From Locomotive Audio

The Locomotive Audio 286A Preamp offers two huge channels of sweet & harmonic tube preamp gain. This is the unmistakable vintage sound of tubes & transformers!

From beautiful glowing vocals, natural acoustics and punchy drums to overdriven and saturated classic tube warmth, the two channel 286A preamplifier offers a huge sonic palette for engineers and producers to explore.

The Locomotive Audio 286A Preamp offers a huge sonic palette for engineers and producers to explore. Its single-ended Class A tube signal path is what makes this preamplifier so special. Inspired by the great vintage Ampex 601 vacuum tube tape recorder, the 286A features four tubes; there is one EF86 and one 12AY7 per channel. The 286A can play nice by acting clean and natural with gentle even-order harmonics for a smooth, sweet touch. Get more aggressive with the “Gain” knob and drive the first 12AY7 stage for a warm and colored thickening effect. Go all-out and slam the final 12AY7 stage and output transformer through the “Level” knob for a fully-driven, saturated tube amp sound! Clean and natural to overdriven and fuzzy warm; your choice!

Along with its classic tube gain stages, the 286A has been given the modern front panel features that allow for flexible interfacing with today’s studio equipment.

Locomotive Audio 286A Preamp Features
  • Microphone and high impedance instrument inputs
  • One EF86 & one 12AY7 per channel
  • Polarity reverse switch
  • 20dB pad switch
  • 100 Hz low cut filter switch
  • Microphone load impedance switch
  • Mic/DI selection switch
  • +48v phantom power switch
  • 3-position VU meter switch: CH1 - Off - CH2
  • Custom Sifam backlit VU meter
  • XLR input and output connections
  • Cinemag input and output transformers
  • High-grade Solen capacitors in signal path
  • Hand-built in USA
  • Heavy 16 gauge steel chassis
  • 115v/230v AC mains option on rear
Microphone input load impedance
500Ω or 1800Ω
Output impedance
300Ω
1/4" DI impedance
169kΩ

72dB of gain

Frequency response
20Hz-20kHz
Maximum 20Hz & 1kHz input level for 1% THD
-18dBu (+2 dBu with Pad)
Maximum output level
+24dBu
THD+N
<1%
S/N ratio
>70dB
Dimensions
19"w x 3.5"h x 10"d (2u rackspace)
Shipping Weight
18 lbs.
Power Consumption (120/240VAC)
25 watts

Warranty

This item is sold without the Sound Pure 3-year warranty (used / B-stock / dealer-exempt). Coverage terms for items in this category live in Terms & Conditions, Section 27.

Returns

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