A-Designs Audio Introduces The EM-Gold Mic Preamp

(Click for a close-up)

A-Designs Audio has announced the launch of the manufacturer's latest 500 Series-compatible mic pre, the EM-Gold.

Designed to bring more 'mids' to the lower end of the sonic spectrum, the EM-Gold combines the output transformer of the EM-Silver (custom all-steel winding) and the input transformer of the EM-Red (custom winding with different ratio input/output). Particularly well-suited for drum recording--especially capturing floor toms--the new preamp also excels on various guitar, bass and vocal tracks.

According to A-Designs Audio's Peter Montessi, "The EM-Gold was not designed to replace the EM-Red or EM-Silver but to complement the other modules and further expand the sonic palette with its own unique frequencies. In fact, the whole range of these new modules is particularly nice for recording drums--the P-1 is excellent for overhead duties, EM-Blue for snare, EM-Silver for kick, EM-Red for rack-mounted toms, and, now, EM-Gold for capturing that perfect floor tom sound."

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Montessi is quick to point out, however, that the EM-Gold and other new mic pres are not exclusively for drums. "By applying different microphones to the equation, each preamplifier will obviously produce different tonal characteristics. And by exploring various mics with these pres, engineers will no doubt have a veritable cornucopia of 'colors' to pick from."

Like all of the other 500 Series-compatible preamps from A-Designs Audio, the new EM-Gold features a 1/4-inch Hi-Z direct inject input for instruments, switches for 48-volt phantom power (with LED indicator), -20dB pad and phase, a large aluminum cast knob for gain, custom wound input and output transformers, two thumb screws for easy installation, and an extremely solid build quality. Like the EM-Red, the EM-Gold also offers 62dB of gain.

The EM-Gold is also similar to its siblings in terms of price, listing for $850.00 in the US.

For more information, visit their web site at www.adesignsaudio.com.