Warm Audio TB12 Tone Beast Microphone Preamp - Retro LE

Tweaking your tone with the Warm Audio TB12 Tone Beast Retro Preamp is addictive — We can't get enough of it! Based on the API 312 preamp's design and sporting premium CineMag USA transformers, the Tone Beast Retro is already a stellar mic pre. The Tone Beast’s real magic, however, lies in its multiple discrete signal paths. With the flip of a switch, you can select different transformers, op-amps, and capacitors, and enjoy a myriad of tones in the process. Push the Tone Beast and enjoy the harmonic distortion it lends to electric guitars, bass, or anything else that needs some grit. Big, bold, and fully-professional, you won't find many preamps like the Warm Audio TB12 Tone Beast Retro for under a grand! A Coveted, Dual-Voiced American Console Mic Preamp: A mic pre designed to help shape your sound, the Tone Beast Retro delivers all of that classic Chicago-style big studio console sound in multiple flavors, in a exclusive “Retro” finish. Multiple Discrete Signal Paths Provide Unprecedented Flexibility: Experienced recording engineers love how different mic pres color their sound. They know that by combining different mics with different preamps, they can make every source sound its absolute best. With the TB12 Tone Beast Retro in your rack, you'll be able to do the same, thanks to its unprecedented versatility. The Tone Beast’s flexibility is absolutely staggering. First of all, you have your choice of a Melcor 1731 or Jensen 918 op-amp. The 1731 is very colored and breaks up quickly, while the 918 is fairly clean with just a hint of character. Secondly, you have your choice of a 100% steel or 50% nickel transformer. The steel output transformer is more colored than the nickel transformer, especially when pushed. You can also bypass the transformers completely for an ultra-clean tone. Finally, you have your choice of tantalum and electrolytic capacitors for even more tonal variety. Coloration — And Why You Want It: The most coveted vintage consoles and outboard gear weren't transparent. And that's the point behind the Warm Audio Tone Beast Retro. Coloration is, in many cases, desirable. If your mixes sound unprofessional, lacking in vibrancy and depth, you'll love the Tone Beast Retro. Subjective listening tests played a big part in the development of this amazing preamp. Test equipment can tell you only so much, and there's a point in the design process where you just have to let your ears call the shots. You wouldn't mix with earplugs and an oscilloscope, would you? Top-Tier Performance — And Amazing Value: We understand that outfitting your studio is a balancing act between performance and value. Warm Audio gets that, too, and their Tone Beast Retro delivers on both counts. In spite of its ultra-reasonable pricing, Warm Audio gear is made in the USA and uses only the finest components such as genuine Cinemag input and output transformers. Look at it this way: at this price, you can pack your rack with two or more Tone Beast preamps — perfect for recording live drums or more than one track at a time. Hand-Tested In Austin, TX: Like all Warm Audio gear, Tone Beast Retro is meticulously hand-tested and inspected by trained technicians with a passion for making music in Austin, TX USA.