In recording, there are certain things that you can only know through years of experience, such as which preamp works best on vocals, which one rules on guitar, or what preamp to use if you have a dark-sounding instrument or mic that needs some brightening. With A Designs Audio's EM series preamps you can let the 60 years of combined experience and super tone-sensitive ears of Jon Erickson and Pete Montessi save you years trying eek secrets out of pro engineers and lurking on forums. Each preamp in the series is designed to handle specific recording chores with the remarkable sound quality that A Designs Audio is now famous for. (Read the buzz on the forums, you'll find nothing but raves.) Best of all, you get high-quality audio in a space-saving and affordable package.

Custom transformers, the key to a big punchy sound

The A-Designs Audio Erickson Montessi - Gold microphone preamp module is designed to complement the other A-Designs preamp modules and further expand the sonic palette with its own unique frequencies. In solid-state preamp design, the key to a big punchy sound rests in the input and output transformers. (That's where you get what is known as the "big iron" sound of the '70s). To ensure top-quality sound, A Designs has their transformers custom-built by Tom Reichenbach of Cine-Mag, whose lineage extends back the days when his father Ed built transformers for Altec-Lansing in the '40s. Not only are the transformer hand-made, they're also "ear-made" by Jon (who spent years rebuilding vintage gear for LA studios), and Peter (longtime LA musician and preamp guru), who won't okay a transformer design until they get exactly the sound they're looking for. With a rack full of EM series preamps, you can put those ears and 60 years of combined experience to work for you and bring your recordings to new sonic heights.

Another color for the EM palette

The EM-Gold combines the output transformer of the A-Designs EM-Silver, which will translate into a darker sound, and the input transformer of the A-Designs EM-Red, which gives you "up-front" mids. As a result, the EM-Gold brings more midrange frequencies to the lower end of the sonic spectrum, which makes it an excellent choice for drum miking (toms in particular). It also excels on various guitars (especially if you want that midrange "chunk" that moves the speakers), vocals, MP3/drum machines, and bass — and if you've ever heard the A Designs REDDI, you know that nobody knows their way around bass tone better than A Designs Audio.

Solid build quality and functionality The A-Designs 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 reversal, 62dB of gain, 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. Most of all, the EM-Gold is another stellar example of the A Designs Audio mission: pro audio made affordable, and quality without compromise.

Requires the A Designs R52 (product # 180038) dual slot external power supply (See accessory box below).

A-Designs EM-Gold Preamp Module Features:

• Custom wound input and output transformers
• 1/4-inch Hi-Z direct inject input for instruments
• 48-volt phantom power (with LED indicator)
• -20dB pad switch
• Phase reverse switch
• 62dB aluminum cast gain knob
• Original design (no clones!)

To add low-mid punch to your recordings, go for the gold . . . EM-Gold!