In the pantheon of professional audio, few pieces of hardware command as much reverence as the Neve 1073. However, lurking in the shadow of its famous sibling is the Neve 1272. Originally a line-level microphone preamplifier and fader amplifier designed for the custom 80 Series consoles, the 1272 has become a cult classic among audio engineers and DIY enthusiasts.
This is the main voltage gain stage. It is to the collector of TR1 (no capacitor in between, which improves low-frequency phase response). Neve 1272 Schematic
To understand the 1272 schematic, you must first understand the 1970s recording console. The original Neve 1073 was designed as a modular input channel (mic pre + EQ). However, large format consoles needed more than just input channels. They needed —powerful amplifiers to send audio over long copper lines to tape machines and monitor sections. In the pantheon of professional audio, few pieces