BAE 1073 Mic Pre/EQ Module

Hand-wired, 10-series module recreates the character of the Neve™ 1073 mic pre/EQ

The BAE 1073 Module is as close as you can get to the original Neve 1073, unless Mr. Rupert Neve himself were still building them at his converted rectory in Little Shelford, England. The BAE 1073 Mic Pre/EQ Module features the same St Ives (Carnhill) transformers as the vintage modules, Elma switches, and Canford wire. If you put the two side by side (BAE 1073 and vintage 1073), open or closed, you’d be hard-pressed to find a difference between the two, except perhaps for the front-panel logos. Revered for its high-end sheen and larger-than-life sound, the original Neve™ 1073 remains the reigning monarch of audio royalty since its introduction in 1970, and the BAE 1073 pays careful homage to that legacy, right down to its ability to retrofit in vintage Neve 80 Series consoles. Most importantly, the BAE 1073 gives you the classic sound you expect from the first name in Neve recreations: British Audio Engineering; BAE.

BAE 1073 Mic Pre/EQ Module features:

• Classic sound and look of the Neve 1073
• Completely hand-wired
• Carnhill (St. Ives) transformers
• The “big iron” console sound of the ’60s and ’70s
• Will fit seamlessly into vintage Neve consoles (see customer testimonials below)
• Made in USA

When Mr. Rupert Neve designed his various mic/pre/EQ modules, the idea was to populate the Neve 80-series consoles with a selection of modules with marginal differences in EQ curves for a wider sonic palette, while maintaining the a uniformity of sonic character overall. To that end, the 1066, 1073, 1081, or 1084 preamp/EQ modules share the same mic/line amplifier, but differ in terms of available EQ shelves and frequency selections. Of all the modules, the 1073, with its 12kHz high-frequency shelf spoke the loudest to makers of rock and pop music, and has been the hands-down favorite for decades. Naturally, anyone trying to duplicate that sound had better be up to the task, and thus far, BAE has risen to the occasion in both sound, build-quality and performance.

Inside the Box

The BAE1073 is completely hand-wired using Carnhill (St. Ives) transformers and has the same mic-line pre-amp as the BAE 1073. However, the 1066D adds a few different frequencies to your pallet. It features a discrete, 3-band EQ with low-, mid- (presence), and high-frequency controls, with hi-pass filter. The shape of frequency curves and the frequencies themselves have been carefully chosen to provide maximum flexibility. The BAE 1073 Mic Pre Module not only fits into the BAE 8-Channel Powered Rack (as do vintage Neve modules), but also fits seamlessly into classic Neve 80-series consoles. The achieve this feat, the BAE 1073 Mic Pre Module is engineered in exactly the same way as the originals: the same chassis construction, connectors, printed circuit board layouts, hand-wired looms, and circuitry.

Outside the Box

The same unmistakable color as the original, vintage blue front panel of the BAE 1073 has two dual-concentric knobs for EQ frequency selection and gain, high-frequency shelf knob, and rotary selectors for LF filter and gain (0 – 80dB). It also has two small rectangular buttons for EQ on/off and phase reverse. On the rear panel is a 300/1200 ohm toggle switch for mic input impedance.

BAE 1073 Mic Pre Module front-panel controls:

• High Frequency: +/-16dB fixed frequency shelving at 12kHz
• Low Frequency: +/-16dB shelving with selectable frequencies of 35Hz, 60Hz, 110Hz, 220Hz.
• Mid Range: +/-18dB peaking, fixed 'Q' with, selectable centre frequencies of 0.36kHz, 0.7kHz, 1.6kHz, 3.2kHz, 4.8kHz, 7.2kHz
• High Pass Filter: 18dB per octave slope, switchable between 50Hz, 80Hz, 160Hz, 300Hz
• EQ Button switches the equalizer on or off
• Phase button: 180º

Who’s Using BAE:

"BAE has been an integral part of my record making for many, many years now. I have owned the mic pre's, EQ's, and racks for years. The dedication to costumer service is something one can count on. With the advent of the Avedis 1122 OpAmp, the classic 2520 opamp was brought forward into the future. Mark has also made a point at looking back at certain designs and his attention to detail shows in the new products that he is working on. I am very happy to announce and toast Mark's (Loughman) new ownership in the company. I forecast excellent things to come. — Ross Hogarth, Grammy-winning producer-engineer

"During the recording of many of the Steven Slate Drums sessions, we used lots of BAE mic pres and equalizers. They made it easy to get some of the best drum sounds I've ever heard." — Steven Slate Drums

“What all 312a users say about clarity and punch is absolutely true. They are very versatile pre amps and aside from the obvious with guitars, drums, and vocals, I really enjoy using these pre's with bass and synth sequences.” Ilan Rubin (NIN, Paramore, Lostprophets)

“I love my BAE mic pre-amp. It makes my tracks sound lovelier!” — Jane Wiedlin, The Go-Go's

“I was just screwing around with my BAE 1084 when it hit me, wonder what my Space Bass would sound like in this. I plugged it in and the sound was so pure and natural I thought I was on stage in the ‘Mothership.’ This thing sings with tone, punch, and straight-up good, solid sound that will stand out in a mix with loud drums and guitars.” – Bootsy Collins

“Two thumbs way up! In my opinion, the BAE 1073 and 1084 modules sound every bit as good as the original Neve modules I have used my whole career (we've had blind fold audio "shoot out" tests in my vintage Neve room and there is absolutely no difference). Nothing comes as close to my original Neve EQ/mic preamps as BAE products. And in my opinion, BAE products surpass all the competition in build quality; from the point-to-point wiring, to the audio traces on their cards, original St Ives (Carnhill) transformers, nickel plating, impeccable craftsmanship, and wow! —no old dirty switches and pots. (Did I mention they plugged right in to my vintage Neve 8014 frame from 1970 flawlessly!) Plus, Mark and the staff over at BAE are totally professional and a pleasure to deal with.” — Andy Kravitz, drummer, producer, engineer

Discography: (Imogen Heap, Billy Joel, The Rolling Stones, Simon Townshend, Robbie Krieger, Urge Overkill, Lizzy Grant, The Cheeters, Cypress Hill, James Taylor, Los Lobos, Soloman Burke, Joan Osborne, Taj Mahal, Mark Broussard, Norwood Fisher, Shawn Colvin, Hundred Year Flood, and Sting)

About BAE (British Audio Engineering)

Answering to a higher authority (maintaining the legacy of Mr. Rupert Neve), BAE puts nothing but the very best and their very best into every unit they built. Under the guidance of president/CEO Mark Loughman and Neve guru, Avedis Kifedjian, BAE uses the only highest quality components from the original suppliers, such as Carnhill (formerly St. Ives) and Jensen. All BAE products use discrete electronics and are completely hand-built and wired point-to point (no circuit boards). For more information about BAE, check out RSPE’s Designer’s Perspective feature and get a first-hand look at the inner workings of BAE.

Get the classic Neve sound plus greater frequency control and precision performance with BAE’s 1073. Call or chat with an RSPE representative today.