{"product_id":"neve-1081-classic-80-series-microphone-preamp-eq-horizontal","title":"Neve 1081 Classic 80-series Microphone Preamp \u0026 EQ (Horizontal)","description":"\u003cp\u003e[custom_html]\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-info__description__text\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e80-series Mic\/Line\/EQ Module with 80dB Mic Input Gain, 4-band EQ, Variable HPF and LPF, Polarity Flip, and Transformer-balanced I\/O - Horizontal\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e[\/custom_html]\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eThe Essential Preamp and EQ for Instruments and Vocals\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGet to know our team of experts! This article was written by our Product Research Team. The vintage Neve 1081 preamp\/equalizer module has long been coveted by veteran recording engineers. Designed in 1972 as an upgrade to the 1073, the 1081 channel amplifier was spec’d as standard equipment in iconic 80-series consoles such as the 8048. The 1081 retained the weight, sweetness, punch, and overall musicality of its predecessor while providing an expanded 4-band inductor-based equalizer circuit that offered a dramatic improvement in tone-sculpting capability over the 3-band EQ available on the 1073. Today’s Neve 1081 Classic delivers the sonic authority and bulletproof build quality of the original and is available in both vertical and horizontal formats. The vertical module is designed for mounting in classic 80-series consoles and 8-module racks; while the horizontal unit mounts in 3U stereo-pair racks. A half century on, the 1081 Classic continues to define the legendary Neve sound and remains an indispensable studio tool for crafting hard-hitting radio-ready mixes that blast right out of the speakers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch4\u003eDefinitive Neve Preamplification\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIts burly faceplate smartly turned out in classic RAF blue-gray livery, the Neve 1081 features the vintage visuals of the large-format recording consoles that graced world-class studio control rooms in the 1970s — the Golden Age of Analog. As that decade advanced, so too did Neve circuit designs. Under the bonnet, the 1081 was the first Neve console module to utilize Class AB technology; leveraging the greater efficiency associated with Class B while sidestepping its inherent crossover distortion by allowing the transistors to share the preamplification load by remaining in an always-on state. The 1081 Classic uses one transistor-based preamplifier to supply all gain levels — a more efficient design than the 1073. The 1081’s premium gold-plated 3-bank Elma switch supplies precision gain levels at 5dB steps across the gain range. Negating the requirement for a mic\/line switch, this unique arrangement employs the pot itself to select the preamp and input. The 1081’s advanced engineering allows it to deliver up to 80dB of highly musical-sounding gain with lightning-quick, hyper-detailed transient response, which makes it perfect for capturing demanding sources like drums and percussion with crystalline clarity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch4\u003eDefinitive Neve EQ\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 1081 equalizer section represents a refinement of the earlier 1073 design. It uses similar inductor-based technology and is quite similar in overall sound quality. Although the venerable 1073 sounds amazing and remains very much in demand 50 years later, its 3-band EQ is rather limiting when it comes to sound shaping. The 1081’s 4-band EQ, on the other hand, allows you to surgically sculpt signals to perfection. Its two midbands have more comprehensive frequency selections, while Hi Q switches provide even greater control for the vast majority of program material. The high and low shelving bands not only offer broader frequency points but switchable bell curve options as well. Separate 18dB\/octave capacitor\/resistor highpass and lowpass filters, each with five selectable frequency roll-off points, make it easy to eliminate undesirable signals outside the passband. Together with a flexible, great-sounding 4-band EQ, the 1081 equalizer is a powerful studio tool gives you total control to shape any part of the audio spectrum.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch4\u003eLegendary, Authoritative “Big Iron” Sound\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSince the 1970s, the Neve 1073 and its descendants have reigned supreme as the most sought-after mic preamps and equalizers on the planet — one reason being their inimitable sound; another their impressive versatility. With a generous 80dB of gain on tap, these preamps handle even your lowest-output passive ribbon mics on quiet sources. While today’s 1081 Classic retains all its vintage bona fides, AMS Neve remains an R\u0026amp;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 Neve is synonymous with custom transformer-balanced circuitry, and they continue to innovate in that realm with their proprietary state-of-the-art Marinair transformers found on the input and output stages of the 1081 Classic. With its “big iron” transformers, the Neve 1081 Classic delivers 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch4\u003eMilitary-Grade Build Quality\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHandcrafted in the UK by Neve engineers, the 1081 Classic offers you a user experience like no other. The robust build quality of the 1081 — 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 satisfying feel of its classic Marconi knobs and precise click of its stepped frequency selections — very handy for easy settings recall and precise channel matching when using two units in stereo. 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch4\u003eThe Sound That Changed Music Forever\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch4\u003eThe Legend Continues\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNeve 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, 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat Neve Says...\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eThe Indispensable Tool for All Instruments and Vocals\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDesigned in 1972, the 1081 was originally conceived as a combined mic\/line preamp and equaliser section for the Neve® modular consoles. It quickly became one of the best-loved mic preamps of all time. In practice, over three decades of engineers have found the 1081 an indispensable tool for recording and mixing drums, bass, and percussion.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe 1081 is entirely handcrafted in the UK by Neve® Engineers. A lot of work goes into the construction of each unit, ensuring ultimate quality before leaving the factory and arriving in your studio. The 1081 uses the same exclusive Marinair® transformers as the 1073® in its microphone and line input stages, with the addition of a non-gapped balanced output transformer enabled by the A\/B design.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAs Neve® consoles evolved, the circuit designs became more advanced. The 1081 was the first console module to utilise class A\/B circuitry; class B circuitry provides greater efficiency for its transistors but can introduce crossover distortion. Neve Engineers employed a class A\/B design to get around this, allowing the transistors to share the preamplification load while remaining in an always-on state, effectively removing crossover distortion.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe classic, gold plated, 3-bank Elma switch delivers accurate gain levels at 5dB steps throughout the gain range. This unique layout means there is no need for a mic\/line switch; the pot itself selects the preamp and input. The 1081 uses one transistor-based preamplifier to provide all gain levels, a more efficient design than the 1073®. The 1081’s efficient class A\/B designed preamplifier provides a high gain output of up to 80dB with a detailed, fast, and musical response to transients. This is ideal for capturing percussive instruments with perfect clarity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe 1081 EQ section is an advancement on the earlier 1073® EQ. The ultimate sound quality remains using similar inductor-based technology, but the EQ palette was expanded to four bands following customer-led research. In addition, two mid bands with more comprehensive frequency selections and high Q settings provide greater control for the majority of program material, and the high and low shelving bands not only have broader frequency points but switchable bell curve settings.