{"product_id":"musictoner-altomusic-chameleon-labs-7603-microphone-preamplifier-7603","title":"Chameleon Labs 7603 Microphone Preamplifier","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe 7603 is Chameleon’s flagship pre-amplifier, representing a leap forward in analog design, performance, versatility and value. It is the true embodiment of their philosophy - Analog for the digital age.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIts fundamental design architecture retraces the path of revered, classic pre-amps of the past as well as their popular 7602. The engineers at Chameleon have worked tirelessly in developing new, pivotal components that allow them to take the next step forward in performance.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThese enhancements start with all-new proprietary microphone and line-level input\u003cspan title=\"\" data-toggle=\"tooltip\" data-placement=\"top\" data-original-title=\"A transformer is an electrical device that allows an AC input signal (like audio) to produce a related AC output signal without the input and output being physically connected together.\"\u003etransformers\u003c\/span\u003ethat feature custom-made nickel \u003cspan title=\"\" data-toggle=\"tooltip\" data-placement=\"top\" data-original-title=\"Laminated magnetic cores are made of thin, insulated sheets, lying, as much as possible, parallel with the lines of flux. In a transformer, laminations are used to create the magnetic core around which the wound cores are placed. \"\u003elaminations \u003c\/span\u003eand \u003cspan title=\"\" data-toggle=\"tooltip\" data-placement=\"top\" data-original-title=\"In a transformer assembly, the bobbin is used to hold the copper wire windings and place them in proximity to the magnetic core. \"\u003ebobbin \u003c\/span\u003eassemblies—all designed in-house. By developing new engineering processes focused on the material science associated with lamination manufacturing, Chameleon was able to develop a lamination “recipe” that delivers optimized audio performance, providing the 7603 with high\u003cspan title=\"\" data-toggle=\"tooltip\" data-placement=\"top\" data-original-title=\"The bandwidth of the pre-amp refers to the range of audio frequencies that can be reproduced. Typical audio products claim 20Hz to 20 kHz bandwidth but analog mic-preamps can perform from 5Hz to 120khz, enabling the reproduction of phase events that are not audible, but fully capable of impacting the sound stage.\"\u003ebandwidth\u003c\/span\u003eand incredibly low\u003cspan title=\"\" data-toggle=\"tooltip\" data-placement=\"top\" data-original-title=\"Distortion is the part of the signal that is simply not part of the original input and typically characterized as noise.\"\u003edistortion\u003c\/span\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eDesign of their new transformers was based around the need to capture and preserve the delicate audio input signals’ truest form, and so they are enclosed in high permeability\u003cspan title=\"\" data-toggle=\"tooltip\" data-placement=\"top\" data-original-title=\"Mu-metal is a nickel–iron soft magnetic alloy with very high permeability suitable for shielding sensitive electronic equipment against static or low-frequency magnetic fields.\"\u003eMuMetal\u003c\/span\u003eenclosures, designed to protect sensitive audio signals from radio frequencies, spurious and parasitic noises.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eOnce your audio exits the input transformer, our circuit boards are carefully crafted to ensure the highest possible signal integrity. As a starting point, they developed a new discrete audio input gain stage based on their vision for a solid topology that provides extremely low noise, high dynamics and extreme bandwidth. All of the 7603’s\u003cspan title=\"\" data-toggle=\"tooltip\" data-placement=\"top\" data-original-title=\"An Operational Amplifier (or Op Amp) is a DC-coupled high-gain electronic voltage amplifier with a differential input and, usually, a single-ended output.\"\u003eoperational amplifiers\u003c\/span\u003eused throughout the device are based on this topology.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe 7603 features EQ stages with four different available adjustments—Variable High Pass, Low Frequency Shelving, Mid Frequency and High Frequency Shelving. Our engineers made a conscious decision to stay with the same, desirable, inductor-based topology that made the 7602 so popular, however they implemented a new discrete Op Amp to drive signal through a new set of custom Chameleon designed and manufactured inductors, providing the musicality we all love to use.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe output stage of the 7603 is unique with respect to its design and performance. It can be described as a variable-gain circuit that simultaneously adjusts both the input and output levels in order to generate a lower noise floor and extraordinary audio performance.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe 7603 pre-amplifier provides a desirable set of user selectable functions designed to make the unit flexible and an integral part of the artistic process, incorporating a full portfolio of traditional features as well as some not commonly seen on other pre-amps.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMicrophone input impedance can be selected between 300 and 1200 ohms, providing a method by which a microphone can be more ideally matched to the input stage and making it easier to get the best from lower output microphones such as ribbon-based designs.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWe added a low impedance Direct Input on the front panel for plugging in instruments such as guitars that can be run through the line input stage, and added a precision VU meter with custom ballistics for visual monitoring of either the input or output levels.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Musictoner","offers":[{"title":"New","offer_id":67620730405027,"sku":"7603","price":779.4,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0779\/8299\/0499\/files\/7603_0_1.jpg?v=1791291081","url":"https:\/\/musictoner.shop\/products\/musictoner-altomusic-chameleon-labs-7603-microphone-preamplifier-7603","provider":"MusicToner","version":"1.0","type":"link"}