Stam Audio has announced a raft of new releases including the 3A-5 500-Series Opto Compressor, 1073-5T 500-Series Preamp, SA4000 Tube-5 MK2 500-series Bus Compressor and SA-87i Large Tube Condenser. We have the details….
3A-5 500-Series Opto Compressor
The 3A-5 is a sonically accurate, 1:1 recreation of 2 classic, wildly popular solid state optical compressors from the 70s - the UREI LA-3A and LA-4!. Featuring custom wound, USA-made transformers crafted to Stam Audio’s exacting specifications coupled with the world's best (full-size!) T4B recreation - handmade by Bill Jones at Kenetek Pro Audio in the USA. A custom Carnhill Output Transformer rounds out the feature set - all of these things come together to harness the vintage euphony, colour and compression behaviour of the original units in every perceivable way.
The 3A-5 500-Series Opto Compressor’s stock price is listed as $899, with a pre-order price of $799 and the first 50 units available for $699 (USD). Current lead time is 4 weeks.
SA4000-500T Tube-5 MK2 Classic VCA Buss Compression
A number of companies have paid great tribute to this legendary design, but Stam Audio have always felt there was a key part missing: the discrete DBX VCA found in the SSL QUAD-COMP - located in the center section of vintage SSL Consoles. Stam Audio stepped up their game and took it to the next level by reverse engineering the original, venerable DBX 202C cans. Vintage SSL Consoles do not just glue your mixes, they also imprint an alluring character that has been lacking since modern VCA chips were invented and ultimately used to replace the character-laden DBX 202C cans.
The SA4000-500T, with its DBX 202C recreation VCA's and tube output stage is not only sonically insanely flexible, but it is arguably the best sounding 500-Series Buss Compressor created to date!
The SA4000-500T has a stock price of $999, with a pre-order price of $899 and the first 50 units available for $799 (USD). Current lead time is 6 weeks.
1073-5T - Discrete Tube Mic Preamp with DI
The 1073-5T is famously known in the recording world as the “turbo Neve”. It consists of a classic 1073 preamp which retains the huge low end of the original but adds further harmonic distortion and coloration with the aid of a tube output stage followed by an LA-2A style 5:1 high nickel output transformer.
The UK made Carnhill input transformer and the original 2 stage preamp cards are exact replicas of those found in an original 1073 preamplifier with tantalum and polystyrene capacitors. Each part has been carefully auditioned to impart the same character and low end that these units are known for. The output transformer is custom made in the US for Stam Audio and all tubes are auditioned and selected.
The 1073-5T has a stock price of $799, with a pre-order price of $699 and the first 50 units available for $599 (USD). Current lead time is 4 weeks.
SA-87i Vintage Large-Diaphragm Condenser Mic
The SA-87i is an exact reproduction of the best sounding vintage Neumann U87 microphone Stam Audio could find and considered by most engineers as the finest sounding U87 ever made.
The SA-87i features premium Vishay capacitors on the audio path as well as polystyrene capacitors, which are more stable and much more linear in the top end. This makes them the perfect choice for feedback circuitry. Every unit comes with a custom Sowter output transformer made in UK and a custom BG K-87 capsule from Rome.
The main shortcoming with current offerings is polarization voltage. While current models feature 60V, the vintage units were rated at 48V. The lower voltage of polarization makes the capsule sound more musical and mellow as well as increasing the microphone’s headroom, hence making it less susceptible to distortion. Stam Audio have remained 100% faithful to the original vintage circuit and schematic and have made no compromise in parts which ensures you are getting the best sounding microphone possible.
The SA-87i has a stock price of $899, with a pre-order price of $799 and the first 50 units available for $699 (USD). Current lead time is 8 weeks.