No More Preamplifiers

[soundminded]

I was looking around for a graphic equalizer a couple of months ago and was in RS. I didn't want a 10 band or more for this project, too many adjustments to fiddle with, I'd have preferred 5. What I saw was a disco mixer, a discontinued model floor sample catalog number 32-2057. Two phono inputs, three high level inputs, dual 7 band graphic equalizer, phono input and output jacks, level controls for everything, tons of switching, microphone inputs, weighs next to nothing, intuitive to operate and it works great. Does everything a stereo preamp does and more. Closeout sale price $60. It appears to be made by Pyramid. Parts express sells a similar unit for about $112. RS replaced this model with the next most expensive one which includes some time delay and other effects circuitry. Parts express sell that model too. Only thing I don't like about it, this variant has blinding blue LEDs for level meters. The Parts Express version seems to have analog meters. I had one minor problem with it, one channel cut out occasionally which I traced to the equalizer bypass switch. I took it apart, cleaned it up with some freon (yes lucky me, I've still got some and it works great) and voila, good as new. Considering how well it works and how inexpensive it is, I see no reason to ever buy another preamp again. For me, this is the way to go. It's on P305 of PE's current catalog but doesn't seem to turn up readily on their catalog search engines such as for powered mixers.

PE part number 240-650

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.c...er=Catalog_2009