The HLabs PRE169S Haufe Ltd is a dual-channel 1U rackmount microphone preamplifier designed to mark the 10th anniversary of HLabs. This ultra-limited edition makes use of ten vintage Haufe RK443 output transformers taken from 1970s German mixing consoles, with only five units built in total.
Retaining the Studer 169-inspired input section, the HLabs PRE169S Haufe Ltd delivers the same wide gain range, exceptional clarity, and tunable high-pass filtering of the standard model, while offering an entirely new tonal character. The Carnhill transformer has been replaced by the rare Haufe RK443, shifting the sound toward a warmer, more colourful response with creamy low end, smooth and detailed highs, and uncompromising German precision.
The HLabs PRE169S Haufe Ltd is designed for versatility, with a perfect input stage for ribbon microphones and low-level sources, a highly musical 12 dB/octave high-pass filter tunable between 20 Hz and 315 Hz, and a transformer-driven DI input accessible directly from the front panel.
Inside the HLabs PRE169S Haufe Ltd, Neutrik NTM-4 input transformers ensure unsaturable input headroom, while the audio path is built entirely from discrete through-hole components for reliability and sonic integrity. With dual phantom power, polarity switching, earth lift, and a universal power supply, this exclusive preamplifier combines professional flexibility with collectable rarity.
Features
- Studer 169-inspired input circuit with over 65 dB gain range
- Two vintage Haufe RK443 output transformers from a 1970s German console
- Neutrik NTM-4 input transformers delivering unsaturable input gain
- Musical 12 dB/octave high-pass filter variable from 20 Hz to 315 Hz
- Front-panel DI input with rich transformer tone
- Independent +48 V phantom power per channel
- Polarity switch and earth lift on XLR outputs
- 100 % discrete through-hole component audio path
- Universal 100–240 V power supply