[NAMM] Empirical Labs EL9 Mike-E

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Empirical Labs unveiled a new unit called EL9 "Mike-E", a digitally-controlled Microphone Preamplifier with features designed to warm and soften the source, along with a compressor/limiter.

Mike-E offers a performance transformer-coupled mic preamp. The 'CompSat’ section is a compressor and saturator circuit that offers versatile 'coloring’, and classic knee compression, according to Empirical Labs.

Mike-E’s Seven Circuits :

Mic Preamplifier with “low noise & stepped gain switching.”
Built in 'Direct Box’, called the 'Inst In’, for distortion, noise, and frequency response when pre-amping instruments.
'Colored’ 80Hz High pass filter designed to emulate the “warm low frequency cut of vintage equalizers.”
Phase Switch to invert the audio signal 180 degrees.
CompSat offers both a musical Compressor/Limiter and a tape-like saturation circuit.
High-frequency emphasis system “softens high frequency 'pile-ups’ and further the creamy color of the Mike-E.”
Mix Control allows the blending of the Compressed/Saturated signal with the “clean unprocessed ”Dry" signal."

For more info, check out www.wavedistribution.com/dealer/Mike-E/Mike-E%20brochure.pdf and visit EmpiricalLabs.com for a copy of the Mike-E user manual.