Next-gen Pre-73 DLX MK II Raises the Bar for Performance and Value
The revered classic “73” wrote the book on characterful microphone preamplification. In the modern era, the Golden Age Project rewrote it with an affordable line of compact preamps crowned by the Pre-73 DLX, which has been consistently popular with golden-eared engineers and musicians who recognize a bargain when they hear one. Now, the Golden Age Project Pre-73 DLX MK II mic/line/instrument preamplifier raises the bar as a worthy successor that, once again, punches way above its price range. If you’re in the market for a single-channel vintage-style preamp that delivers a sweet, warm, punchy, and highly musical sound without exploding your equipment budget, we suggest giving the Golden Age Project Pre-73 DLX MK II a serious audition.
Related Videos: Pre-73 DLX MK II Mic/Line/Instrument Preamplifier
Upgrades and improvements
The Pre-73 DLX MK II employs a vintage-style discrete circuit design very similar to that of its esteemed predecessor. However, it boasts numerous upgrades and improvements, including a streamlined purist circuit path, a beefier power supply, an updated 48V phantom power supply that can deliver the full standard 10mA of current, and Golden Age’s renowned AIR circuit, which supplies a 3dB or 6dB boost at 30kHz for gorgeously intimate-sounding vocals and adding a lustrous shimmer to complete mixes. The line and microphone inputs and the line output are balanced using three different transformers, each specifically optimized for its function. On the faceplate, retro rectangular switch buttons, big knurled knobs, and sturdy toggle switches facilitate confident parameter setting and quick recall.
Small but feature-laden
With 80dB of gain on tap, the Pre-73 DLX MK II lets you capture subdued sources with your favorite low-output passive ribbon mic, and cranking the gain enhances your tracks with luminous, vintage-flavored coloration. An output level control is provided to compensate for hot input gain levels. A chunky Line/Mic knob controls both line and mic gain, eliminating the need for a selector switch. The unit also includes a selectable 6dB/octave highpass filter that allows you to roll off undesirable low-frequency content at 50, 80, 160, or 300Hz. The AIR EQ switch and a polarity invert switch adorn the right-hand side of the faceplate. Meanwhile, a cluster of four buttons holds court on the left, activating 48V phantom power, the rear-panel insert connections, switchable impedance for MIC mode, and a DI switch for guitars, basses, or keyboards connected to the adjacent instrument jack. A unique feature is the output pad, which lets you trim your output level by 7, 14, 21, or 28dB to optimize the gain structure of your signal chain to suit downstream components.
Vintage gear sounds best
The Golden Age Project was founded in 2005 on the belief that vintage gear sounds best, and the desire to pass on this sonic legacy to a new generation of musicians, engineers, and producers. All-discrete, Class A signal paths with no integrated circuits; the use of transformers, stepped controls, and military-grade build quality: these are the cornerstones of the legendary British equipment deployed in world-class recording and broadcast studios in the 1970s — the golden age of analog. Fat, warm, punchy, and authoritative; this is the sound heard on countless hits for half a century. Locating, purchasing, restoring, and maintaining vintage gear is time-consuming and costly. Fortunately, this small, family-owned Swedish company makes gear the same way it was made back in the day — at an amazingly accessible price!
The Golden Age Project: affordable, high-quality vintage-style electronics
A distributor of high-end studio equipment for many years, Golden Age Project founder Bo Medin wanted to be able to offer products with much of the same exclusive sound in a price range that made them available to a larger audience. Inspired by original designs, Golden Age uses modern technology to re-create that lush, opulent sound, making it surprisingly affordable. They use some modern ingenuity to add new functionality to superb classic designs and produce them in a cost-effective way which allows them to be both optimized and affordable. Sweetwater’s advice: From outboard equipment to condenser, dynamic, and ribbon mics, you can outfit your entire studio with vintage-inspired Golden Age Project gear without exceeding your budget.
Golden Age Project Pre-73 DLX MK II Mic/Line/Instrument Preamplifier Features:
- Vintage-style discrete electronics with no integrated circuits in the signal path
- 80dB of gain handles your passive ribbon mics on quiet sound sources
- Gain/Line mode switch; gain is reduced by 30dB in LINE mode
- Selectable 2-position high-frequency AIR boost EQ, 3 or 6dB @ 30kHz
- Selectable 6dB/octave 2-frequency highpass filter
- Tantalum capacitors in the signal path
- Switchable impedance in MIC mode
- Switchable phantom power and polarity (absolute phase)
- High-impedance instrument input
- Output level control; Output pad
- 4-step LED output level meter
- Combo XLR/TRS input jack, separate output XLR and TRS jacks
- Insert jack for equalizers and other units
- UK-built Carnhill input transformer
- Included external power supply to eliminate interaction with audio circuits and transformers
- Robust build quality for years of faithful service
