is very sensitive, you only need to make small adjustments. It's not like a plugin where you have to turn the knobs all the way just to hear a tiny difference. Also, with just the mic pre and tame eq, my vocals sound polished and complete! Without compression or reverb!
I'm very happy with the build quality and can't wait to use this for all vocals from now on!
Silky Smooth and warm
I purchased the Heritage from Ashton's recommendation, and together with my Klark Teknik KT-2A, It sounds great. I'm using this primarily on vocals. It smooth's everything out and warms it all up.....just sounds thicker. I'm actually using way less from and EQ plugin. Great buy!
Better Than You'd Think
We all know that there are companies out there cloning original gear. We also all know that there is a difference in quality control and manufacturing costs. However, it seems that even with Heritage Audio, those two things are not an issue for me. I truly believe that this is one of the better 73 EQ/Preamp clone (at this price) in the world today. It's literally getting me paid. The return on investment has paid itself off 2x now. Highly recommend. Will be purchasing more HA gear.
Excellent Value
This is a great outboard pre to add some color to your mics and instruments. Lately I've been recording drums and I run my snare top mic through this to EQ it before it hits my DAW. It's sounds great. Very warm. I've also ran bass through it. Definitely a good buy. My only regret is that I should have bought the 2-channel version because now I want another. Of course there are many versions of this pre out there, but I will definitely be on the lookout for more stuff from Heritage Audio.
It sounds great!
This is a beautiful sounding unit on vocals and acoustic guitar. Very clean at low gain and, as the gain is increased, it adds the 1073 dirt and harmonics without hurting the body or detail of the source. A pro-sounding preamp for sure. Nicely paired with my Vanguard V13 mic.
I don't know why I waited so long.
After months of research, I purchased the Heritage Audio ha73eq. It was a great decision and a quality addition to my home studio.
It has made an immediate impact on my vocals.
Thanks Sweetwater for always being there for every question I've had.
I ordered a compressor yesterday...I can't wait to pair them together!
Thanks again.
Patrick Millner
Unicy Productions
Wow!
I just got one of these for vocals using an Earthworks sr40v mic through JBLs, and it was so much fun! I didn't have to struggle at all singing with my trio. It freed me up to sculpt my vocal tone, berthing and dynamics.
Happy with this purchase
My first piece of outboard gear, and I'm very happy with my decision. Clear, detailed sound on vocals. Acoustic guitar sounds great as well. Haven't tried bass yet, but expecting good things. Push the input for great saturation. I'm excited to see what this thing is capable of the more familiar I become with it!
Best purchase for my front end!
Okay, so I'm coming from a Focusrite 18i20 pre to an outboard pre, this one being it. I was absolutely blown away by the clarity and tone this gave any vocals I've put through it! Since my studio is primarily a vocal recording studio for clients, I only pick the best stuff I can afford. I had the budget for this piece and picked it up right away! And even more recently I picked up a Neumann TLM 102, And a Mojave Audio MA300 Both sounds absolutely phenomenal through this! I'm also working on building my studio to be able to record things such as drums and more instruments as well so I'll be picking up another one of these n the future to have a stereo pair of them.
Accurate honest and still pleasant
You can easily fine tone whether it's to your taste is vastly how you perform yourself. Love it it is easy to use and reminds me sonically of much more expensive 73 clones I've owned in the past but with a better eq section I'm only sad that I didn't buy the stereo one lol
Great preamp
The sound of this preamp is very professional. You can get a very clean sound out of it or you can push it and get a nice saturation tone. I was on the Fence about getting this preamp after owning a warm audio 73 preamp which was a little dark sounding to my ears this preamp is the complete opposite very clean and polished sound. Definitely one of the best preamps out there for any price!
Go for it. I got two.
If you are wanting real outboard gear and build your studio. This is a must have. Man this thing is beautiful on vocals and bass guitar!!oh my. Talk about getting any sound you want.
Just like the NEVE EQ. They have sound a way to give us a top of the line vintage product at a good price. I can not say enough about this unit. If you are on the fence about it. Do it. You should hear a TLM103 mic through just one of these. Or a stereo pair on two for acoustic guitars. What else do you need ? You can get the perfect sound going in. I compared this with the UAD 1073 plug in and I love the Heritage way more. I love them both. But why not own the gear with a better resale value then just a plug in. I will be adding more to my collection and this looks nice under my Avalon 737
Beautiful pice of gear!
I have racks of pre's already. I wanted a good "Neve" style strip with a 1073 style EQ. This thing delivers in spades. The pre alone is worth the price, but getting the EQ included seals the deal. I have worked on many Neve consoles and vintage pre's. I think "vintage" is an over used and over rated term. Not all vintage units sound alike (or good). To me the most important thing is the sound and reliability. The HA73EQ ELITE gives me both of those features at a fair price. Keep up the great work Heritage Audio!
Great box, excellent value
They did a great job with this. Everything performs as expected right next to vintage 1073 and Heritage's more expensive modules. Very smooth sound, no harshness in the eq like some other lower priced copies. The Di is very nice too. Can still hang with more expensive units and is perhaps more reliable in construction.
Remarkable
This thing is Amazing heritage makes top notch equipment and this one is a Home run for sure the preamp section is outstanding and the eq is very musical and genuine just like a Neve 1073 this baby is pretty remarkable based on the price I don"t know how they made it… as close as the real thing. I guess after all is made and manufactured in Spain not in Asia that says it all.
This is the future of affordable vintage!
I was fortunate enough to get to hear and learn about this product line before it's mainstream release, and all I can say is that 'they nailed it'. The sound is every bit as good as the much more expensive Neve emulations in their product line, and just as impressive as the sound is the rugged build quality and quality of assembly and internal component quality. The things look like they were built in a lab, and they kind of are... The use of an external PSU with good internal regulation was a good idea, and I think they used the same approach as SSL did in modernizing the manufacturing method and moving to more surface mount automation in order to make manufacturing less labor intensive without really compromising sound. This has been kind of a proven method over the last 15 years or more. They not only use the real Carnhill transformers, but also the real Carnhill inductors which are the secret sauce to getting the Neve EQ sound, and to be able to offer all that at these prices is just crazy. Not only that, they are made in Spain at the Heritage lab, rather than made in Asia; and I really believe that a return to domestic manufacturing and a pride is making one's own products again is going to be the next big thing for the industry. Well done, Heritage.
Heritage Audio HA73EQ ELITE - Mic Preamp with EQ
very smooth . i bought two to use for my overhead drum mics. i've since used them for vocals , on guitar and bass. i'm very happy with what i hear. i know it's not that big of a deal to use one of these, but the only reason i didn't give it the full five stars is because it did not come with a user manual... lol... it is a really nice piece of gear and seems pretty solid.
THE TRUTH!!!
THIS UNIT IS VERY CLEAN SOUNDS VERY GOOD MAKES MY RODE NT1 NOT SOUND LIKE IT WAS $300 BUT YET COSTED MORE I GAVE A 4.5 STAR BECAUSE THE HI PASS KNOB HAD TOO MUCH PLAY TO ME WITH THAT BEING SAID OTHERS WHO GOT THE HA73 DIDNT HAVE THAT PROBLEM EITHER WAY ITS A GREAT UNIT IM SURE THE KNOB WONT BREAK I HIGHLY RECOMMEND
