Recording - October 2012 - 22
B Y PA U L V N U K J R .
Edwards Audio Research LE-10 Mic Preamp
A new name in audio design delivers a remarkable debut product
The LE-10 Microphone Preamp is a new 2channel vacuum tube mic pre from Edwards Audio Research, a brand new company. The LE-10 comes in both single- and dual-channel configurations; it was designed by Bill Bruins and Paul Edwards and is hand-built by Paul Edwards in Norwalk, CA. This is about as boutique as it gets! Looks, features, and specs I received the 2-channel unit for review. It is a 2-space rack unit with a pair of ultra-large, backlit vintage-style VU meters in its center. If you look at the picture of the LE-10 you may think, as I initially did, that it has a stained cherry wood faceplate. However, looks can be deceiving, it is actually etched Formica. According to a conversation I had with Mr. Edwards it is much more durable in the long run, and easier to consistently reproduce than wood would be. Ah, well, it still looked pretty cool in my studio desk, which has a visually similar light alder finish. Each channel is identical and starts with an independent 1/4" instrument input on the left, followed by a –20 dB pad switch, and then a pair of matching black knobs, each labeled 1–10. The first is a 10 dB variable Trim knob and the second is the output Gain. I am not sure of the second knob’s relation to decibel level, but the unit’s spec sheet lists a total output
22
RECORDING October 2012
gain of +58/+64 dB. The first switch to the right of the VU meters, labeled High/Low, chooses said output level. While I initially assumed this was a high/low impedance switch, it is probably best considered a +6 dB boost. In the middle of the VU meters is a 6 dB/octave (–6 dB @ 50 Hz) bass-cut switch, and back on the far right, the unit is rounded out by a phase switch and a phantom power switch complete with a vintage ruby-gem style phantom power indicator (one per channel), and a power switch. The rear of the unit contains standard balanced XLR ins and outs for each
channel and a plug for an included 24V AC supply. The 24 Volts AC is boosted and rectified internally to provide the high DC voltage required to properly operate the tubes. Internally the unit uses 12AX7 tubes on the input stage and 6267 EF86 tubes on the output. Its frequency response is officially listed as 20 Hz to 20 kHz, but the Audio Precision plot given on the company website goes a bit farther: 3 dB down at 10 Hz and 50 kHz and pretty much ruler-flat in between! In other words, this is not a preamp made to push, highlight or hide any frequency. It has a –80 dB
Recording - October 2012
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recording - October 2012
Recording - October 2012
Fade In
Contents
Talkback
Fast Forward
A Silver Celebration—25 Years of Recording!
Grace Design m502 500-Series Optical Compressor
Edwards Audio Research LE-10 Mic Preamp
Celeste Lear
AEA KU4 Unidirectional Ribbon Microphone
Reviewed and Revisited: PreSonus Interface Cascading
Plug-in Outlet: Nomad Factory MAGMA
Approaching The Mix
Roland R-MIX
Dangerous Music Bax EQ
Plug-in Outlet: Slate Digital Virtual Tape Machines
Mojave Audio MA-301fet
Reviewed and Revisited: Toontrack EZmix 2
Mixing—Rethinking The Process
Recording Fundamentals. Chapter 10: Signal Flow Part 2
Readers’ Tapes
Advertiser Index
Fade Out
Recording - October 2012 - Intro
Recording - October 2012 - Recording - October 2012
Recording - October 2012 - Cover2
Recording - October 2012 - 1
Recording - October 2012 - 2
Recording - October 2012 - 3
Recording - October 2012 - Fade In
Recording - October 2012 - 5
Recording - October 2012 - Contents
Recording - October 2012 - 7
Recording - October 2012 - Talkback
Recording - October 2012 - 9
Recording - October 2012 - Fast Forward
Recording - October 2012 - 11
Recording - October 2012 - A Silver Celebration—25 Years of Recording!
Recording - October 2012 - 13
Recording - October 2012 - 14
Recording - October 2012 - 15
Recording - October 2012 - 16
Recording - October 2012 - 17
Recording - October 2012 - 18
Recording - October 2012 - 19
Recording - October 2012 - Grace Design m502 500-Series Optical Compressor
Recording - October 2012 - 21
Recording - October 2012 - Edwards Audio Research LE-10 Mic Preamp
Recording - October 2012 - 23
Recording - October 2012 - Celeste Lear
Recording - October 2012 - 25
Recording - October 2012 - 26
Recording - October 2012 - 27
Recording - October 2012 - 28
Recording - October 2012 - 29
Recording - October 2012 - AEA KU4 Unidirectional Ribbon Microphone
Recording - October 2012 - 31
Recording - October 2012 - 32
Recording - October 2012 - 33
Recording - October 2012 - 34
Recording - October 2012 - 35
Recording - October 2012 - Reviewed and Revisited: PreSonus Interface Cascading
Recording - October 2012 - 37
Recording - October 2012 - 38
Recording - October 2012 - 39
Recording - October 2012 - Plug-in Outlet: Nomad Factory MAGMA
Recording - October 2012 - 41
Recording - October 2012 - 42
Recording - October 2012 - 43
Recording - October 2012 - Approaching The Mix
Recording - October 2012 - 45
Recording - October 2012 - 46
Recording - October 2012 - 47
Recording - October 2012 - 48
Recording - October 2012 - 49
Recording - October 2012 - Roland R-MIX
Recording - October 2012 - 51
Recording - October 2012 - Dangerous Music Bax EQ
Recording - October 2012 - 53
Recording - October 2012 - Plug-in Outlet: Slate Digital Virtual Tape Machines
Recording - October 2012 - 55
Recording - October 2012 - Mojave Audio MA-301fet
Recording - October 2012 - 57
Recording - October 2012 - Reviewed and Revisited: Toontrack EZmix 2
Recording - October 2012 - 59
Recording - October 2012 - Mixing—Rethinking The Process
Recording - October 2012 - 61
Recording - October 2012 - 62
Recording - October 2012 - 63
Recording - October 2012 - 64
Recording - October 2012 - 65
Recording - October 2012 - 66
Recording - October 2012 - 67
Recording - October 2012 - Recording Fundamentals. Chapter 10: Signal Flow Part 2
Recording - October 2012 - 69
Recording - October 2012 - 70
Recording - October 2012 - 71
Recording - October 2012 - Readers’ Tapes
Recording - October 2012 - 73
Recording - October 2012 - 74
Recording - October 2012 - 75
Recording - October 2012 - Advertiser Index
Recording - October 2012 - 77
Recording - October 2012 - 78
Recording - October 2012 - 79
Recording - October 2012 - Fade Out
Recording - October 2012 - Cover3
Recording - October 2012 - Cover4
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