In honor of our 30th Anniversary, we are producing a limited quantity of our classic Dual Mono Microphone Preamplifiers - first introduced almost thirty years ago, they make for a perfect XXX LIMITED EDITION!
This special edition features custom faceplate & insert coloring and engraving, and ships with a signed Certificate of Authenticity and a letter from EveAnna Manley.
You can read that letter right here if you’re interested in the full history of the Dual Mono Mic Pre, the technologies inside it, and how it represents the beginnings of the PRO AUDIO division of Manley Labs.
These Limited Edition units are available now through select Manley resellers worldwide. Contact your local Manley dealer to inquire about availability.
“If you can’t get a good or great sound using this preamp from any source, the problem is not the preamp!”
DOMINIC GUSS, MUSICPLAYERS.COM
ORIGINAL DETAILS
Pure . . . Your most important tracks deserve this.
The MANLEY all-tube Dual Mono Microphone Preamplifier is primarily intended for use with modern capacitor (condenser) microphones. Now, 40 to 60 dBs of gain, enough for most ribbon mics, are selectable in precise 5dB steps by varying the amount of overall negative feedback on the GAIN switch. This is a very interesting feature indeed, allowing you to change the slew rate (speed), placement, and tonal balance of the sound from mellow and "tubey-er" through to faster, punchier and more aggressive. See "Notes on Variable Feedback" for more info.
Tube complement per channel: 1 x 12AX7EH hand-selected for lowest noise, and 1 x 6414 (or 12BH7) for each high-current output stage. Each unit is painstakingly hand wired using silver solder and audiophile-grade componentry. Double shielded custom-built power transformers and custom-built high capacity reservoir capacitors demonstrate our modern power supply design approach.
The front panel 1/4" DIRECT INPUT jack makes these preamplifiers serve double duty as a pure tube line stage for instruments such as bass, drum machines, and keyboards when you need to get your tunes through some tubes before hitting a sterile digital recorder. Total gain in this mode becomes 20dB less than indicated on the GAIN switch. Both transformer coupled balanced and direct (via humongous metalized film MultiCaps) capacitor coupled unbalanced outputs are provided giving you the choice of audiophile-purist or big iron sounds. Perennial shoot-out winners, our single-ended preamp designs have become favorites among top engineers and home recordists alike looking for "that rich Manley sound with the tight bass and the top end that goes on forever" which begs to go direct to tape.
It's a BIG sounding micpre!
SPECIFICATIONS
Vacuum Tubes: 1 x 12AX7, 1 x 6414 (or 12BH7) per channel
MIC GAIN (XLR input): 40 to 60 dB in five 5dB steps
LINE GAIN (Direct Input): 20 to 40 dB in five 5dB steps
Frequency Response: 10Hz-60KHz +/- 1dB
Mic input PHASE REVERSE switch
Mic Input Phantom Power 48V DV switch
Input Impedance: 2400 Ohms, transformer coupled
optimized for mics with 100 to 600 Ohm output impedancesHi-Z (100 kOhm) 1/4" DIRECT INPUT
Noiseless conductive plastic INPUT attenuators
THD: <0.05% @ 1kHz @ +4 dBv out
S/N ratio: 80dB
EIN: -125dB
Output Impedance: <50 Ohms
Max. input (with input pad fully open): 450mV
Max. output: +32 dBv (70 Volts RMS!)
Max. output (into 600 Ohm load): +15dBm
2 x Transformer Coupled XLR Balanced Outputs
2 x Capacitor Coupled Unbalanced 1/4” Outputs
AUTO MUTE w/ warm-up delay for power up/down
Power consumption: 36 watts
Operating mains voltage: Units are purpose built for original destination country's mains voltage: 100V, 120V, or 220-240VAC as indicated on the serial number badge. Power transformer must be replaced in order to change mains operating voltage. 120VAC units may NOT be rewired to put the primaries of the power transformer in series for 220-240V operation or a large radiated field of hum will develop. If changing locations/voltages, the power transformer must be replaced with the dedicated one for the voltage at which it will operate.
Mains Voltage Frequency: 50~ 60Hz
Dimensions: 19" x 1 3/4" x 10" (occupies 1u)
Shipping Weight: 12 lbs.
Specifications subject to change because they just might.
RESOURCES
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
This thing isn’t working. I just bought it. For this amount of money, it needs to function.
OK, listen up: the XLR INPUTS and XLR OUTPUTS are TRANSFORMER-COUPLED so that means you HAVE TO have something connected to all of the pins.
PIN 1: GROUND
PIN 2: HOT (+) POSITIVE
PIN 3: COLD (-) NEGATIVE
You cannot "float" Pin 3. You can GROUND it if you are driving it from an unbalanced source. But you cannot hook it up to "nothing".
Pay attention when interfacing with some of these interfaces like your Apollo. If you are using TRS - XLR cables, make sure that it is wired:
TRS TIP = HOT (+) to XLR Pin 2
TRS RING = COLD (-) to XLR Pin 3
TRS SLEEVE = GROUND to XLR Pin 1
or
TS - XLR cable, make sure it is wired:
TS TIP = HOT (+) to XLR Pin 2
TS SLEEVE = GROUND to XLR Pin 1 AND Pin 3
