# WARM AUDIO ?



## synthpunk (Dec 27, 2016)

Anyone using any warm audio gear? I'm contemplating a pair of their eqp Pultec clones this upcoming year. They have good reviews and are excellently priced.


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## higgs (Dec 27, 2016)

I've been eyeballing those for a couple of years. I've heard great things -particularly about price to quality being outstanding. Hope to hear more from others!


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## gsilbers (Dec 27, 2016)

they do have quite the positive following in gearslutz.
to me it shoudlnt be hard to replicate old audio gear with new prodiuction technicques or components.

I have the golden age 73 pre and its great. the demos compared to a real neve where so minor i just went for it. for the price there is not much to loose.

funny how in pro audio we dont want the best. we want the stuff that sounds like how it has sounds for years on the radio. or at least the 3 options that where back then.
those pieces of gear are now the "best" because they evolved that way from top 40 songs of yesteryear. but those records would of sounded great with warm audio, http://www.stamaudio.com or whatever.

then is the marketing case. if you are a pro studio and have those pro audio equipment then you get some street cred. as suppose ot having other great but less known gear.

thats obviously my opinion and there are some 50+ discussion pages aboutt is topic. as well as sftware vs hardware and so on.


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## synthpunk (Dec 27, 2016)

There will be purists that argue about copper foil in paper oil and orange drop caps, larger transformers, and the missing rectifier tube, but for $600 us I don't think you can go wrong by the reviews. MY first preference would be 500 series API lunchbox format but I don't mind either. I have a pair of Rupert Neve design preamps and a pair of Ubk Kush eq's and four open spaces


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## higgs (Dec 27, 2016)

gsilbers said:


> funny how in pro audio we dont want the best. we want the stuff that sounds like how it has sounds for years on the radio. or at least the 3 options that where back then.


Gospel. I'm rocking four flavors of Neve clones and it's only because I wanted four channels instead of one or two. In fact, all of my preamps are "vintage" style...


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## sourcefor (Dec 27, 2016)

I have had 3 WARM audio WA76 compressors and all had something wrong with them...sold them off for the real thing UA 1176 and although the price is higher the quality of components is better and this gear should last me a long time...the WARM sound is great but the reliability is so so...its hit or miss with the quality control..what you do get with most REAL original gear is long lasting quality! It's all a matter of budget and how long you plan on keeping the gear. In my experience the REAL stuff lasts longer and is made better. For me it was 3 strikes you're out and couldn't stand sending the units for repair which meant they were NOT in my rack! Just my 2 cents!!! That being said STAM AUDIO makes GREAT stuff and inexpensive , I have an SA4000 on the way!


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## sourcefor (Dec 27, 2016)

Just a side note that WARM Audio sent me an advance replacement for my broken WA76, so the customer service is GREAT! They sent me one for free and trusted that I sent the other back, so that says something! I may give them another chance!!


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## bryla (Dec 28, 2016)

Have the WA76 and TB12 since this summer. They sound great and work great. All I'm missing is their P-EQ which I'll surely get somewhere down the line.


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## lupaul (Dec 28, 2016)

I use Warm Audio Tone Beast preamp. I like it a lot! Good gear for good price.


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## Cecco (Dec 29, 2016)

Warm audio Tone Beast TB 12 here, very good quality preamp!


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## tigersun (Dec 30, 2016)

I've been interested in these for awhile since I want a tube EQ. I would very much prefer a 500 series format but the only options are single channel about somewhere in the $1300 range. The Bettermaker 502P for $1500 seems a bit better to get stereo and plug in control (!!) for my current needs. 



gsilbers said:


> funny how in pro audio we dont want the best. we want the stuff that sounds like how it has sounds for years on the radio. or at least the 3 options that where back then.



Isn't that the truth... thus all the tape emulators, etc.


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## synthpunk (Dec 30, 2016)

Might as well throw out there as well that I think the Uad Pultec Mark II is Top Gear as well if you can't afford the hardware.


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## gsilbers (Jan 4, 2017)

I am thinking at one point buying the preamp, eq and compressor priced together might already be about the same price of a high end channel strip like a used avalon or a vintage channel strip if you are going for that sounds. 
but six pieces of gear (stereo warm audio) sure looks better than 2 (avalons)  

speaking of low end, there is also the FMR RNP and RNC in a funklogic rack which for the price/performance is also a good contender.. and its stereo!. but less character than the warm audio pre and comp.


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## sourcefor (Jan 5, 2017)

Yeah I may buy that new API 312 pre amp that warm is coming it with! One more chance!


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