The Warm Audio WA73 is a single-channel, Class-A microphone preamp designed to provide up to 80 dB of gain for engineers, producers, musicians, and vocalists in mobile-recording rigs and home, project, and commercial studios. It features custom Carnhill transformers and is wired and assembled by hand to deliver the sound and functionality of classic British '73-style preamps.
Its inputs include balanced XLR and 1/4" TRS jacks and one front-panel 1/4" TS instrument input. Input impedance, polarity, ground lift, and phantom power are switchable. Connect an outboard compressor or equalizer via the 1/4" TS insert send and return jacks. Balanced XLR and 1/4" outputs are fed by an output level control and allow compatibility with most audio interfaces and mixing consoles. The selectable high-pass filter can be set to 50 Hz, 80 Hz, 160 Hz, or 300 Hz for management of unruly bass frequencies.
- Occupies 1 RU
- Single-channel, Class-A mic preamp wired and assembled by hand
- Created through years of R&D, careful reverse-engineering, and countless hours of auditioning
- Designed to function and sound like a classic '73-style preamp
- Fully discrete, transformer-balanced signal path
- Custom Carnhill transformers saturate sweetly when pushed
- Tantalum and polystyrene capacitors in the signal path and an output transistor choice that is smooth in high-gain settings
- Stepped mic pre gain
- Inductor-based selectable high-pass filter
- Balanced XLR and 1/4" inputs and outputs
- Front-panel 1/4" TS instrument input
- 1/4" TS insert send and return
- Output control with 5-segment LED meter
Specifications:
- Rack Height: 1 RU
- Number of Channels: 1
- Inputs: 1 x XLR 3-pin (balanced), 1 x 1/4" TRS (balanced), 1 x 1/4" TS (unbalanced)
- Outputs: 1 x XLR 3-pin (balanced), 1 x 1/4" TRS (balanced)
- Phantom Power: 48 V
- High-Pass Filter: Off, 50 Hz, 80 Hz, 160 Hz, or 300 Hz
- Gain Range: Up to 80 dB
- Frequency Response: 20 Hz to 20 kHz (±0.5 dB)
- Equivalent Input Noise: -111 dBu (unweighted)
- Power Requirement: 115/230 V, 50/60 Hz
- Dimensions: 19.0 x 1.8 x 6.0" / 48.3 x 4.4 x 15.2 cm
- Weight: 9 lb / 4.1 kg
- Specialties: 1 x 1/4" TS insert send. 1 x 1/4" TS insert return. 1 x 5-segment LED meter. Switches for phantom power, polarity, impedance, input source, insert, power, and ground lift
