Authentic Neve Dual 1073 Channel Strip for the Modern Studio
Coveted by top engineers and producers since its introduction in 1970, the Neve 1073 channel amplifier represents the Holy Grail of characterful microphone preamplification and the epitome of definitive “British EQ.” The 1073 mic/line input module defined the punchy, authoritative sound of the legendary Neve 80-series consoles that dominated professional recording studios in the Golden Age of Analog. Today, you can obtain this iconic sound for your studio with the AMS Neve 1073DPX 2-channel Mic/Line/DI Preamp & EQ rackmount unit. Built to the exact specifications of the original with matched components to ensure sonic authenticity and updated with modern features to meet the demands of today’s studio workflows, the 1073DPX is a powerful, flexible channel strip that gives you a rich tonal palette for making audacious statements with your music.
Since the 1970s, the Neve 1073 has reigned as the most sought-after mic preamp and equalizer on the planet — one reason being its inimitable sound; another its impressive versatility. With a generous 80dB of gain on tap, the 1073 handles even your lowest-output passive ribbon mics on quiet sources. While today’s 1073DPX retains all its vintage bona fides, AMS Neve remains an R&D-driven company that continually improves their classic designs to meet and exceed the performance requirements of today’s hybrid analog-digital workflows. The name Rupert Neve is synonymous with custom transformer-balanced Class A circuitry, and AMS Neve continues to innovate in that realm with their proprietary state-of-the-art Neve Marinair specification transformers, found on the input and output stages of the 1073DPX. With their “big iron” transformers, Neve consoles deliver wide, linear bandwidth while maintaining audiophile quality throughout the spectrum for rich, full-bodied sound with formidable lows, assertive midrange presence, and sweet, airy highs.
Decked out in classic RAF blue-gray livery, the 1073DPX Preamp & EQ offers you a user experience like no other. The robust build quality of the 1073DPX — including its rotary switches, stout metalwork, and internal circuitry — is manifestly superior even to most of today’s high-end pro audio gear. And it’s a joy to use. In operation, everything feels just right, from the spoon-in-honey throw of the pots to the satisfyingly precise click of the switches. As was all pro audio gear of the era, vintage Neve equipment was built with mil-spec parts and materials — which, together with their extraordinary sonics, explains why we still see half-century-old Neve consoles in major studios worldwide. This is how they used to build professional audio equipment — and AMS Neve still does.
At Music Experience, the name Neve commands reverence. Rupert Neve started designing audio equipment in the tube console era but made his mark with solid-state designs. Setting up shop in Little Shelford in the ’60s, Mr. Neve faced many obstacles establishing his brand amid a new technological landscape. Transistors were new, expensive, and difficult to obtain in quantity in the UK. Reliable faders didn’t exist yet — a far cry from today’s world, where parts are affordable and readily available from multiple suppliers, all competing to win bids. Nevertheless, Rupert persisted. And by the early 1970s, the Neve company was humming along, taking orders and building custom transformer-balanced consoles for recording and broadcast studios the world over.
Neve 80-series consoles had a huge, punchy, and authoritative sound that defined the sound of ’70s rock. From London to New York to Los Angeles and beyond, top studios were installing Neve desks as fast as they could. By 1978, with the introduction of the majestic 8078 — the pinnacle of handwired analog “production” consoles — and NECAM automation system, Neve boards were the main component of the success formula for any recording studio with world-class aspirations. In the decades since, AMS Neve has innovated with groundbreaking products such as the VR, VX, and 88R series consoles. And today, the company continues to advance the state of the art with cutting-edge pro audio gear that sounds incredible and intelligently addresses the challenges of the digital age.
Twice the Neve Punch
The 1073DPX has two channels of 1073® Class A design microphone preamplifiers, each with 3-band EQ (fixed HF plus two switchable bands with cut/boost capability) and a high-pass filter. With two 1073® preamps packed into a modern 2U 19″ rack format, the 1073DPX provides everything needed to record a variety of performance setups. Stereo micing setups, such as piano or drums, work perfectly through the dual-channel DPX, while singer-songwriters can use each channel independently for acoustic guitar and vocal simultaneously.
Exclusive Marinair® transformers are used on the input and output stages to produce that classic 1073® sound; both line and mic inputs are transformer-balanced. The 1073DPX retains the discrete, Class-A topology made famous by the classic 1073®, combining modern production techniques—including in-house SMT—with through-hole construction for the Marinair® transformers and transistor-based amplifiers.
The classic 5dB stepped Elma switch delivers accurate gain levels throughout the gain range, eliminating the need for a mic/line switch, as the pot itself selects the preamp and input. Three distinct gain stages from two independent transistor-based preamplifiers provide gain for DI, line input, or microphone signal, delivering up to 80dB of microphone gain with rich musical drive and harmonic saturation.
The 1073DPX includes two instrument DIs, one per channel, perfect for capturing a duet performance without additional equipment. Independent switching of front and rear inputs allows flexible integration into a studio setup, including use through a patch bay, with switchable front combi-connectors for direct recording into the unit.
The three-band inductor-based EQ is designed for musicality. Each frequency point was carefully selected by Rupert Neve and his team to enhance sound quality across the spectrum. Custom hand-wound inductors, made exclusively in the UK, often exceed the strict 1073® specification. Expand the channel strips with the balanced +4dBu insert send/return loop for pre/post EQ insertion, enabling custom signal flows with outboard processors or pedals.
Rotary level pots function independently, running from -inf to +5, offering ample headroom for precise signal control back into the DAW. Two independent 7-stage LED meters using PPM ballistics display signals from -33dB to +24dB at variable points in the signal chain: I/P shows preamp gain, EQ shows inductor EQ adjustments, and O/P shows final output gain for perfect signal flow monitoring.
Front-mounted headphone monitoring provides latency-free mono or stereo monitoring for tracking, independent preamp output for signal splitting, and allows jamming through one or both channels without powering recording equipment.
| Preamp Type | Solid State |
|---|---|
| Number of Channels | 2 |
| Phantom Power | Yes |
| Pads | -20dB |
| Polarity Switch | Yes |
| EQ | 3-band EQ, Highpass Filter |
| Analog Inputs | 2 x XLR-1/4" combo (mic/line), 4 x XLR (mic/line) |
| Analog Outputs | 2 x XLR (line) |
| Headphones | 1 x 1/4" |
| Other I/O | 2 x 1/4" (DI), 4 x 1/4" (send/return) |
| Rack Spaces | 2U |
| Power Source | 48V DC power supply (included) |
| Height | 3.5" |
| Depth | 14" |
| Width | 19" |
| Weight | 22 lbs. |
| Manufacturer Part Number | 1073DPX |
