Chameleon Labs 7602 MKII Microphone Preamp

I was looking for a channel strip that had lots of character/color, something to replace a Great River MP-2NV I had to sell off a few years ago. While the 7602 is certainly different than the Great River, it's got character and color for days and the EQ gives this box fantastic flexibility. Using it with an FMR Audio PBC-6A to tame transients with either an SM7B or a Brauner Phatom C - I think I've found my new favorite vocal channel setup.

This thing is killer. You can totally sculpt your sound with the eq. Great on kick and snare. Amazing on guitar and bass. So stoked.

This was and is the first good preamp for my small studio - the rest are the ones built into my Firstudio. The difference is clear, the 7602 MKII rocks! And aside from a great preamp, you also get a HPF and EQ that works really well. The EQ has variable boost/cut but stepped frequency selection, as well as "bypass" for each band - handy. All the frequencies available on the EQ and HPF are very useful for all types of music recording. The LED metering and output volume controls are both a plus. My only complaint is that the power transformer is bulky, but at least it stays away from the unit itself. All in all, a great preamp/EQ I would recommend!

This is the best preamp I've worked with. I can't say if it has the characteristics of the vintage pre it's modeled after (never worked with one), but this suits me just fine. It's clean, & gives a more even, professional sound to my recordings. I got mine with the factory installed x-mod. I love how you can eq each track before putting it down (instead of eq'ing later). This is now my go-to preamp.

The first time I fired this unit up was while mixing an album, where I wanted the snare to have a bit more vintage coloration and sheen. The 7602 MKII worked beautifully in this application. Utilizing its transformer stage, I was able to crank up the input and lower the output volume, causing the snare to hit the transformer a little harder than usual. This created a sound that we've all heard on older recordings! The snare became thicker, more controlled, and well...more analog. I also engaged the EQ section to introduce even more sound shaping, which is amazing BTW. The HF shelf is incredibly smooth while boosting, even in radical amounts, and it will simply kill most of your plugin EQs for raising those highs. I've also recorded some cello, violins, and auxiliary percussion through the 7602 MKII with impressive results. I really love this piece of gear and would love to purchase another when I can afford to =)

I bought two of these for my studio. They go from nice and clean to a gritty drive. I like how you can switch the different bands of the filter and eq (sounds awesome) in and out according to what you need at the time. The DI is a nice option and sounds great. The selectable mic impedance and 80db of gain is perfect with ribbon mics. The Front End Audio guys are great so dont hesitate to call them if you have any questions.

This preamp sounds great and in my opinion is a great bank-for-buck preamp. It is supposed to be modeled after a vintage Neve 1073. It is actually much cleaner and does not give the same character that a 1073 would. The 1073 in my opinion has more girth and definition in the low end. It is a "character" preamp. The 7602 does sound great though. It holds its own and I find that I do like the character of the preamp. I use it on kick, snare, bass, electric guitar, and I find that it excels on these instruments. The eq is extremely useful and sounds killer. If I don't need the pre I can use the line input so that I can use the eq with other preamps I own. I have not heard the mods on this preamp, but they look enticing. I talked to Alan whom was very helpful with my purchase and explained the mods that are done. Apparently Carnhill input and output transformers are used, so if you have the extra cash get the mod! He told me that I could get them modded at a later date.

I got the premium upgrade option for use in my home studio and am really impressed (I record a lot of experimental pop and folk rock stuff). This thing has a really musical, extended top end that immediately makes my newer tracks pop out and require less processing later. It is generally very clean and "hi-fi" sounding, but the output fader gives you the option of adding some pleasant thickness from the input when needed. Also, the eq is really, really nice- for any price range. The balanced line input is a nice bonus when I just want the eq. I can't directly compare it with a 1073 or a pricier clone- but I have used them in the past and this basically matches my memory of using those units- it might be a little more open (quick transients) and modern sounding. I have a couple other options when I want a grittier or darker preamp sound, but I imagine this will be my go-to for years to come.