Warm Audio TB12-500 Tone Beast Microphone Preamp

Product Description

With the Warm Audio TB12-500 Tone Beast Mic Preamp Warm Audio's goal was to make a microphone preamplifier affordable for the first time, without compromising the quality and design parameters that make this type of microphone preamplifier so desirable. Home-based musicians and professional studios alike will find the Tone Beast to be an extremely powerful and fully professional piece of gear that is capable of warming and shaping signals/mixes in a way that is very pleasing to the ear.

Premium Components

The TB12 "Tone Beast" 500 is a high-voltage microphone preamplifier, utilizing CineMag USA Transformers. Warm's own reproduction of the legendary original 2520-style discrete opamp found in the classic American consoles of yesteryear. These op-amps will work in any preamplifier or other device which conforms to the 2520-style footprint and ±16 voltage standard. Have no fear of hurting the Beast, you can push it very hard into full-on distortions if you wish, and these can sound quite nice on electric guitar, bass or anything else that likes some nice grit.

When hand building mic pres, "subtle" differences component choices can make. A little change here, and another there often times became a huge deal in a finished mix, but often times is not very noticeable at first take. The different component options in the TB12 are subtle, but when driven into saturation are noticeable and can make a big difference to the way your final mix will sound.

Specifications:

• 71 db of gain
• Transformer selection provides both steel and 50% nickel CineMag output transformers for varying character
• Transformer bypass switch allows for removal of the output transformer from the circuit
• Discrete opamp selection allows for choosing between a 1731 (vintage) and 918 (cleaner) style opamp - these are socketed/swappable with your choice of 2520 6-pin footprint opamps
• Impedance switch labeled tone to switch between 150 and 600 Ohms input impedance
• 2 Meg Ohm true Hi-Z input on front panel sends instrument signal through entire circuit including both CineMag transformers and the discrete opamps - great for guitars, bass, keyboards and other instruments that have a 1/4″ output jack
• 80 Hz hi-pass filter
• Polarity reverse
• Utilizes premium grade CineMag USA transformers
• +48 V phantom power
• Output attenuation allows for saturation flexibility of both opamps and transformers
• ¼" insert for the use of inline compressors, EQs, etc.
• Balanced XLR mic (front and back), balanced TRS line, and ¼" unbalanced instrument inputs
• -20 dB pad
• LED VU meter
• 19" rack-mountable
• Switchable 115/230 Volt IEC power inlet
• Capacitor selection between Tantalum and Electrolytic for different characters