Headway EDB-2 VAP

If you play multiple instruments with acoustic pickups, you’ll need a preamp that not only performs well, but is also supremely versatile...

I reviewed UK‑based Headway’s EDB‑2 acoustic preamp back in SOS October 2014, and they’ve since developed it to bring us the EDB‑2 HE in 2020 and, more recently, the ‘Equaliser Direct Blender — Valve Alchemy Professional’, or the EDB‑2 VAP for short. Shorter still would be to call it the VAP, which is what I’ll do for the remainder of this review!

Form & Features

The VAP is a two‑channel device built into a chunky metal box, with a profusion of audio‑related controls on top, and inputs and outputs on its front, right and rear panels. Underneath are a removable valve cover, compartments for batteries that can replace the 18V, 1A external power supply when the valve isn’t in use, and a 5/8‑inch mic‑stand socket. There’s also a front‑panel on/off/standby switch, an earth lift and a 5V, 0.5A USB‑A charging socket.

The tip and ring of channel 1’s jack have switchable input impedances (1.2/6.8/20 MΩ) to suit active and passive piezo and magnetic pickups, and 5‑ or 10‑Volt phantom power can be sent to either. Channel 2’s jack has the same impedance switching, but no phantom power. Both are TRS jacks, but will accept a TS jack too. They’re joined by switchable XLR inputs (both off, both on, or channel 2 on and channel 1 off), with switchable 10‑ or 48‑Volt phantom power. A stereo 3.5mm mini‑jack aux input feeds the master output directly (post‑EQ), but also appears in mono on channel 1 when its XLR isn’t active and it has no jack plugged in....