Warm WA12 preamp

NO NO NO!  Evil one!  do not tempt me!!!

I had never heard of this one before, I had to look it up.  a "warm" discrete 312 clone with input & output transformers.  I'd like to know more about what's under the hood on those transformers and their "unique" discrete components for the amp.

71dB of gain - that's pretty sweet.

it appears to be a 1/2 rack size - is that correct? 

and priced just under the GAP unit.  which, BTW AT, I sold my GAP73 - did you know that?  I wasn't using it and decided to sell it.  made a profit on it, too.

Anyway - this looks really sweet, but I'm not sure I'm tempted right now to buy it.  I would love to hear it, tho, and hear what others think of it.

I had never heard of it before this post.

It seems nice.

I find it hard to review the ad copy about the revolutionary new low pricing without feeling a bit bemused.

At $450 per channel for a wall wart powered appliance in a mini box, it is priced right about exactly where everything else is priced. It almost makes the genuine API 3124+ I bought for $2300 ($575/ch) seem like a bargain, because it's convenient to have everything all in one box.

Does it go all the way to 28dBu output with out clipping?

I hope it sounds great... It should for that price.

I hope you have fun with it.


best regards,
mike

Beagle


NO NO NO!  Evil one!  do not tempt me!!!

I had never heard of this one before, I had to look it up.  a "warm" discrete 312 clone with input & output transformers.  I'd like to know more about what's under the hood on those transformers and their "unique" discrete components for the amp.

71dB of gain - that's pretty sweet.

it appears to be a 1/2 rack size - is that correct? 

and priced just under the GAP unit.  which, BTW AT, I sold my GAP73 - did you know that?  I wasn't using it and decided to sell it.  made a profit on it, too.

Anyway - this looks really sweet, but I'm not sure I'm tempted right now to buy it.  I would love to hear it, tho, and hear what others think of it.

You weren't using your GAP73?  Was it because you had something better, not recording or it disappointed you?  I've been eyeing those units.

Mike et al,

They are brand new - no major reviews out yet.  it is not a clone, but based on the API: Bryce @ Warm was going for an old-school sound.  I plugged in a mic last night and my crackly voice was reasonably reproduced.  One funny thing - on the headphones my voice sounded a lot brighter when I punched in the tone button.  It bumps the impedance up (I know you'll love that feature, Mike).  But on playback my voice didn't sound nearly so bright.  Some kind of psychological something must be going on.  Anybody got any ideas?

DI guitar sounded very good.  We'll see if a real player sounds as good.  I did distort it when pumping up the vol, but that was operator error, not a flaw.

I also ran a hand drum through it (bodrum).  Worked very well - punchy and full.

Hopefully over the weekend I can get some real testing done, not just make sure the unit is working.  And next week I'll take it to the studio and shoot it out w/ a real API preamp.

Overall, I'm already impressed, if in an unscientific way.  The sound, well, sounds substantial.  The gain knob is very even and stepped, making it easy to dial in separate gain amounts.  That in itself is a big step up from many interface knobs, where you turn and turn and much of the useful gain is in the last bit of twist.  There is no metering.

It sounds good so far - I'll know more in a week or so about how it stands up to the big boys. 

As far as the api 3124, Mike, that is a classic and  a great way to get 4 preamps.  But  individual API modules cost considerably more than the $450 asking price of the WA12.  And many users don't need 4 amps - well, they might, but can't swing it.  Even the couple hundred dollars difference puts the kabash on such a purchase.  from what I can tell Warm is trying to make a nicely spec'ed preamp w/ good components that doesn't want modding - like some are doing to the GaP, replacing transformers.

@

Mod Bod


I don't want to hijack the thread but since you guys are talking about warm sounding pres...

I was talking to a friend in Nashville who has the same affinity with classic tones of yesteryear and he mentioned taking an ART PRO MPA and changing out the tubes with Telefunkens.  He's compared the sound side by side with a $5000 unit and said the sound was quite similar and definitely had bang for the buck.  His favorite pres are Telefunken V72s.

The ART Pro Channel is my next planned purchase and I will plan on updating the tubes.  I currently have an ART TPS II and it's really not bad at all.  that's why i'm not in a hurry to buy it.  I'd really like to have a UA LA-610, but that's just way out of my price range and I think the ProChannel might be pretty close to that UA unit.