RCA OP-6 RESSURECTED
8 August 2014
The RCA OP-6, has been the preamp du jour for ribbon microphones for well over 60 years and Retro Instruments has now brought this vintage classic, kicking and screaming into the 21st century.
There’s a reason why the OP-6 has been considered the ‘Holy Grail’ of tube preamps for microphones over the years, its endless headroom and thick, luscious tones are legendary.
Unfortunately, trying to get your hands on an original working unit these days, is as rare as winning the lottery and if you do manage to find one, you’ll wish you had that lottery windfall in your pocket – they are crazy expensive.
Added to that, the sixty year gap in technology hasn’t been kind to the preamp. Even though it still sounds amazing on ribbon mics (or any other microphone type), every time you try to pair a mic, an adjustment to the input transformer (which is inside the unit) has to be made, so it can adapt to the optimum impedance. The recreated OP-6 allows for several mic impedances, which is switchable via the front panel using a custom-wound input transformer.
Another thing the vintage preamp didn’t allow for, is the fact that some mics require 48 volts, which wasn’t an option on the RCA OP-6. It would be almost criminal to mod such a beautiful vintage ’50s preamp, even-so some have modded them and they’re still in use in some studios. The recreated version has a phantom power supply, along with mic and instrument inputs, so there’s no need for modding or wads of cash.
Retro Instruments founder and product designer Phil Moore is responsible for bringing the OP-6 back to life and has done an incredible job of recreating a classic for future generations to enjoy.
“This thing is so good that I wanted the new generation to experience it. I wanted to make a box with a handle that you carry into every studio session; something that doesn’t go in a rack –more of a studio centerpiece.” said Phil, . “We’ve retained the integrity of the original circuitry, size and performance of the RCA OP-6, while adding many new features that will prove invaluable in the modern studio.”
There’s no word as yet on price or availability, bet we’ll be sure to let our readers know once it’s been announced.
Excerpts from Press Release
Put me down for one!