Heritage Audio have announced a new Neve inspired channel strip, which combines the features of a 1073, expands on them, adds a diode bridge compressor and packages it in a 1U channel strip. It sounds like a great package. Here are the details.
What Is The Britstrip?
The BritStrip combines a 1073 inspired mic preamplifier, an expanded 73 equaliser, a discrete Class-A DI, and the diode bridge compressor from the Heritage Audio Successor.
The BritStrip starts with the same preamp as the Heritage Audio 73JR, with a new custom input transformer co-designed with Carnhill and exclusively made for HA in the St Ives factory. The preamp also features a custom Carnhill/St Ives output transformer, which completes its all-discrete, Class-A, 3-gain stage design. The preamp features 80 dB of gain, 20dB pad, phase reversal and an impedance switch for 1200 or 300 ohm input.
DI Input
The DI is also taken from the Heritage Audio 73JR, an all-discrete Class-A JFET circuit in front of the microphone transformer. The DI also includes a passive thru output to feed a separate amplifier.
Expanded 73 EQ
The EQ is a 3 band design with high and low shelves, with a mid band and a 5 position HPF. The EQ features 3 Vinkor pot core inductors in the mid band and high pass filter sections. The high and low shelves have been extended to include a bell mode — making them more versatile than ever before.
Diode Bridge Compressor
The diode bridge bus compressor is the same compressor found in the Heritage Audio Successor. We love diode bridge compression, find out more about what it is and how it sounds in our On Test article on the Heritage Audio HA609A. This compressor design is ideal for use in tracking, thanks to its blend control and sidechain filter.
The compressor section provides plenty of sidechain flexibility, with 5 frequency options, and an external sidechain input. 2 BritStrips can have their compressors linked for stereo tracking. If you're unsure why stereo linking of compressors is a good idea check out our article on stereo linking.
Flexible Routing
The BritStrip allows for compression and equaliser routing. EQing pre-compression makes the compression detector more sensitive to the boosted frequencies and less sensitive to those cut. Conversely, EQing post-compression makes the detector less sensitive to the eq settings.
The Heritage Audio Britstrip is available now and costs $2499.