Berliner, a 2 channel mic/instrument/line tube preamp, is our take on the legendary Telefunken V76, but with some important twists that set it apart from the 50’s original.
Staying true to our “No Cloning” concept, we take the venerable V76 to the next level! Keeping only what is needed to achieve that “to kill for” tone and taking inconsistency, unreliability and one-trick-pony-ness out of the equation!
The front end is a dual pentode variable gain stage with a regulated bias and EF86/EF806 tubes (instead of the discontinued EF804). This stage behaves and sounds exactly like the original.
The output though, is a hybrid circuit borrowed from the Creamer. Without the step-down transformer, it preserves the sweetness and definition of the first stage and offers both transformer coupled and transformerless (switchable) output. We also added instrument (DI) inputs on the front panel and dedicated line input transformers so that this baby can be used to warm up your mixes as well.
The amount of detail Berliner reveals is staggering! And all with that sweet tubey character! It will meet or exceed the expectations of an engineer hunting for the best V76 unit on the used market and add new features that classical tube preamps could’t even dream about.
Serbian megastar Željko Joksimovic recorded his “Milimetar” hit vocal using a Microtech Gefell large diaphragm condenser mic plugged into a Berliner. You can even see our Creamer Plus and Berliner preamps in his studio rack several times during the video:
Here’s Berliner on male vocals using an Advanced Audio CM47. A very flat, smooth mic with no presence hump. Acoustic guitars were recorded through a Silk Road.
Michael Friedman – Finding You
Technical Specifications
Design concept: (tube) pentode hybrid preamp, transformer input and output
2 channels
Switchable input impedance (for mic input only): 900Ohm, 10kOhm, 2.4kOhm
Instrument (DI) input impedance: 3.9MOhm
Balanced line input impedance: 15kOhm (dedicated input transformer)
Output mode: Transformer or solid state balanced driver
Low/high frequency shelving boost, corner frequency varies (see manual)
Frequency response: 10Hz-50kHz +/- 3dB
Maximum gain: 76dB (mic); 50dB (line and instrument)
Gain control range: 36.7dB (for mic input, Pad switch adds another 10dB)
Harmonic distortion: <1% before clipping level, quickly decreases if driven less.
Maximum output level: 32dBu
Minimum output load: 600Ohm
Connectors: XLR mic and output, balanced only
Instrument input: 1/4” unbalanced, mono
Power consumption: 50W
All supply voltages regulated (including heater)
285V Plate voltage for huge headroom
Gold plated printed circuit boards with a double copper layer.
Gold plated tube sockets
The Berliner can be ordered with Ni-Fe alloy or pure Steel output transformers:
Berliner A: 2 Ni-Fe alloy core output transformers
Berliner B: 2 pure Steel core output transformers (the choice of most people)
Berliner AB: Ch1 with Ni-Fe transformer, Ch2 with pure Steel.
Please specify mains voltage when ordering: 115VAC or 220-240VAC.
Different input impedances available on special request, please call or email.
We give a one year warranty on parts and labor.
SOS’s Sonic Farm 137th AES Booth Report:
Producer Jack Douglas on his Berliner:
