Warm Audio : WA12-500 MKII Warm Audio

500 Series Mic/Instrument Preamp with 71dB of Gain, Cinemag Transformers, hi-Z Setting, Phantom Power, 20dB Pad, Output Attenuation Control, and LED Meter

Many engineers prefer mic preamps that do something. And no, we're not talking about raising gain — they all do that. We're talking about making your signal sound better. Character. Coloration. Whatever you want to call it, it's that matchless sonic quality that the most coveted classic consoles and outboard gear had. Warm Audio's WA12-500 MKII Series preamp has it, shaping your sound with an exciting, vibey warmth that makes any vocal or instrument sit proudly in your mix. When we got our hands on the first generation of this preamp, we were mightily impressed. For the WA12-500 MKII, Warm Audio has added an LED meter and an output attenuation control that lets you incrementally drive the preamp and transformers into tasty, colorful saturation.

Coloration — and why you want it
The most coveted vintage consoles and outboard gear weren't transparent. And that's the point behind the Warm Audio WA12. Coloration is, in many cases, desirable. If your mixes sound unprofessional, lacking in vibrance and depth, you'll adore the WA12-500 MKII. Subjective listening tests played a big part in the development of this amazing 500 Series preamp. Test equipment can tell you only so much, and there's a point in the design process where you just have to let your ears call the shots. You wouldn't mix with earplugs and an oscilloscope, would you?

Impedance switching gives you versatility
Warm Audio equipped the WA12-500 MKII with a secret weapon: a Tone button that switches the input impedance from 600 to 150 ohms. Pushing this button changes the tone of both the mic and hi-Z inputs, letting you individually optimize for each of your microphones and giving you a measure of sonic versatility without having to resort to EQ. And speaking of mics, with 71dB of gain, the WA12-500 MKII has enough on tap to handle your favorite ribbon mics.

Top-tier performance — and amazing value
We understand that outfitting your studio is a balancing act between performance and value. Warm Audio gets that, too, and their WA12-500 MKII delivers on both counts. In spite of its ultra-reasonable pricing, Warm Audio gear is made using only the finest components, like genuine Cinemag input and output transformers. Look at it this way: at this price, you can pack your rack with two or more WA12-500 MKII preamps — an easy decision if you record live drums or more than one track at a time.

Features

• A robust 71dB of gain powers all your mics — even ribbons
• 2 Mohms true hi-Z input on front panel — great for guitars, bass, keyboards
• High voltage 1731-style operational amplifier
• Tone button gives you tonal versatility by switching input impedance from 600 to 150 ohms
• Fully discrete design
• 48-volt phantom power; 20dB pad
• Mic level balanced input: XLR or 1/4" TRS
• Balanced outputs: XLR and 1/4" TRS
• Custom-designed Cinemag input and output transformers
• Output attenuation control drives preamp and transformers into colorful saturation
• LED Meter gain indication
• 20dB pad