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of rear or front inputs with the 1/4" instrument option. Unique to the Trion section is the FIX function that employs a selectable second set of recessed (screwdriver-accessible) input trims. While this may seem odd, what this does is essentially give you a preset input level that you can recall when needed by engaging the FIX button. Say you have a set of drums permanently set up in your studio and you have the preamps on the overheads set to the perfect amount of headroom. You can preset that level with the recessed trims, then repatch the Trion preamps elsewhere, go on to vocal takes and such, but instantly return to your overhead levels when it’s time for the next drum session.

Sound variants Now that the science and history lessons are over, what do these actually sound like? Well, you may have heard me talk about it before in other reviews, but these are at their simplest good, solid, neutral sounding console pres. I make that distinction because in today’s world of flavor upon flavor and clean upon clean preamp choices, these preamps fall nicely in the middle. As such they stack up incredibly well in a mix—neither getting heavy-handed and muddy, nor sterile and cold. They should stack well, because they came from an era when songs were mixed on consoles, with 8 to 48 of the same preamps.

Section 2: 32c / MR Series – These are the classic preamps found in the famous ’70s–’80s era consoles like Bruce Swedien’s Thriller board and the one from ABBA’s Polar Studios. These preamps use low-noise, parallel discrete inputs coupled with electrically balanced line outputs. Their input impedance is 7000 ohms to 1360 ohms when padded, and they have the lowest headroom at 60 dB. Section 3: Series 10 / PRO950 – This was the preamp of the late ’80s and early ’90s Harrison boards that introduced digitally controlled attenuators as well as early Mac-based automation. The Series 10b’s clean, solid sound quickly became a staple of Hollywood production rooms. This preamp has an input impedance of 1300 ohms to 1360 ohms padded, and the second-highest gain of the bunch at 63 dB. Section 4: Series 12 / LPC (Live Performance Console) – Harrison’s consoles of the ’90s and 2000s used this preamp with its single discrete electronic input and dual-driven FET compensated output. The consoles that used this preamp became heavy hitters in the live arena, being used by the largest sound reinforcement company of the day, ShowCo, as well as being the house board for the Grand Ole Opry. These mic preamps feature the same impedance as the Series 10 with slightly less gain at 61 dB.

Each preamp section has its own nuance while still managing to share a similar signature that you could call the Harrison sound of solid, clean and forward. As mentioned, the Trion is the most modern and clean of the bunch, with a top end similar to preamps like Grace Design, Millennia Media and John Hardy, minus the clinical crispness and sheen of those models. On to the classic 32 Series... it’s too easy to call this “vintage” and then conjure up images of thickness and vibe. Instead I would look at it as the punchiest and most tight and forward of the bunch and since it has the lowest headroom, part of its charm is you can push it harder for a hint of more harmonic grit. The Series 10 preamp is the second most open and clean of the bunch and is probably the most neutral and versatile of the group. Lastly the Series 12 is probably the most sonically unique of them all, offering a thicker weight that is wider and even a touch woolier than the rest. Again, I must re-iterate, all four do share a similar sonic nature, and these differences point out how they sound in relation to each other. This is not like having a Univeral Audio 610, Chandler TG-2, API 512, and TRUE Systems SOLO in one box.

In use I went into this review assuming that I would gravitate to the classic 32c most of the time, and I did, for sheer nostalgia, especially when coupled with Great River’s 32 eq. It really does have the forward, yet clean sound that, along with SSL, defined the ’80s. However, I was pleasantly seduced by the sonic charms of the other channels as well. I would call the Series 10 the best all-rounder of the bunch, offering a nice balance between the Trion and 32c. I think the Series 12 surprised me the most, as I naively expected each mic preamp to get cleaner, quieter and more open as one moves up the timeline, and the 12 quickly throws a wrench into that. It really is the thickest of the family, and on electric guitar especially it had a tone most suited to hard rock and metal of the bunch. Of course the Trion was perfect for modern, clean, and precise music tracks, especially those with acoustic elements. It’s hard to be more instrument-specific, as I liked each of them on pretty much everything. This holds true for pairing with mics as well. These preamps have plenty of clean gain and do not care if you are using tube condensers, dynamics or ribbon mics. If I had to nail down some favorites, I personally love the 32c for vocals as it was the most forward. On electric guitars, the Series 10 for solid clarity, and conversely the Series 12 when I wanted the guitars to sound slightly bigger. Of course the Trion excels on acoustic guitar, as does the Series 10, and lastly the Trion’s instrument input worked great on a DI’d bass with a nice accuracy that was easy to eq in the mix. On a 4-piece drum kit, the Lineage worked well with the 32c on snare and front of kit, the Series 12 on kick and hats, the Series 10 on overheads and the Trion on rack and floor tom. Conclusions Again, the thing about the Lineage is that, despite each section’s differences, it still has a sonic signature that offers coherence to the tracks that would be harder to get with a selection of preamps from multiple manufacturers. As such it strikes a rare balance for those wanting an 8-channel mic pre, but still craving variety, as well as those who want similarity. The only downside is, you will inevitably find someone who wants 4–8 channels of just one flavor (500 series breakout anyone?). Bottom line, finally there is a Harrison for the rest of us, as another classic tone becomes available to mixerless studios everywhere! Price: $2995 More from: Harrison, www.harrisonconsoles.com
RECORDING FEBRUARY 2012

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Recording - February 2012

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