Every so often, an iconic piece of hardware takes the music industry by storm and transforms into a beloved fixture in studios worldwide, and the “1073” was one such piece of gear…

--Uli Behringer

In some of the most exciting pro-audio news this year, Behringer announced the arrival of the 1273 Mic preamp, based on the priceless 1073, at a price you can’t afford to miss. Indeed, one of the most highly coveted professional recording components ever made, the Neve 1073 pre-amp first appeared as a custom addition to London’s first 24-track console in 1970. Loved for its unique musical character and outstanding computability with virtually any microphone or sound source, the 1073 quickly found its way into the most prestigious studios around the world. Over a half-century after its introduction, today's top producers and engineers still consider it the “Holy Grail” of microphone preamps. While every sound engineer understands the value of a top-shelf mic pre, spending tens of thousands on a vintage 1073 is a cost-prohibitive roadblock….

The Behringer design team (led by former Neve engineer John Price) pulled out all the stops and faithfully recreated the 1073’s sonic potential and a fantastic range of performance compatibility.

Built on a discrete, transistorized circuit for low-noise and minimal tonal coloration, the 1073 sounds clear and natural even before the EQ is engaged. The reliable linear class-A power plant and high-quality custom-designed Midas input and output transformers accurately maintain signal integrity without unwanted distortion. Of course, the full potential for elevating the quality of your tacking is unlocked with the inductor-based equalizers and 3rd order high-pass filter. Controls in this section feature controls for Low, Mid, and High-frequency boost/cut, each with 4 set frequency levels 35/60/110/220hz, and a 5-position high pass filter for fine-tuning—plus a by-pass function for comparing with the raw signal.

The resistor-stepped 80 dB variable gain control at the input stage will maximize any input signal, including Ribbon, Dynamic and Transducer mics, or line sources. Additionally, each channel features dedicated switches for phase, tone, insert, instrument, and Phantom power for ultimate adaptability.