ART Pro Channel Tube Mic Preamp and Compressor with EQ

by ART

Product Features

• Professional Tube-Based Microphone/Line Recording Channel
• Three independent modules: tube mic pre, switchable optical/ variable mu compressor, and tube EQ
• Precision Detented Potentiometers
• Selectable VU Metering (mic pre out, compressor out, or Main Out)
• Tube Character and Gain Reduction LED Arrays

Product Details

• Item Weight: 7 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 10 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• ASIN: B0002E50X6
• Item model number: PROCHANNEL
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,506 in Musical Instruments (See Top 100 in Musical Instruments)
  • #12 in Musical Instruments > Recording Equipment > Microphones > Preamps

Product Description

The Pro Channel from ART is the latest offering from the world's most popular tube dynamics processing manufacturer. ART engineers have combined the world-renowned Pro MPA, Pro VLA, and Tube EQ into a single product - creating the world's best-sounding and most affordable professional recording channel.The Pro Channel features many new and exciting design enhancements to ART's pro and home studio staples, including the addition of a tube circuit to the compressor module. The Pro Channel allows you to select between ART's award winning optical/tube compressor or the coveted tube circuit (a design made popular by the sound of the old broadcast limiters - now costing thousands of dollars). The tube circuit is fast, fat and a bit aggressive, and is guaranteed to become a legend among compressors as has the Pro VLA. The four-band parametric equalizer has selectable Q for the two sweepable mid-bands. As with all design elements of the Pro Channel, these Q options were fine-tuned by some of the industry's top studio and live-sound engineers. Likewise, all new additions were made without compromise to the sound of the original designs (Pro MPA, Pro VLA, Tube EQ), which have become standards in professional studios and FOH rigs around the globe.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ART Tube Mic Preamp / Compressor / Equalizer, July 9, 2011

By 

Honey Creek Radio (Anderson, SC) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: ART Pro Channel Tube Mic Preamp and Compressor with EQ

As of July 10, 2011, I have owned this fine mono-line equipment for 48 hours. I bought it for a mono microphone line to my ham radio station. It is a wonderful piece of equipment. A.R.T. has built a preamp, compressor, and equalizer into one compact box; basically it is "plug and play". At first the equipment seemed daunting as to all of its adjustments. So I hooked it up to the left channel of my low-power FM radio station and, reading the user's guide and listening with my ear, I found its best adjustments that I prefer. Pulling it from the FM station I reconnected it to the ham radio. Ahhh! What a difference to my voice. So what's next? Well... to purchase its stereo counterpart for the FM station!

Seller: Ordered on Monday and received equipment on Monday!

Pros: excellent quality sound, quiet, 1/4" mono jacks, XLR plug, for microphone, musical instruments.

Cons: gets warm due to the 3 12AX7 tubes (you EXPECT tubes to get warm!), so many dials, switches, and LED lights it SEEMS a never-ending task to get it set the way you want your sound to be. (well worth it)

Would recommend this to anyone who uses a mono, single sound chain

5.0 out of 5 stars This inexpensive preamp will add warmth gain and noise!, December 14, 2011

By 

John Barry - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: ART Pro Channel Tube Mic Preamp and Compressor with EQ

I LOVE this preamp. I'm not crazy about the EQ or compression but I have a great EQ in my DAW and wonderful Compressor so that's not an issue for me. For vocals matched with my SM7b or SM57 this wonderful compressor adds such a warmth I feel as though I'm a late night DJ. It has such beautiful intimacy.

I will say that you have to be very careful because the preamps are not noise free. They will add some hiss and I do not know if that is how they are, being tube, or if that is a defect. I need to call ART and find out. In spite of that I would not take this back. It's not noticeable when instruments or vocals are playing so can be edited out in the final mix. I edit out the silent parts anyway. It gives my recordings a warmth that feels like the 70's. If you love classic rock, that's a great thing.

5.0 out of 5 stars This is an awesome unit, December 4, 2011

By 

Aldrin - See all my reviews

This review is from: ART Pro Channel Tube Mic Preamp and Compressor with EQ

I own one of these bad boys and the three tubes make it attractive! .2 attack on a the tube compressor is amazing it's basically a limiter and a compressor (2ms attack fast setting) in optical mode vs tube mode(.2 ms attack on fast setting).

I would say the pre amp is one of the best. The noise floor is 130db a the grace101's noise foloor is 127 so you can see how the art competes if not better than higher end models. Passing through three tubes is awesome. you don't even need to use the eq just having it pass through the eq tube gives you even more warmth!

I wish there was a high voltage/low voltage control on the tubes but even without you still get a substantial amount of warmth.

I would totally recommend this unit to anyone.