The DP3 is a versatile, hybrid-design stereo mic preamp that includes vintage and modern circuits to deliver a broad range of creative tonal options. With the DP3, you’ll get the mid-range germanium crunch of the mid ‘60s; the low-mid punch and thick sound associated with British class-A preamps from the early ‘70s; and the more modern tones of the ‘80s and ‘90s.
Get vintage color, modern transparency, or even something in between — all in one rack space. The DP3 from TK Audio.
While the DP3 includes TK’s proven input stage and germanium circuit from the DP2, we’ve also incorporated a new saturation circuit that — together with the vintage class-A stage — gives you a broad palette of character choices.
The input stage is designed around a high quality Swedish Lundahl transformer and high gain stage, followed by selectable saturation and germanium circuits for even more color and harmonics.
Instead of switching output stages, as was done in previous models, the class-A stage is now inserted in front of the Output level control, letting you drive the transformer harder without overloading your A/D converters while making the output less sensitive to different impedances. The class-A stage uses a heavy, custom-made Carnhill transformer that produces a fat, punchy sound with mid-range character and a warm top end.
The Hi-Z direct mode function bypasses the input transformer and input stage, and sends the instrument signal directly to the high-pass filter and the selectable saturation and germanium circuits. The dedicated Hi-Z instrument input has a separate activation switch, so you can leave your instrument connected all the time!
Direct mode gain is +14 dB, which is perfect for bass recording together with the class-A stage. The sweepable high-pass filter goes from 30 Hz to 400 Hz for precision crafting of the low end.
Stereo microphone preamp with vintage and modern circuits
Hi-gain input stage with up to 80 dB of gain
Selectable vintage class-A stage
Lundahl and Carnhill transformers
Selectable germanium and saturation circuits for more color and harmonics
Sweepable high-pass filter, 30-400 Hz, 12 dB/octave
Instrument input with 2 Mohm impedance
Output level placed after class-A stage
Headroom meter with eight LEDs
Input impedance: 1600 ohm / 400 ohm
Instrument input impedance: 2 Mohm
Max output level: +26 dBu
DI-direct gain: +14 dB
Frequency response electronic balanced: -0,2 dB @ 80 kHz
Frequency response class A inserted: -0,5 dB @ 20 kHz
THD+N @ +20 dBu: 0,007%
THD+N @ +20 dBu, class-A inserted: 0,01%
THD+N @ +20 dBu, saturation stage active: 0,3%
THD+N @ +20 dBu, germanium stage active: 1%
Power requirement: 115 v or 230 v internally selectable
Power consumption: 15 VA
Hi-Z input: High impedance instrument input with 2 Mohm input impedance
In: activates the instrument input
Direct: bypasses the mic input stage and feeds the Hi-Z input stage directly to the HPF
48v phantom power switch: with separate LED indicator
Gain switch in 5dB steps: -25 to -80 dB, +5 dB to -25 with -30 dB pad selected
Headroom meter: This LED meter is a headroom meter, NOT a VU-meter. It is connected before the Output level control to show the internal headroom even if you have lowered the output level. With the level at max, the meter indicates clip at +25 dB.
-30 dB: pads the input signal by -30 dB (for best signal to noise ratio, avoid the 30 dB pad if not needed)
Impedance: Switches the mic input impedance (1600 ohm/400 ohm)
Sweepable high pass filter: 30-400 Hz, 12 dB/octave
Saturation: inserts a saturation stage for extra harmonics after the HPF
Germanium: inserts a germanium stage after the HPF (for more color, select higher gain and back off a little with the output level control)
Class-A: engages Class-A Carnhill transformer stage for fat, punchy sound
Output level control: adjusts the output level after the class-A stage if inserted
Polarity switch: flips the output polarity
