The Thermionic Culture The Earlybird 4 contains four channels of extremely high-quality valve preamplification. Originally introduced in black in 1999, this red limited edition is restricted to forty-nine units. The original black edition remains available with updated circuitry.
Simplifying each channel’s circuitry to fit four channels into a nineteen-inch rack unit has raised the individual channel specifications, making this the most natural-sounding, highest-quality version of the Earlybird preamplifier to date.
The unit delivers the cleanest possible valve gain from three decibels to sixty-two decibels, with a switchable input impedance for optimal matching to a wide range of microphones. Every Thermionic Culture The Earlybird 4 is handwired with point-to-point wiring throughout.
The circuit design uses a push-pull class A valve amplification topology to provide exceptionally clean gain, yielding the lowest noise and distortion figures achievable in a microphone amplifier. Input and output transformers have been specially developed in collaboration with Sowter transformers to achieve minimal phase shift and maximum headroom.
Vic Keary describes the Thermionic Culture The Earlybird 4 as the best, most real microphone amplifier ever, a claim borne out by its beautiful sonic results. A pair of VU metres displays signal levels for two selectable channels. Metre A may be switched between channels 1 and 3, and metre B between channels 2 and 4. Four red indicators illuminate when the amplifier output exceeds plus ten decibels, while twenty decibels of headroom remain.
Features
- 4 Channels of extremely high quality push pull’ ‘class A’ type of valve pre amplification.
- Clean gain, giving the lowest noise and distortion figures possible in a mic. Amp.
- Hand wired with point to point wiring throughout.
- Lowest phase shift and highest headroom.
Controls on each channel for:
- Switchable input impedance to help in matching the unit with different microphones.
- Switchable 48V phantom power .
- Switched gain 42 dB to 62 dB, 20dB pad.
- 2 position high pass filter.
- Variable output trim with phase inverter.
- Vu meters switchable between channels.
- Peak overload indicators.
