Warm Audio WA12 MKII Black

Handle all of your single-channel audio recording needs with the black Warm Audio WA12 MkII, a preampliflier for professionals on a budget. This is a discrete, dual-transformer, high voltage mic pre that offers high headroom, a low noise floor, and sonics designed to impart a larger-than-life quality.

Based around an X731 opamp derived from the Melcor 1731, the pre offers a sound that can be warm or clean, saturated or transparent, depending on how hard you drive it. Drive it softly or hard, it won't change the essential sonorous quality of the unit.

It's also customizable for the DIY crowd: Because the unit was designed around the X731 opamp, the pre can accept any discrete opamp on the market that conforms to the 16V, 2520 pinout standard. In addition to the opamps, the WA12 MkII employs CineMag USA transformers, as well as other components that allow it to compete with units far more costly.

This preamp offers XLR and 1/4" connections for mic level, line level, or Hi-Z instruments. You'll also have your choice of XLR or 1/4" TRS outputs. A pad switch is on hand, as are a polarity switch and a button to supply 48V phantom power to condenser mics. A tone control lets you change the impedance from 600 to 150 ohms, which will have an effect on the sound.

Key Features at a Glance