Black Lion Audio B12A MKIII

A single-channel preamp for a clear, punchy recording path with American-style character.

Cinemag at both ends

B12A MKIII uses Cinemag input and output transformers in an American-style preamp circuit. Its up-to-70 dB gain range makes it useful with a broad microphone collection, while the responsive presentation suits drums, percussion and sources where the leading edge matters. Driving the input harder offers another tonal option when a part needs more bite.

Control gain and output separately

Stepped input gain provides repeatable starting points, and output attenuation lets you manage the level delivered to the next device. This separation is useful when exploring preamp colour: you can increase gain without relying on the input headroom of your interface to absorb the resulting level increase.

A complete microphone and DI front end

A front instrument input adds a direct recording path for guitar, bass and suitable electronic instruments. Phantom power, polarity reversal and an 18 dB pad cover the essential microphone controls. The balanced TRS output is intended for a suitable line-level input on your converter, mixer or recording interface.

Compact, purposeful hardware

The half-rack format keeps a dedicated analogue channel within reach on a desk or in a compact studio rack. An external 24 V AC supply powers the unit. It is an attractive option when one carefully chosen preamp channel is more valuable to your workflow than a larger bank of identical interface inputs.