The Black Lion Audio Eighteen is a solid state microphone preamp and program equaliser inspired by revered vintage designs, but engineered with an original approach. At its core is a Cinemag input transformer and Black Lion’s proprietary BLA1831 custom discrete op-amp, carefully developed through component matching to deliver rich harmonic content while maintaining a modern low-noise floor. This is not a clone, but a thoughtfully crafted design that pays homage to the sonic signature of classic equipment while offering today’s performance standards.
The Black Lion Audio Eighteen’s EQ section features a 2-band passive inductor-based design built around Cinemag components, capable of simultaneously boosting and cutting to shape tone with vintage musicality. It also includes additional 80Hz high-pass and 10kHz low-pass filters for further tonal shaping and control. The output stage can be driven to achieve saturation and character, while retaining clean signal integrity with an output level control.
Additional features include selectable mic/line input, a polarity switch, 48V phantom power for condenser and active ribbon microphones, and a large, backlit front-panel VU meter. Housed in a 2U chassis with an internal linear power supply and voltage selector, the Black Lion Audio Eighteen is built for high-end studio reliability and tone.
Features
- Vintage style preamp section with CineMag input and output transformers and custom discrete op-amps
- CineMag inductor-based 2-band passive EQ allows simultaneous boost and cut
- Output control enables harmonic saturation without clipping
- Additional filtering with 80 Hz high-pass and 10 kHz low-pass filters
- Switchable mic/line inputs, polarity flip, and 48V phantom power
- Backlit VU meter on the front panel
- Internal power supply with AC input and voltage selector
