Dual-channel Microphone Preamplifier

Preamps / Channel Strips

Published September 2024

I’ve reviewed a couple of Drawmer products recently: the 1977 channel strip (SOS June 2024) and 1971 EQ (SOS July 2024), and been really impressed by both the originality of the designs and the excellent value for money. Reviewed here is the 1972 dual‑channel mic, line and instrument preamplifier, which is hand‑built in the UK and puts two identical channels of what appear to be the same preamp design as in the 1977 into a 2U 19‑inch rackmount case — though there are some important extras compared with the preamp on the 1977.

As with that device, a front‑panel rotary switch selects the source, and there’s 0 to +66 dB of gain available for mics and ‑24 to +42 dB for line or instrument sources. There’s an instrument input TS jack on the front panel, so you can plug a guitar or bass straight in, while the balanced mic input has its own XLR on the rear, and there’s a separate combi XLR line input on the rear, meaning you can have the line and mic inputs available separately on your patchbay and there’s no risk of applying phantom power to outboard gear. There’s a single XLR balanced output per channel, and an IEC power inlet for the built‑in PSU.

As you’d expect, you can select between line or instrument modes or mic modes using a switch on the front panel. But as on the 1977, there are more options on this switch than on most preamps, because there are three positions for different mic preamp impedances (2.4kΩ, 600Ω and 200Ω), and yet another position for +48V phantom power, with a suitable impedance for capacitor and other active mics. There’s also a polarity invert button, which is particularly handy on a dual‑channel device (eg. if recording a guitar with both DI and mic, or both top and bottom snare mics).

There are variable low‑ and high‑cut filters (15‑350 Hz and 1.5‑20 kHz, respectively). Obviously the low‑cut one is useful for cutting rumbles and compensating for proximity effect bass boost, but having both filters here permits more creative uses than most mic pres allow, from rolling off the top end to push a sound back in the mix, to full‑on telephone‑style bracket filters. In addition, there are two Shape buttons, each of which engages a tilt EQ pivoting around 500Hz, one putting more emphasis on the bass, the other shifting the focus towards the top end. But when you engage both, you effectively get a dip in the mids, which can also be a useful way to tame those harsh ‘honky’ sounds to which our ears are so sensitive.

Drawmer 1972: close-up of Channel 2 controls

Obviously, this is way more control than most mic pres give you, and makes the 1972 a great option if you like to make tonal decisions on the way in — but it doesn’t end there! A final processing feature, and arguably the most interesting of all, is Lift, which can be toggled on/off. We’re told only that this is “essentially a low‑level dynamic gain module which has no effect on signals above 0dB,” so presumably a form of upward expander, but whatever lies behind this button, it works well: my tests with vocals and fingerpicked acoustic guitar confirmed that it’s particularly good at bringing up the details in very dynamic parts. Nothing that couldn’t be achieved with plug‑ins but, again, if you like to shape a sound at source, whether to commit as you go or for live/broadcast use, I could see this coming in very handy.

Coming to the output stage, there’s a level trim control ranging from ‑10 to +12 dB, and this means it is possible to apply up to 78dB of gain per channel in total for mic signals. It also means you can drive the input stage harder if desired, of course, but while this preamp does sound classy to my ears, it’s probably not one I’d particularly be looking to for special saturation effects. Finally, a ‑10dB pad switch applies to the signal going to the VU meter rather than the output signal, making the meter much more useful when working with hot signals.

You could view it as a preamp with extras, or perhaps as a slimmed‑down channel strip.

Verdict

In summary, then, the 1972 is a good‑sounding preamp, with separate inputs for mic, line and instrument sources, and some really versatile impedance, EQ and dynamics facilities built in. You could view it as a preamp with extras, or perhaps as a slimmed‑down channel strip. Either way, it’s great to see Drawmer again offering something different from the crowd, and if you’re in the market for a new preamp with some onboard tone‑shaping facilities, it’s well worth checking out.