Art Digital MPA II

Digital MPA-II: The Pro MPA-II Spirit with the Decisive Advantage of Digital

Designed as a continuation of the ProMPA-II, the Digital MPA-II retains the tube preamp architecture, the musicality of a Class A circuit, and the advanced controls that made the range successful. The major difference is the integration of an A/D converter and a digital output section directly usable for recording. The result: you keep the color and dynamics of a true tube preamp while simplifying your recording chain to an interface, recorder, or digital console.

This evolution makes the Digital MPA-II a particularly relevant choice for modernizing a hybrid studio: you benefit from analog sensations at the gain, impedance, and harmonic saturation level while securing a clean, synchronizable digital routing compatible with multiple formats.

A Preamp Tailored for Studio Recording (Vocals, Instruments, Overheads, M/S)

With its 2 channels, the Digital MPA-II targets demanding home studios as well as studios seeking a characterful, versatile, and easy-to-integrate preamp. It excels on vocals (grain, warmth, presence), acoustic guitars (detail and width), electric sources via the Hi-Z instrument input, and stereo recordings: overheads, piano, ambiance, and M/S pairs.

The dual mono operation allows processing two independent sources, while the stereo mode and Mid/Side option facilitate ambient or guitar recordings in M/S with left/right summation. Per-channel controls (gain, output level, high-pass filter, phase, pad) make the preamp very practical daily, both for tracking and reamping previously recorded sources.

Advanced Settings: Shape Color, Dynamics, and Mic Compatibility

Variable Impedance and 48 V: The Right "Match" for Every Mic

Each channel features an adjustable input impedance: a powerful tool to influence a microphone's response, proximity effect, and low-mid management. Combined with the switchable 48 V phantom power, this flexibility helps you get the best from a modern condenser or a more classic dynamic mic, avoiding a too dull or conversely too aggressive capture.

High/Low Voltage PLATE: More Than Just "Tube Warmth"

The PLATE selector (high/low voltage) directly affects the behavior of the 12AX7 tubes. At low voltage, the sound is often softer, with subtle natural compression. At high voltage, the output gains in sustain, definition, and dynamic headroom, very useful on transients (percussions, guitar attacks) or for vocals that need to stay precise in a dense mix.

A/D Conversion and Digital Outputs: A Direct Path to Your DAW

The integrated converter provides selectable digital output formats: AES/EBU, S/PDIF, or ADAT. Format and sampling rates from 44.1 to 192 kHz are selectable on the front panel, as is the resolution: 16 or 24 bits. The two Wordclock connectors on the rear allow clock synchronization and stabilize the system in multi-device environments, ensuring coherent conversion and reliable stereo imaging.

For control, the large vintage-style backlit VU meters display analog levels, while the multicolor LEDs indicate tube gain and digital output levels. This lets you manage gain staging clearly, avoiding unwanted clipping while exploiting tube coloration whenever desired.

Technical specifications