The AMS Neve 1073SPX is an exceptionally high-quality 19" channel strip with Class A circuitry. Alongside its extremely potent microphone pre-amp (with a full 80dB of gain), its very musical three-band equaliser, and its original vintage-sound Marinair transformers, the 1073SPX also offers a whole host of other practical features, among them a manually controlled insert. There are audio connections on the front and the rear panels, making it especially suited to use as part of a 19" studio rack; in addition, it can also be fitted with a digital I/O module (sold separately), bringing digital connectivity to the AMS Neve 1073SPX.
The AMS Neve 1073SPX and its many useful features are operated by way of an array of switches and controls. To the immediate left of the EQ section, there are four simple white buttons for 48V phantom power, -20dB pad, resistance control (300 and 1,200 ohms), and ground lift. These switches have identical counterparts right-of-centre, where users can invert the phase, turn on the equaliser, and activate the insert (send/return via symmetrical 6.3mm TRS connections); the PRE switch here allows the insert point to be set before or after EQ. The centre of the panel houses the pots for gain and the EQ bands. The dedicated output knob is located further to the right, and pushing it allows users to toggle between having the seven-segment LED meter show levels for input, EQ, or output.
The high-powered mic preamp, the fantastic sound of the three-band equaliser (with integrated high-pass filter), and the balanced +4dBu insert all combine to make the AMS Neve 1073SPX an ideal channel strip for modern professional studios. Because the signal can also be altered with harmonic distortion or custom settings for the signal paths, there are seemingly endless ways to create a special character for each sound. On top of that, the card slot on the rear of the device is a crucial plus for users who are particularly keen on integrating their digital studio peripherals.
The company Neve Electronics was founded in 1961 by the British electrical engineer Rupert Neve, and soon made a name for itself as a leading manufacturer of studio mixing desks and consoles, as well as preamps and EQs. In 1964, for instance, Neve developed the first ever equaliser to be based entirely on transistor technology – this was a commission for Philips Records – and in the following years, Neve continued to produce the studio technology that was used to record legendary albums by artists such as Queen, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, and countless others. Perhaps the most noteworthy unit here was the 1073 Preamp, which is immensely popular to this day and has been widely imitated. After Neve Electronics, Rupert Neve also started the company Focusrite in 1985, and created the exclusive brand Rupert Neve Designs 20 years after that. Since its merger with AMS (Advanced Music Systems) in 1992, the company has been called AMS Neve.
The Neve 1073SPX's integrated, musical three-band equaliser is ideal for enhancing the sound of a recording even as it is being made. The treble band is a high shelf that applies +/-16dB from a frequency of 12kHz upwards. Conversely, the mid-band bell EQ - with a fixed Q factor - and the low shelf offer more flexible configuration options, with the two control knobs' outer rings used to set the desired frequencies. The mid band can be boosted or cut by +/-18dB, the low end by +/-16dB. Additionally, there is a high-pass filter that can be set to function at 50Hz, 80Hz, 160Hz, or 300Hz. Finally, the preamp itself offers further options for adjusting and altering the sound; by feeding it a really "hot", loud input signal, the AMS Neve 1073SPX will mimic the typical "British" sound of the 1970s.