Hey there, I'm selling my amazing sounding Neve 1073 LB 500-series preamp in excellent condition.

This has been well cared for and I've had excellent results in my home studio using it alongside my Neve 1073 SPX 19" rack units. I'm consolidating things right now and selling this to help finance a larger studio investment.

Consistency and Depth

The 1073 LB is an exceptional Class A Mic/Line Preamp, with transformers on the input and output stage. There are dozens of clones of this circuit out there, and after A/B'ing multiple preamps and plugins, with different microphones and sources, I've come back to the Neve every time.

If you're new to the game, there's a reason why these have the reputation they do. The consistency of the tone, rich harmonic character, depth, and balanced frequency distribution make this preamp ideal for every single microphone type, (dynamic, LDC, Ribbon, etc.), mic price range, and source I've paired it with. Plug in a 57 or a Neumann, and it's going to sound great every time.

DI

Also, this is one of the best DI's I've ever used on any instrument, especially synths and bass/guitar. Instant bass sound. The DI alone would probably be a $500+ DI if sold under any other name. Plus, the combi-jack allows you to leave things set up, then quickly switch between two sources when you're tracking and mixing. Amazing value for money.

Build Quality

The build quality and design is next level. I used to live in an apartment that had crazy RFI-noise from a nearby cell tower, and compared to all of my other gear, including BAE which I love, this was the quietest, most well-shielded, and balanced preamp I've used. Noise is just not an issue.

The Sound: Analog Warmth and Clarity

It's incredibly easy to get an excellent sound by doing basically nothing. The gain, impedance setting (LoZ switch), phase switch, and output trim control, give you a ton of flexibility in shaping the tone and "character" on the way in.Try toggling LoZ on and off!

The baseline sound is accurate and evenly balanced - it imparts a finished touch to any source and let's you really hear what's happening. The circuit responds exceptionally well to EQ, making it an ideal preamp when sculpting and emulating the tone for any genre. If you want a more API type sound, just use a stock DAW EQ to highpass a bit - it'll surprise you how easily your perception of the transients will shift from serious warmth and weight to lightning fast response. For all of its famous character, the rich analog warmth has a clarity too that will give you a pristine capture even if you're looking for something "uncolored or "more modern sounding."

I've used tons of preamps: (RND 511, BAE 73, WA-73, UA 610, UAD, Metric Halo, Focusrite etc., including other Neve's like the 88R), and still come back to the 1073 for its smoothness, weight, and 3-D imaging. It just has the sound.

Not trying to fanboy too much here, but when I was starting out and making the step up from stock interface pre's, the consistency of these preamps has led me to eliminate variables from my setup and regularly achieve high-quality results. There's no guesswork and knob twiddling. The 1073 lets you focus on the performance, mic placement, and room sound, knowing you've got one of the best foundations out there.

Neve 1073 LB 500 Series Preamp.

• Transformer-balanced Class A Mic/Line preamp
• Neve Marinair transformers on input and output stages
• Both Mic and Line inputs are transformer balanced and earth free
• Gain knob with Signal Presence LED; Phase reverse (180° phase) switch
• +5/-20dB level Output Trim control with integrated 48V phantom power on/off switch
• Polarity reverse, Impedance, and Front Input selector switches
• Front XLR/TRS combo connector with intelligent phantom power switching
• Audio Processing Insert feature allows processing from adjacent 1073 LBEQ and/or 2264ALB modules to be inserted into the 1073LB’s pre-output stage
• Line Input: Impedance 4kΩ bridging, gain -20dB to +10dB in 5dB steps
• Microphone Input: Selectable impedance (300Ω/1200Ω), gain +20dB to +80dB in 5dB steps
• Output is transformer balanced and earth free
• Designed and crafted in England by AMS Neve engineers

From a Smoke-Free, Pet-Free Studio.

*I also have a second 1073 LB on my shop page as well as some other gear for sale if you want to check it out! This listing is just for one 1073 LB preamp. If you're interested in purchasing both, please reach out to let me know, and we can potentially work a deal.

There are a few minor surface scuffs on the sides from racking, but the face plate, knobs, etc. are in excellent condition.

Thanks for your interest!

All the best,

Robert