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Not only does this little preamp give pure class-leading performance, but it also has clever dynamics processing on
board and an optional built-in A-D converter. Imagine the clock ticking towards zero, the red neon digits reflecting in the unblinking eyes of our hero (Meester Bond?) who is trying not to tremble as he withdraws the deadly core
from the neutron bomb/chemical weapon/viral plague dispenser (delete as appropriate). Chances are that the thing in his hands looks not unlike the SPL Gain Station, a chunky, utilitarian piece of technology if ever I saw one. But while the outside might look like a hi-tech 3U brick with handles (106 x 122 x 271mm), the inside is elegant and well thought
out.
High-end Mic Preamp
The Gain Station is a stand-alone, single-channel preamp boasting some very esoteric features,
including variable-drive tube circuitry, switchable input impedance, and fully-discrete Class-A op amps working with 60V supply rails to deliver unprecedented headroom and output drive capability. While the upper frequency-response
limit of a piece of equipment tells you something about how it performs, the slew rate can be a more useful measure, and in this case the amplifier delivers an incredible 200V per microsecond slew rate. If you prefer the more normal frequency-response figures, the Gain Station can manage 1Hz to 125kHz ±0.5dB, or 1Hz to 310kHz ±3dB. Whichever way you look at it, these figures mean you can expect an exceptional transient response, plus the frequency range is wide enough to do justice to any of the 'Monopoly money' sample rates favoured by the more esoteric user. The signal path is almost entirely DC coupled, with the exception of the unavoidable phantom power blocking capacitors (and a few capacitors in the tube circuit), and a great deal of attention has been paid to the circuit board layout to achieve minimal signal paths and proper grounding. Relays with gold-plated contacts take care of all the switching functions, and all resistors are 0.1-percent tolerance. Extra shielding has been added to the PSU, which has seven separate transformer windings, each driving its own voltage regulators, and there's a single 12AX7 (ECC83) tube stage that utilises premium MKP foil capacitors where capacitors are unavoidable. This tube stage, which runs at high voltages for correct operation, may be completely bypassed for a pristine sound, or the amount of tube drive may be adjusted from extremely subtle to quite noticeable saturation.
An integrated limiter prevents the output from overdriving the next piece of gear in line, while a digital output module (not fitted to the review model) is available as a factory-fitted option working at up to 24-bit/96kHz resolution. The design goal seems to have been transparency and simplicity, and because the unit isn't rackmounting it is ideal for desktop
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