Preamps / Channel Strips

You don’t always want ‘colour’ in a mic preamp. In fact, there’s a strong argument for making them sound as transparent as possible...

The SOS Awards celebrate innovation and contemporary design. Congratulations to all the Winners, as well as the very worthy close contenders in each category who have been awarded our Highly Commended accolade.

With switchable input impedance, dual compression voicings and a semi‑parametric EQ on board, the Pro Channel III certainly offers tonal versatility. Could it be your next ‘front end’?

We’re decades into the age of the DAW, but outboard channel strips remain popular for good reasons — and there are plenty to choose from.

The SOS team pick their highlights from hardware and software launches from 2025.

Looking for the ultimate analogue channel strip, cost no object? Then check this out, while the rest of us dream!

Solid State Logic once again raid their archive of preamp and EQ designs to put together a high‑powered input channel.

The LANG 312L, made by Heritage Audio, is a transfomer‑balanced mic preamp whose design is broadly rooted in old API one, but which, like all the best ‘homages’, brings something extra to the party.

Solid State Logic dust off the blueprints of their E-series console to create a classy channel strip.

The latest addition to SSL’s Plug‑in Mixer brings some ’80s goodness to your mixes.

Is the Hazelrigg brothers’ first foray into the 500‑series format as impressive as their rack gear?

Whether it’s detailed definition you want or dirty distortion, this new take on a classic valve preamp has you covered.

Teletone Audio’s Tone Architect combines three key processing sections called Saturator, Tone Shaping and Compressor. 

These audio examples accompany my review of the Soyuz Lakeside preamp from SOS June 2025 issue.

Soyuz’s first rackmount preamp evokes the sound of vintage designs.

This modern take on a vintage germanium preamp offers bucketloads of character.

Having studied the sturdy Studer 169 console, French company HLabs decided its classy combination of mic pre and EQ deserved a place in modern studios.

The SOS team pick their favourite hardware and software from the past 12 months.

Both of these devices are part of ART’s new ‘multivoice’ series, which aims to provide a wide range of tonal options.

Can an 80‑year‑old mic preamp design still cut it in the 21st Century studio?

Hot on the heels of their wonderful 32Classic console, Harrison have delivered their first ever 500‑series modules...