The H-Labs PRE169 500-Series Preamp delivers authentic vintage console mojo with modern clarity, igniting every track you record!
Step into the realm of classic console sound with the H-Labs PRE169 500-Series Preamp - your ticket to that iconic Studer 169 vibe brought to life in a modern, compact format! Engineers consistently praise this “massive sweet spot” for its warm harmonic coloration, silky top end, and surprisingly punchy low end. Thanks to its discreet transistor design and wide dynamic range, the PRE169 brings out every nuance, whether you’re tracking vocals, drums, or guitars. The meticulously engineered circuitry offers the lush presence and analog warmth people adore in vintage gear, but with the clean headroom, ultra-low noise floor, and flexible gain structure demanded in contemporary studios. This versatile preamp has quickly become a top choice among professionals looking to capture that timeless console character without sacrificing modern clarity or workflow. Power up your rig with the PRE169 and hear how its robust build quality, precise tone shaping, and “big studio” feel can elevate any session. Experience professional results and endless creative possibilities - available now at Front End Audio, where our dedicated team is ready to help you unleash your best recordings!
Versatile Microphone Preamp
The PRE169 is a very versatile microphone preamp. With over 67dB of gain, it sounds great with all microphones, including vintage ribbon and dynamic ones. The combination of input gain and output level offers a wide range of colours, from a very neutral sound to an old-Neve-like character.
Inspiration
Inspired by the legendary Studer 169 mixing console, the PRE169's input stage is a near perfect replication of the original Studer© design and its fairly transparent sound with massive gain range. To add more fatness, we put a (BIG) Carnhill transformer in the output section - the same you can find in Neve 51-series console - and packed it all in a (tiny) 500 series format.
H-Labs PRE169 500-Series Preamp Features
- The perfect input section for ribbon mics and low level sources, with more than 67dB gain.
- A very musical 12dB/octave High Pass Filter, tuneable from 20 to 315Hz, to clean that messy low end.
- A simple DI input, but try it... you could fall in love with that big transformer sound!
- The massive Carnhill VT24499 transformer that gives the PRE169 it's unique character.
- A Neutrik NTM-4 input transformer for almost unsaturable input gain.
- An old-fashioned assembly of 100% discrete THT components through the audio path.
H-Labs PRE169 500-Series Preamp Specifications
- Max Gain: 67dB
- Pad: -33dB
- Output Level: 0 to -30dB
- Input transformer: Neutrik NTM-4
- Output transformer: Carnhill VT24499
- Frequency Response (1kΩ load): ±1dB from 6.2Hz to 25KHz
- Mic Input Impedance: 1.2kΩ
- DI Input Impedance: > 1.0MΩ
- Output Impedance: < 20Ω - Transformer balanced
- Equivalent Input Noise (EIN): -125dBu @ max gain (Mic input)
- Power Consumption: 120mA | Peak 215mA
H-Labs PRE169 500-Series Preamp Includes
- H-Labs PRE169 500-Series Preamp
- Manufacturer Warranty
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