Golden Age Audio PRE-73 Premier Mic Preamp  From Golden Age

The PRE-73 PREMIER is a one-channel vintage style microphone-, line- and instrument preamplifier. The signal path uses only discrete components like resistors, capacitors and transistors. The in- and output is transformer balanced, using two different transformers, each one optimized for its purpose. This is the way audio components were built before integrated circuits became available.

The circuit used in the PRE-73 PREMIER is similar to the preamp section in the classical 1073 module with a corresponding sound character that is warm, punchy, sweet and musical. These classic characteristics have been heard on countless recordings through the years and it is a versatile sound that works very well on most sound sources and in most genres. The essence of this sound is now available at a surprisingly low cost, making it available to nearly everyone.

Bo Medin, October 2018

FEATURES

 ♦ No integrated circuits in the signal path.

 ♦ 14 dB output pad allowing the user to overdrive the output stage and transformer

 ♦ A simple but effective 4-step LED output level meter.The output level control makes it possible to make fine gain adjustments and also to overload the main gain stage(s) for more character

 ♦ Maximum gain in mic mode is 80 dB, enough to handle passive ribbon mics with quiet sound sources.

 ♦ Switchable impedance in mic mode, 1200 or 300 Ohm, will change the tone of most mics. The input impedance in line mode is 10 kOhm

 ♦ Combo XLR/TRS input jack and separate output XLR and TRS jacks for flexible connections

 ♦ Gain switch range is 20 - 80 dB. Line mode switch, gain is reduced by 30 dB in line mode

 ♦ Switchable phantom power and absolute phase

 ♦ A high-impedance instrument input for any sound module, electric guitar or bass

 ♦ Selectable 6 dB/octave high pass filter at around 80 Hz (HP1) or 200 Hz (HP2)

HOW IS IT DIFFERENT FROM THE THE PRE-73 MKIII PLUS?

The PRE-73 PREMIER has the following improvements:

 • A classic style with grey front panel, a red gain knob, white rectangular push button switches  and a grey output level metal knob.

 • Most connections are soldered, only the connections to the GAIN switch uses a connector.

Compared to the MKIII, 20 connection points that are directly located in the signal path are replaced by a soldered connection. Adding connections for the power rails, 24 connection points are soldered.

1. Please note that each and one of those 24 connection points actually consists of three separate connections in the MKIII (and in other products using a similar connection method): 

2. The cable wire crimped to the female metal connector part. the female to male connector metal part

3. The male connector metal part soldered to the circuit board.

Only no 3 is used in the soldered connections in the PRE-73 PREMIER, so there are actually 24 x 2 = 48 less connections in the PREMIER compared to the MKIII Plus.

The advantage of doing it like this is a higher signal integrity and better long term reliability.

The disadvantage is that it that it´s much more work demanding to use soldered connections, it makes the production process more complicated which increases cost. This is reason why most manufacturers use connectors instead of soldered connections. 

 • polystyrene capacitors in the amplifier circuits.

 • the capacitor value in the power supply is doubled

 • a -14 dB output pad is added allowing the user to overdrive the output stage and transformer.

​