Classic American sound.
The 312-5T is famously known in the recording world as a “Turbo API”. Essentially a tube 312 preamplifier it retains the aggressive character of the original while adding further harmonic distortion and coloration to it’s classic mid focus sound with the addition of a tube output stage before the classic steel output transformer. This is by far our most colored preamp and our customers favorite on electric guitars and drums.
The 312-5T is built with premium components
The US made 1:8 input transformer and hand made SA-2520 op amp are exact replicas of those found in an original “A” 312 preamp from the 70’s and have been carefully auditioned to impart the same character and punch that these units are famous for.
The output transformer is custom made in the US and all tubes are auditioned and selected for the best possible performance, tone and specs. The 312-5T also features our own Stam aluminum knobs made in the EU.
Sometimes strict adherence to an original design is absolutely called for, but sometimes an updated and improved version with the same great sound but more flexibility is just what a modern engineer or mixer needs. This results in the classic 312 sound but with a higher THD and bigger low end. The 312-5T is ideal for users looking to record electric guitars, drums, and hard vocals.
Hand made in Chile
Each unit comes with phantom power, impedance and polarity switch and a built in DI. We assemble all our units by hand at our lab in Chile which allows us to audition and measure parts prior to assembling them so that every unit sounds exactly the same and is built with the same quality.