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe 1081 features separate capacitor\/resistor high and low pass filters, each with five selectable frequency roll-off points at 18dB\/Octave designed to separate unwanted signals outside the passband. When combined with the four-band EQ, this flexible tool allows you to shape new sounds and control any part of the audio spectrum. The 180-degree phase flip feature is handy in multi-microphone setups with multiple preamps, ideal for top and bottom snare micing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe 1081 module has two impedance settings accessed via the rear-mounted Hi\/Lo switch. With settings of 1.2kΩ and 300Ω, the impedance can be optimised for use with a wide range of modern or vintage microphones. The 1081 comes in two orientations, vertical and horizontal. Vertical orientation modules can be installed into a console or an 8-module rack. Additionally, horizontal modules can be installed into the 3U stereo pair rack.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e[tabs] [tab title=\"FEATURES\"]\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eNeve 1081 Classic 80-series Microphone Preamp \u0026amp; EQ Features:\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLegendary Neve microphone preamp and equalizer design (Class AB)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProprietary Marinair transformers used on input and output stages\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePreamp gain control via premium gold-plated Elma switch\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e80dB of mic preamp gain handles all your microphones\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e4 switchable EQ bands\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSwitchable Hi Q settings for 2 midbands\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHP and LP selectable filters (18dB\/octave)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePolarity reverse\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSolo button selects channel unbalanced output\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSpare button for external switching\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e1.2kΩ and 300Ω impedance settings accessed via rear-panel Hi\/Lo switch, allowing for optimization with wide range of vintage or modern mics\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePrecisely handwired and assembled to original 1972 specifications\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHandcrafted by Neve engineers in the UK\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNot standalone: mounts in compatible rack\/console; requires 48V phantom power supply\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cul class=\"webtext-block--colcount\"\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"webtext-block--colcount\"\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"webtext-block--colcount\"\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e[\/tab] [tab title=\"SPECIFICATIONS\"]\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003csection class=\"product-specs\"\u003e\n\u003ctable class=\"table table-striped\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth style=\"white-space:nowrap; width:1%;\"\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cstrong class=\"table__header\"\u003ePreamp Type\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cspan\u003e80 Series Solid State Preamp (horizontal)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth style=\"white-space:nowrap; width:1%;\"\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cstrong class=\"table__header\"\u003eNumber of Channels\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cspan\u003e1\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth style=\"white-space:nowrap; width:1%;\"\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cstrong class=\"table__header\"\u003ePhantom Power\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cspan\u003eYes\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth style=\"white-space:nowrap; width:1%;\"\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cstrong class=\"table__header\"\u003eEQ\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cspan\u003e4-band EQ, Hi Q Mid Bands, Bandpass Filter\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth style=\"white-space:nowrap; width:1%;\"\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cstrong class=\"table__header\"\u003eFrequency Response\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cspan\u003e20Hz-20kHz (±0.5dB)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth style=\"white-space:nowrap; width:1%;\"\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cstrong class=\"table__header\"\u003ePolarity Switch\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cspan\u003eYes\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth style=\"white-space:nowrap; width:1%;\"\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cstrong class=\"table__header\"\u003eModule Slot Size\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSingle\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth style=\"white-space:nowrap; width:1%;\"\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cstrong class=\"table__header\"\u003ePower Usage\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cspan\u003e24V DC, 192mA\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth style=\"white-space:nowrap; width:1%;\"\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cstrong class=\"table__header\"\u003eHeight\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cspan\u003e1.8\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth style=\"white-space:nowrap; width:1%;\"\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cstrong class=\"table__header\"\u003eDepth\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cspan\u003e10.8\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth style=\"white-space:nowrap; width:1%;\"\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cstrong class=\"table__header\"\u003eWidth\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cspan\u003e10.9\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth style=\"white-space:nowrap; width:1%;\"\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cstrong class=\"table__header\"\u003eWeight\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cspan\u003e6.4 lbs.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth style=\"white-space:nowrap; width:1%;\"\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cstrong class=\"table__header\"\u003eManufacturer Part Number\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cspan\u003e1081-CLASSIC-H\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\n\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003c\/section\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca class=\"anchor\" id=\"reviews\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003csection class=\"product-reviews\"\u003e\u003cheader class=\"product-reviews__header\"\u003e\u003c\/header\u003e\u003c\/section\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e[\/tab][\/tabs]\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Neve","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47846529171670,"sku":null,"price":71495.0,"currency_code":"ZAR","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0668\/1001\/files\/neve-1081-classic-80-series-microphone-preamp-eq-horizontal-1.jpg?v=1771244294","url":"https:\/\/www.musicexperience.co.za\/products\/neve-1081-classic-80-series-microphone-preamp-eq-horizontal","provider":"Music Experience","version":"1.0","type":"link"}