ART - MPA Gold - Tube Microphone Preamplifier

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“I feel the best aspect of a Switchfoot performance is the vocals." says Ryan Nichols, Front of House Engineer and Production Manager for Switchfoot. "Jon’s lyrics have a true positive message. So making the vocals clear, warm and present in the mix is really important. The fans want to hear and feel every word. The MPA Gold and Pro VLA give me everything I need to make that happen.” The MPA Gold™ is a versatile, two-channel tube microphone preamplifier with variable input impedance and provides warm, natural tones for vocals, electric and acoustic instruments. The Pro VLA™ is a powerful two-channel tube compressor / limiter is a multi-purpose tool for live audio engineering and studio recording. Used by professionals around the globe, The MPA Gold™ and Pro VLA™ from ART are the affordable and essential combination for any live or studio application.

A professional tube microphone preamplifier is defined by warmth, presence and clarity – core elements which make a performance truly come alive. Sister to the ART Digital MPA™, the MPA Gold™ performs to incredibly high standards, and that it’s tone, functionality and performance will satisfy even the most discerning user.

Like the Digital MPA, the MPA Gold features Variable Input Impedance. Variable Input Impedance is intended to optimize the MPA Gold for the widest range of microphones. Variation of the input impedance of a microphone preamplifier changes the load against which the microphone has to push. This variation dramatically alters the performance of a microphone, and creates numerous sonic possibilities for microphone performance. The variable impedance control of the MPA Gold is infinitely variable, as opposed to steps. This allows users much finer control over the tuning of the impedance.

The selectable Tube Plate Voltage function delivers a wide variety of tones. The tube circuit is differential, and provides the equivalent of a 300V power supply on the high voltage setting. Not to mention it has very low distortion and noise. Our normal setting maintains ART’s classic tube sound (warm with smooth overload characteristics).

The MPA Gold’s unique tube circuitry utilizes two 12AX7A vacuum tubes and renders unsurpassed sonic detail and clarity with the broadest range of microphones. The 12AX7A tube preamplification section provides gain while maintaining the incredible dynamic range of the previous stage and controlled overload characteristics.

Condenser microphones, ribbon microphones, dynamic microphones – new and vintage – all become more versatile and deliver their maximum performance when they interact with the MPA Gold’s Variable Input Impedance. You’ll discover that your microphones will sound better than ever.

In addition to the VU meters, the MPA Gold has Tube Warmth LED Metering which measures the left and right audio channel levels. The meters act like a normal histogram for the average signal level and the display holds the highest LED on alone for one second. While the average level function attack and release are measured in milliseconds, the peak function has a 20 microsecond attack time. Additionally, the analog meter range is switchable between -10dB and +4dBU. The MPA Gold’s High Pass Filter is continuously variable from 15Hz to 150Hz. Many other preamps have a fixed switch. This makes our MPA Gold more flexible audio processor.

The MPA Gold is truly a modern, world-class tube microphone preamplifier, and its audio performance will surely exceed your expectations.

• Variable Input Impedance For Flexible Microphone Voicing (150 Ohms to 3000 Ohms)
• Selectable Tube Plate Voltage
• Large VU Meters with Range Switch
• Tube Warmth LED Meter
• Improved Discrete Class A Input Microphone Preamplifier
• Lower Noise At Low Gains, Wider Frequency Response and Lower THD Than our Pro MPA
• Front Accessible Instrument Input Jack With Very High Input Impedance
• Automatically Switches To Instrument Input When You Plug In

Specifications