Locomotive Audio 86B-1 is a 500 series mono tube preamp rooted in 1950s American circuitry that moves from glowing vocal warmth and natural acoustic clarity to overdriven saturation and classic tube grit.
A 6BR7 pentode input valve and a 12AY7 triode output valve provide up to 75 dB of gain through super-premium MuMetal-shielded input transformers and nickel-and-steel output transformers.
The intuitive two-knob gain architecture lets engineers drive the valves for subtle harmonics or heavy coloration while trimming level precisely. A -20 dB pad accommodates high-output sources, and an 85 Hz high-pass filter removes low-frequency rumble.
Two selectable microphone input impedances optimise matching with vintage or modern mics, and a high-impedance front-panel DI offers direct instrument tracking. A three-colour LED meter (green, yellow, red) displays output level at a glance.
Evolving from the Locomotive Audio 286A, itself a modernised take on the Ampex 601 suitcase tape-recorder preamp. the 86B-1 adds essential contemporary features such as phantom power, pad, polarity reverse, low-cut, and DI, making it a versatile tool that will never sit idle in a 500 series rack.
Features
- Gain architecture: twin-valve design with two-knob drive and level control
- Maximum gain: 75 dB
- Transformers: MuMetal-shielded input, nickel and steel output
- Pad: -20 dB for high-level sources
- High-pass filter: 85 Hz
- Mic input impedances: two selectable settings for optimal matching
- DI input: high-impedance front-panel jack
- Metering: three-colour LED output-level indicator
- Lineage: modern evolution of the Ampex 601-inspired Locomotive 286A
