DESCRIPTION
BRIT
STRIP
The Heritage Audio
BRIT
STRIP is the culmination of over 50 years of high end analog design all bundled up in a single
easily navigated rack unit. The
BRIT
STRIP nails the sound of yesterday’s iconic recordings for today’s demanding
musicians, engineers and producers.
Combining a real-deal 73 mic preamplifier, an expanded 73 equalizer, a discrete Class A D.I., and the infamous diode
bridge compressor from the Heritage Audio Successor, the BritStrip will cover all the bases. The closest equivalent of
the BritStrip would be chaining together a 73 JR II, 73 EQ JR and mono Successor — a $3000 value pack in itself, with
added routing flexibility.
The
BRIT
STRIP proudly starts off with the same preamp found in our well-loved 73 JR, with a new custom input
transformer co-designed by Carnhill and exclusively made for Heritage Audio in their St Ives factory. The preamp also
features a custom designed Carnhill St Ives output transformer to complete its all discrete, Class A, 3-gain stage design.
The preamp features a hearty 80 dB of gain, a 20 dB pad, phase reversal and an impedance switch for switching
between 1200
Ω
and 300
Ω
at input.
The D.I. is also taken from the highly acclaimed design found in the Heritage Audio 73 JR, an all-discrete Class A JFET
circuit in front of the microphone transformer, giving you all of the color and weight you could ask for. Being in front of
the MIC transformer gives you lots of creative flexibility to push the signal as much as you see appropriate.
The D.I. also includes a passive thru output to feed a separate amplifier simultaneously while also passing the signal
through the rest of the unit, the EQ and compressor.
The
BRIT
STRIP EQ features 3 Vinkor pot core inductors in the mid-band and high-pass filter sections. The impact of an
inductor circuit is hard to believe with extreme boosts being exceptionally musical with minimal to no artefacts.
The mid-band is great for sculpting fat and punchy snares, kicks, guitars, vocals, you name it! No need to be subtle like
you would with most EQs, the
BRIT
STRIP doesn’t sound phasey or lose headroom in extreme settings.
The inductor-based low-pass filter, directly taken from the 73 design, lets you control out of range low end, without
affecting the quality of your desired frequencies.
The high and low shelves have been extended to include a bell mode, making them even more versatile than ever
before.
The equalizer section consists of high and low shelves in a Baxandall arrangement, with enhanced PEAK response, a
dual inductor-based mid band with dual Q switch, and an inductor based passive high pass filter. Essentially an
enhanced 73 equalizer section.
Frequencies are as follows:
-
High shelf:
10, 12 and 16 kHz, PEAK or SHELF curve response.
-
Mid band:
360, 700, 1600, 3200, 4800 or 7200 Hz. Hi or Lo Q.
-
Low shelf:
60, 110 or 220 Hz, PEAK or SHELF curve response.
-
High Pass Filter:
50, 80, 160 or 300 Hz, 18 dB/oct.
The equalizing section is followed by the Output control, to allow for perfect gain staging after equalizing.
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