Almost before Heritage Audio was Heritage Audio, there were two modules and a wooden box.
Fifteen years ago, Peter Rodriguez walked into Musikmesse carrying a handmade wooden enclosure and two 80-series modules he had designed himself. Just the modules, the box, and the sound. Those two units: the 8173 and the 6673, were the foundation on which everything Heritage Audio would become was quietly being built.
Today, for the first time, both units can live inside your DAW. And yes, the wooden box is in there too, the GUI modeled exactly as it looked on those trade show tables in the early 2010s.
Two modules. One philosophy. Two very different personalities.
The 8173 and the 6673 share the same bloodline, both rooted in the classic 73 circuit that has defined the sound of recorded music for decades. But Peter didn't stop at the 73. With each design, he asked the same question: what if you could take the best of the vintage modules and combine them in a single, smarter unit? The answers were the 8173 and the 6673… and they are not the same answer.
The HA6673, a 4-band tone monster
The uniqueness the 6673 lies in adding the 66 mid band to the classic 73 architecture, a combination that creates a tonal range and flexibility that is genuinely hard to beat at any price point.
But Peter didn't stop there. The 73 mid band has been expanded with additional frequency choices, while keeping the original classic 73 frequencies completely untouched for purists who want them. Like the 8173, it features a Baxandall-type high shelf with a three-frequency selector switch that adds a flexibility that is far beyond the fixed 12kHz of the vintage original.
The HA6673 is the console channel you reach for when you want options, when the source demands a broader palette, more mid-range sculpting possibilities, and the kind of tonal flexibility that lets you move between vintage warmth and modern clarity without switching units.
The HA6673 is best for: vocals, mix bus, full arrangements, any session where you need the broadest possible range of tonal choices in a single unit.
The HA8173, the fusion of the best ever console channels of all time
The genius behind the 8173 is deceptively simple: take the classic 73 EQ architecture and add the mid bands from the 81. The result is a 4-band titan that combines the best features of two legendary vintage modules in a way that feels completely natural, like it should have always existed.
The high shelf follows, again, a Baxandall-type design, but with a crucial addition: a high frequency selector switch offering three different frequencies instead of the fixed 12kHz of the original. That single feature transforms the shelf from a broad stroke into a precise, adaptable tool that works across an extraordinary range of sources and mix situations.
The 8173 is the console channel you reach for when you know exactly what you want to do to a sound and you want the most musical, intelligent tools available to do it. The 8173 is best for: mix bus, drums, guitars, bass, any source where the combination of 73 punch and 81 mid definition gives you exactly the control you need.
So, which one should you choose?
Think of them as two perspectives on the same idea. The 6673 is expansive and versatile, it gives you more room to explore without ever losing its vintage soul. The 8173 is focused and authoritative, it knows what it is and does it with conviction. Together, they cover virtually every EQ situation you will encounter in a session.
Which is exactly why we bundled them. Our team has worked day and night to recreate the HA6673 and the HA8173 with the same character that started it all so they can be now inside every DAW, in the same wooden box Peter carried across the World a decade and a half ago.
The Heritage Audio way
Our goal is to create helpful tools to channel creativity and put the focus back on the “music” in music production. That is why we want to reach as many users as possible with a comprehensive and fair pricing scheme:
Therefore, all 6673, 8173 and i73® PRO hardware owners will get the 80 Series Console Channels Collection Plugins for free.
As for the rest, a very affordable price of $99 / 99€ and a 14-Day demo trial.