Military-Spec Preamp - $1200

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earth tones
steve albini likes it
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Joined: Sun Sep 26, 2004 8:57 pm
Location: Portland, OR

Military-Spec Preamp - $1200

Post by earth tones » Fri Mar 27, 2020 10:38 am

I have a 4U military-issue preamplifier most likely pulled from a tape machine's front end electronics. 15 years ago, I purchased it from an acquaintance who acquired a mass of gear from a former studio of the Bee-Gee's. We are guessing that it was manufactured for the Armed Forces by Presto based on our research and photographs of other very similar units that are confirmed to have been made by Presto for the military. See very similar Presto unit mid-way down the page here: www.prestohistory.com/Presto5.html

This unit is engraved “Serial No. 4” on the left back corner as well as a sticker on the left side that has some additional handwritten information including “SN4”, “July 1968” and a torn area that seems to be indicating the model number which reads “AN57…(torn away)…4081”.

At the time that I purchased the unit, I sent it to Andy Barrett of Analog Domain Inc in Tempe AZ who cleaned up the unit and prepped it for use as a stand-alone premplifier. The unit runs on three tubes...a 5879, 12AT7( or ECC81) and 6SN7.

Here is a Youtube Video that I recorded yesterday showing the unit in operation. Played a dry Fender Telecaster Plus through an Ampeg Gemini II, mic'd with Beyer Dynamic M160 ribbon through the Ampeg Preamplifier into Pro Tools. Please excuse the rusty playing and the poor guitar intonation.

I figured that a lover of rare & monstrous (4U) military-spec audio processing devices might be interested in incorporating this unit into their sonic arsenal.



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Last edited by earth tones on Sat Jun 20, 2020 7:53 am, edited 7 times in total.

idylldon
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Re: Military-Spec Preamp - $1200

Post by idylldon » Mon Mar 30, 2020 5:31 pm

Pics aren't loading.

earth tones
steve albini likes it
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Re: Military-Spec Preamp - $1200

Post by earth tones » Mon Mar 30, 2020 10:22 pm

idylldon wrote:
Mon Mar 30, 2020 5:31 pm
Pics aren't loading.
Thank you for taking the time to let me know!!

earth tones
steve albini likes it
Posts: 361
Joined: Sun Sep 26, 2004 8:57 pm
Location: Portland, OR

Re: Military-Spec Preamp - $1200

Post by earth tones » Sat Jun 20, 2020 7:51 am

Added a video to the original post showing unit in operations.

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