A classic pre/equalizer that won't break the bank

Heritage Audio's value-packed Elite Series leverages expertise gained from years of crafting acclaimed vintage-inspired gear. For the HA73EQ Elite, Heritage Audio set its sights high: its own widely respected, hand-wired HA73jr and DMA73 preamps—themselves based on the most iconic vintage console preamp/EQ module in history, the 1073. In In our opinion, they succeeded. You may ask how Heritage can offer the same world-class sound and performance at such an affordable price. Mainly through economies of scale. They don't skimp on components (the HA73EQ Elite employs genuine Carnhill input and output transformers), but they order parts and build in quantity, using lean manufacturing and modern construction techniques, in the same Spanish factory as the rest of their range.

The mother of all preamps

The Heritage Audio HA73EQ Elite preamp/EQ packs your rack with a potent dose of vintage vibes. It's based on the iconic 1073, amplifying any microphone or instrument with vibrant clarity and power. Turn up the input to get a rich, saturated sound, just like you would on an old console. With 80dB of gain, you have a preamp ready to bring out the best in any microphone — condenser, dynamic or ribbon. Trust us: it's really hard to make this sound bad!

The Holy Grail of EQ

The EQ section of the HA73EQ Elite follows the classic 1073 circuit topology. The vintage 1073 is the holy grail of EQ, and the Heritage Audio 73EQ JR nails its sounds and behavior (complete with its legendary harmonic distortion). It's a three-band affair, with ±16dB of fixed HF shelving; ±18dB fixed-Q midband peak with selectable center frequencies at 360Hz, 700Hz, 1.6kHz, 3.2kHz, 4.8kHz and 7.2kHz; and ±16dB of LF shelving, selectable at 35Hz, 60Hz, 110Hz and 220Hz. A high-pass filter, selectable at 50Hz, 80Hz, 160Hz and 300Hz, allows you to cut your unwanted bass signals. If you've never worked with a 1073-style EQ before, all we can say is: you're in for a big surprise.

Add rich transformer saturation to any source

The Heritage Audio HA73EQ features Carnhill input and output transformers, ready to add warmth, girth, and authority to any sound source—mic, line, or even DI instruments. The DI circuit is in front of the microphone input transformer, perfect for adding some hair to the DI bass signals in the path. The HA73EQ has separate input and output gain controls, so you can drive the input to get more color from the transformer without overloading the output stage.

Characteristics

• Fully discrete 3-stage Class A microphone preamplifier with 80dB of gain;
• Industry standard Carnhill transformers hand wound in St Ives, England;
• Separate input and output gain controls let you drive the input for saturation without overloading the output;
• Line input on separate XLR to add warmth and girth to pre-recorded tracks;
• 20dB PAD on microphone input to avoid overloading the input transformer when desired;
• LOZ changes the microphone transformer input impedance from 1200 to 300 ohms;
• 80Hz high-pass filter; phantom power +48V; polarity inversion;
• Ultra-high impedance JFET-based DI input;
• Fully discreet classic 3-band EQ with vintage correct inductors;
• High frequency shelf at 12kHz;
• Mid-band selectable between 6 frequencies and OFF;
• Low frequency shelf selectable between 4 frequencies and OFF;
• Inductor-based high-pass filter, frequency selectable between 4 frequencies and OFF;
• Rugged 19-inch 1RU form factor chassis;
• External universal power supply for worldwide use.

Specifications

• Preamplifier type: Class A solid state;
• Number of channels: single channel;
• Phantom power: yes;
• Pads: -20dB;
• Polarity switch: yes;
• Equalizer: 3-band EQ, High Shelf @ 12kHz, Low Shelf 35Hz-220Hz, high-pass filter 50Hz–300Hz;
• Analog inputs: 1 x 1/4 in. (Hi-Z), 1 x XLR (microphone), 1 x XLR (line);
• Analog outputs: 1 x XLR;
• Rack Spaces: 1U.