Neve 1073OPX 8-channel Microphone Preamp with Remote Control and USB/Dante Option Card

The industry’s most esteemed front end

With its uniquely euphonic tonal quality, seductive warmth, low-mid punch, and subtle harmonic distortion, the Neve 1073 has, for a half century, provided studios of all sizes with the industry’s most esteemed front end for producing radio-ready product that blasts right out of the speakers. Carrying on the 1073 pedigree, the AMS Neve 1073OPX gives you eight remote-controlled 1073 preamps with Neve Marinair specification transformers. It also offers USB and Dante digital connectivity courtesy of its pre-installed digital I/O module, priming the legendary Neve preamp sound for its next half century of prominence. The 1073OPX packs eight legendary 1073 preamps into a 2U rack unit with front and rear connectors for comprehensive connectivity to any studio, stage, or broadcast environment, while modern remote-control software gives you two-way control with total recall of all settings. Mic input sources benefit from Neve’s proprietary Marinair transformer-coupled input stage, and sources can be connected directly to the front-panel mic/line/DI inputs for convenient recording in the studio control room.

Included USB/Dante Digital Module

Factory installed in your AMS Neve 1073OPX, the Digital I/O card adds a USB and Dante AD/DA interface with eight channels of analog-to-digital conversion for each 1073OPX preamp output, plus two channels of digital-to-analog conversion for the digital monitor return signal path. The USB connection allows the 1073OPX to be connected to a DAW running on PC or Mac and can serve as your primary/Core Audio interface. In addition to the USB connection, primary and secondary Dante connections permit the 1073OPX to be connected to any Dante Audio-over-IP network as a Dante-enabled preamp.

Legendary, authoritative “big iron” sound

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 70dB of gain on tap, the 1073OPX handles even your lowest-output passive ribbon mics on quiet sources. While today’s 1073OPX 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 state-of-the-art Marinair transformers, found on the mic inputs of the 1073OPX. 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.

Military-grade build quality

The 1073OPX 8-channel Mic/Line/DI Preamp offers you a user experience like no other. The robust build quality of the 1073OPX — 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 satisfying precision click of the switches to the spoon-in-honey throw of headphone level pot. 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.

The legend continues

At Sweetwater, 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.

AMS Neve 1073OPX 8-channel Microphone Preamp with Remote Control & USB/Dante Option Card Features:

• 8 channels of remote-controlled 1073 mic/line/DI preamplifiers
• Proprietary Neve Marinair transformers on microphone input
• Class A transformer-less DI input
• Remote control software can control up to 8 1073OPX racks at a time (64 preamps)
• Automatic total recall of all settings
• Front-panel mic/line/DI combo input
• Rear-panel mic/line/DI D-type connection
• 80Hz highpass filter; 25dB pad; Polarity reverse
• Smart phantom power control
• Lo-Z button switches impedance from 1.3kΩ to 300Ω
• Microphone input: Gain 20dB to 70dB in 1dB steps
• Line input: Gain –20dB to +20dB in 1dB steps
• DI input: Gain 30dB to 60dB in 1dB steps
• Separate stereo monitor path with independent level control
• Latency-free monitoring of all signal sources
• 8 front-panel DI inputs for instrument tracking
• Front-panel headphone output
• Digital I/O module adds USB, Dante, and word clock connectivity
• Designed and crafted in England by AMS Neve engineers

Tech Specs

• Preamp Type:Solid State
• Number of Channels:8
• Phantom Power:Yes
• Pads:-25dB
• Polarity Switch:Yes
• EQ:Highpass Filter (80Hz)
• Analog Inputs:8 x XLR/1/4" combo (mic, line, DI), 2 x XLR (L/R monitor), 2 x DB-25 (mic/line, 8 channels each)
• Analog Outputs:2 x XLR (L/R monitor), 1 x DB-25 (line, 8 channels)
• USB:1 x Type B
• Clock I/O:1 x Word Clock
• Headphones:1 x 1/4" TRS
• Computer Connectivity:2 x Ethernet Cat5e/Cat6
• Other I/O:1 x RJ-45 (control)
• Rack Spaces:2U
• Power Source:Standard IEC AC cable
• Height:3.5"
• Depth:14.17"
• Width:19.05"
• Weight:17.19 lbs.
• Manufacturer Part Number:1073OPX-Bundle