Manufacturer's description
The Iconic Analog Sound of Music's Greatest Recordings
The WA73 & WA273 recreate the most iconic British console sound made famous by legendary recordings from the 60s and beyond. Known for delivering rich, full analog warmth, the original became the foundation of classic rock and was the centerpiece of countless timeless hits. The sound of those famed console preamps can be heard on recordings by The Beatles, U2, Kendrick Lamar, Led Zeppelin, and many more.
The Perfect Balance Of Natural & Polished Sound
The WA73 & WA273 deliver the perfect balance of “unmistakably analog” tone & clarity that every engineer is chasing. With 80 dB of gain and a discrete Carnhill Transformer balanced signal path, the 73 series delivers the unmistakable sound of the original British console preamps. Featuring hand-wired construction using premium components that all receive dedicated individual testing in Texas, the 73 series delivers the necessary quality to upgrade your sound to studio-grade.
Key Features
Like the original 73-series British console preamp, the WA73 series pres include all the features that deliver a complete and professional recording experience:
- The high-pass filter makes it easy to remove unwanted noise from the bass frequencies that plague recording and mixing.
- Switchable unbalanced send/return inserts make it possible to add a compressor, EQ, or your favorite processing gear before hitting the output transformer.
- The classic Warm Audio “tone” control alters the input transformer impedance from 1200Ω to 300Ω, adding “air” or “sheen” to the top end - great for ribbons or “darker” mics.
- The WA73 also includes critical preamp features like 48V phantom power, instrument & line-level inputs, XLR/TRS input/output options, and polarity inversion to handle varying recording demands.
Specifications
Product Description & External Specs (Per Channel)
- Single Or Dual-Channel, Class A, '73-Style British Console Microphone Preamp
- Polarity Switch
- 48v Phantom Power
- 4 Position Inductor Based High Pass Filter - 50, 80, 160, 300 Hz
- XLR Mic Input
- Line Level TRS Input
- TS (Unbalanced) Send/Receive Insert Jacks
- XLR & TRS Line Level Outputs
- Direct In, Instrument Input
- Output Control
- LED Level Indication
- 19" Rack-Mountable
- Ground Lift Switch
- Internal IEC 115v/230v Power Inlet
- Single Chassis Depth: 7.25” | 18.13 cm
- Dual Chassis Depth: 11” | 27.5 cm
- 5-Year Warranty
Components & Internal Specs (Per Channel)
- UK-Made Carnhill Transformers
- Hand-Wired, Hand-Assembled, Fully Discrete
Performance Specs (Per Channel)
- 80 dB Of Gain - Resistor Stepped Gain Switch
- Frequency Response 20 Hz - 20 kHz +/-.5 dB
- Tone Button - Changes Input Transformer Impedance For Varying Tone
- Polarity Switch
- Single Chassis Depth: 7.25” | 18.13 cm
- Dual Chassis Depth: 11” | 27.5 cm
How much is my shipping?
Shipping is automatically calculated before you submit your payment information. Simply add items to your cart and proceed to the checkout page, where you'll be offered shipping options and their prices. In the UK, 'next working day' shipping is free if the order value is over £150, and £5 otherwise. We can also ship on a 'next working day before 12pm' service, which costs £6 for orders over £150 and £7.50 for orders under £150.
Shipping to mainland EU typically costs between £7 and £20, depending on the shipping method and the size and weight of the order.
Do you ship to my country?
Almost certainly - the site will give you an estimate of shipping costs if you add an item to the cart and then enter your country and postcode. If you have specific requirements (such as if you prefer UPS over FedEx, for example) then let us know in advance and we'll try to work something out for you.
Shipping methods
We use a combination of DPD, Royal Mail and Parcelforce for the UK, and for international orders it's either DHL, FedEx, UPS, Royal Mail or Parcelforce depending on where you are in the world. If you have a particular preference then try to let us know BEFORE you order so we can look into it for you. Please note that there may occasionally be additional shipping charges if you live in a remote area, depending on what surcharges are applied by the shipper. We'll get in touch to discuss this with you in such cases.
Dispatch times
For UK orders, we aim to dispatch the same working day if we get the order before 16:00. If you have a really urgent situation then of course drop us an email before ordering and we'll always do our absolute best to accommodate you.
For international orders, we normally dispatch the same day if we get the order before 13:00 but again, occasionally it might be the next day before we can send it out, and sometimes the couriers may come to collect a little earlier than scheduled which would also push an order into the next day.
Saturday/Sunday shipping
If you're in the UK and you order before 16:00 on a Friday then we can send something for a Saturday or Sunday delivery with DPD. This is FREE for order values over £350, £5 for order values between £75 and £250, and £7 for order values under £75. (NB: this applies to UK mainland addresses only). Please note that any orders placed after 16:00 on a Friday will ship on the Monday.
International shipping times
Since April 2020, the couriers we use have suspended guarantees for shipping times, so even though we're paying them for priority services - 24-48 hours for most of the world - in practice it's often an extra day on top and sometimes it can be longer. There is absolutely nothing we can do about this, unfortunately. If you are outside the UK and it's a life-or-death situation where you absolutely MUST have that passive mult for the next day then... it may be better to find a local supplier.
Pre-orders
If a product is listed as a pre-order, it means we've ordered it from the supplier but it's not physically in stock yet. The product listing will include an estimated shipping date based on the best information we have from the supplier, but do bear in mind this is subject to change and is not a guaranteed date.
If you place an order containing a mixture of in-stock and pre-order items, we'll normally hold off on shipping anything until the pre-order item(s) have arrived, rather than splitting it into multiple shipments. If you need the in-stock items sooner, we'd recommend placing separate orders. As always, please get in touch if you have questions.
