Warm Audio WA-MPX Microphone Preamp

The WA-MPX is an authentic reproduction of the vintage tape machine tube preamp that started the birth of rock ‘n’ roll known for pure analog warmth, delivering an impressive 300v of raw power & 90dB of tube gain. During the golden era of tape recording, the original 351-style tube preamp became the kings of studio tech and signature sound in the signal chain of hit recordings for artists including Elvis Presley, Bing Crosby, Les Paul, Nat King Cole, and Roy Orbison and producers like Steve Albini- a timeless sound that continues to be pursued by elite audio engineers today. With premium components, true-to-original circuit design, and selectable tape saturation, the WA-MPX authentically reproduces all the analog tone of the original to bring vintage warmth & color to your sound.
Image

The WA-MPX preamps are hand-wired with 100% discrete electronics. Each channel boasts three tubes that, with the high-gain switch engaged, bring the WA-MPX up to an incredible 90dB of gain. Each channel has custom-wound, large-core CineMag transformers on the inputs and outputs - bringing each preamp circuit to 300v. WA-MPX pres are housed in steel chassis with a brushed aluminum faceplate, vintage-style bakelite knobs, and amber-tinted VU meters. All of these key components paired with traditional build technique deliver not only a legendary “tape-era” tube pre but one of the best values in an all-tube microphone preamp on the market today. Following the Warm Formula of true-to-original tone driven by premium components, all WA-MPX are carefully hand-inspected & tested at Warm Audio Headquarters in Austin, Texas.
A Tube-Based Tone-Shaping Workstation

As a premium tube mic pre, WA-MPX delivers a wide range of analog tone; from clean volume with preserved clarity for quieter sources to richer distortion that can be driven harder as the tubes are pushed to saturation. The WA-MPX sports a set of critical controls that meet the demands of everyday professional audio use including input impedance switching, +48v, polarity inversion, and input/output gain. In addition to the 80Hz hi-pass filter that can help tame unwanted bass frequencies, the WA-MPX also houses a 2kHz low-pass filter to shave off excess highs for a more vintage tone profile. The classic Warm Audio “tone” control alters the input transformer impedance for extra analog color. A “high gain” control engages an extra 20dB of tube gain to take the WA-MPX all the way to 90dB - very useful on lower output dynamic and ribbon mics. Finally, the Tape Saturation control on the WA-MPX engages a discrete circuit in the signal path adding natural compression, harmonic distortion, and focused tone filtering to emulate the sound of tape machines running at 15IPS, adding just enough imperfection to the signal, especially when used on program material for mixing and mastering.

The WA-MPX is far more than just a pre with the vibe of analog tape, it's a perfectly adaptable and extremely powerful tube mic preamp.
Image

Using three premium vacuum tubes, two 12AX7s & one 12AU7 per channel, the WA-MPX delivers both high headroom and harmonically-rich vintage analog tone only found in the most unattainable tube microphone preamps on the market.