Product Overview
Manufacturer's description
The Iconic Analog Sound of Music's Greatest Recordings
The WA73 & WA273 recreate the most iconic British console sound made famous by legendary recordings from the 60s and beyond. Known for delivering rich, full analog warmth, the original became the foundation of classic rock and was the centerpiece of countless timeless hits. The sound of those famed console preamps can be heard on recordings by The Beatles, U2, Kendrick Lamar, Led Zeppelin, and many more.
The Perfect Balance Of Natural & Polished Sound
The WA73 & WA273 deliver the perfect balance of “unmistakably analog” tone & clarity that every engineer is chasing. With 80 dB of gain and a discrete Carnhill Transformer balanced signal path, the 73 series delivers the unmistakable sound of the original British console preamps. Featuring hand-wired construction using premium components that all receive dedicated individual testing in Texas, the 73 series delivers the necessary quality to upgrade your sound to studio-grade.
Key Features
Like the original 73-series British console preamp, the WA73 series pres include all the features that deliver a complete and professional recording experience:
- The high-pass filter makes it easy to remove unwanted noise from the bass frequencies that plague recording and mixing.
- Switchable unbalanced send/return inserts make it possible to add a compressor, EQ, or your favorite processing gear before hitting the output transformer.
- The classic Warm Audio “tone” control alters the input transformer impedance from 1200Ω to 300Ω, adding “air” or “sheen” to the top end - great for ribbons or “darker” mics.
- The WA73 also includes critical preamp features like 48V phantom power, instrument & line-level inputs, XLR/TRS input/output options, and polarity inversion to handle varying recording demands.
Specifications
Product Description & External Specs (Per Channel)
- Single Or Dual-Channel, Class A, '73-Style British Console Microphone Preamp
- Polarity Switch
- 48v Phantom Power
- 4 Position Inductor Based High Pass Filter - 50, 80, 160, 300 Hz
- XLR Mic Input
- Line Level TRS Input
- TS (Unbalanced) Send/Receive Insert Jacks
- XLR & TRS Line Level Outputs
- Direct In, Instrument Input
- Output Control
- LED Level Indication
- 19" Rack-Mountable
- Ground Lift Switch
- Internal IEC 115v/230v Power Inlet
- Single Chassis Depth: 7.25” | 18.13 cm
- Dual Chassis Depth: 11” | 27.5 cm
- 5-Year Warranty
Components & Internal Specs (Per Channel)
- UK-Made Carnhill Transformers
- Hand-Wired, Hand-Assembled, Fully Discrete
Performance Specs (Per Channel)
- 80 dB Of Gain - Resistor Stepped Gain Switch
- Frequency Response 20 Hz - 20 kHz +/-.5 dB
- Tone Button - Changes Input Transformer Impedance For Varying Tone
- Polarity Switch
Technical Specs
Shipping Details
How much is my shipping?
Shipping is automatically calculated before you submit your payment information. Simply add items to your cart and proceed to the checkout page, where you'll be offered shipping options and their prices. In the UK, 'next working day' shipping is free if the order value is over £150, and £5 otherwise. We can also ship on a 'next working day before 12pm' service, which costs £6 for orders over £150 and £7.50 for orders under £150.
Shipping to mainland EU typically costs between £7 and £20, depending on the shipping method and the size and weight of the order.
Do you ship to my country?
Almost certainly - the site will give you an estimate of shipping costs if you add an item to the cart and then enter your country and postcode. If you have specific requirements (such as if you prefer UPS over FedEx, for example) then let us know in advance and we'll try to work something out for you.
Shipping methods
We use a combination of DPD, Royal Mail and Parcelforce for the UK, and for international orders it's either DHL, FedEx, UPS, Royal Mail or Parcelforce depending on where you are in the world. If you have a particular preference then try to let us know BEFORE you order so we can look into it for you. Please note that there may occasionally be additional shipping charges if you live in a remote area, depending on what surcharges are applied by the shipper. We'll get in touch to discuss this with you in such cases.
Dispatch times
For UK orders, we aim to dispatch the same working day if we get the order before 16:00. If you have a really urgent situation then of course drop us an email before ordering and we'll always do our absolute best to accommodate you.
For international orders, we normally dispatch the same day if we get the order before 13:00 but again, occasionally it might be the next day before we can send it out, and sometimes the couriers may come to collect a little earlier than scheduled which would also push an order into the next day.
Saturday/Sunday shipping
If you're in the UK and you order before 16:00 on a Friday then we can send something for a Saturday or Sunday delivery with DPD. This is FREE for order values over £350, £5 for order values between £75 and £250, and £7 for order values under £75. (NB: this applies to UK mainland addresses only). Please note that any orders placed after 16:00 on a Friday will ship on the Monday.
International shipping times
Since April 2020, the couriers we use have suspended guarantees for shipping times, so even though we're paying them for priority services - 24-48 hours for most of the world - in practice it's often an extra day on top and sometimes it can be longer. There is absolutely nothing we can do about this, unfortunately. If you are outside the UK and it's a life-or-death situation where you absolutely MUST have that passive mult for the next day then... it may be better to find a local supplier.
Pre-orders
If a product is listed as a pre-order, it means we've ordered it from the supplier but it's not physically in stock yet. The product listing will include an estimated shipping date based on the best information we have from the supplier, but do bear in mind this is subject to change and is not a guaranteed date.
If you place an order containing a mixture of in-stock and pre-order items, we'll normally hold off on shipping anything until the pre-order item(s) have arrived, rather than splitting it into multiple shipments. If you need the in-stock items sooner, we'd recommend placing separate orders. As always, please get in touch if you have questions.
