Auteur Quad 2

The Black Lion Audio Auteur Quad2 is a professional-grade, four-channel rack-mount microphone preamplifier engineered to integrate the company's signature "Chicago-style" tone into high-channel-count studio workflows. It is designed for discerning engineers and musicians who require exceptional fidelity and tonal versatility across multiple recording sources simultaneously. Moving beyond the constraints of typical stock preamps, the Auteur Quad2 provides a substantial sonic upgrade, delivering a compelling blend of modern precision and classic analog character within a rugged 1U chassis. This unit serves as a high-value, rock-solid workhorse, ready to elevate the quality of recordings from drums and vocals to DI instruments and synthesizers.

At the core of the Auteur Quad2's design is a sophisticated hybrid circuit that defines its versatile sonic palette. This topology combines two distinct stages of gain amplification, resulting in the proprietary "Chicago-style" sound that Black Lion Audio has become known for. The input stage utilizes an ultra-fast, transparent solid-state design, which excels at preserving the integrity of sharp transients and delivering pristine clarity. This characteristic makes the Auteur Quad2 particularly flattering for sources demanding high detail, such as acoustic guitars, percussion, and drum overheads, providing an open and clear top end. Following the input stage, the signal passes through a rich, colorful output stage featuring high-quality, US-made Cinemag transformers. These transformers are instrumental in imparting a desirable analog weight, saturation, and depth to the sound, evoking the tonal characteristics of revered vintage British console designs. This dual-stage approach provides flexible sonic coloring: engineers can capture signals with clinical precision or push the gain to drive the Cinemag transformers for added harmonic richness and analog 'heft, ' making tracks easier to sit and assert themselves within a dense mix. The expanded 66 dB of available gain ensures compatibility with virtually any microphone, including low-output ribbon and dynamic microphones, eliminating the need for external signal boosters.

The Auteur Quad2 significantly enhances its predecessor, the classic Auteur Quad, by incorporating several critical workflow and fidelity improvements that cement its status as a modern studio essential. New to this generation are dedicated analog VU meters on all four channels, providing precise, classic visual feedback for accurate gain staging. Furthermore, the front-panel 1/4" inputs are now available on all four channels and accept both instrument (Hi-Z) and line-level signals, offering maximum flexibility for tracking DI bass, keyboards, or even applying console warmth to line-level signals during a hybrid mixing process. Each channel is fully independent and includes essential professional features such as switchable +48V phantom power for condenser microphones, polarity reverse, and a -10 dB pad to handle high-output sources. The robust 1U, rack-mountable enclosure is constructed from brushed black aluminum and houses premium internal components, including Nichicon and Vishay capacitors, ensuring low-noise performance, superior reliability, and long-term durability in continuous studio operation. The Auteur Quad2 is designed to act as the analog foundation for modern professional recording, offering world-class tone and flexible routing that consistently outperforms its price point.

Auteur Quad2 Key Features

• Four-Channel Workhorse: Provides four independent, professional-grade mic/line/instrument preamps in a single 1U rack space.
• Chicago-Style Hybrid Design: Combines an ultra-fast, transparent solid-state input stage for pristine clarity with a colorful, transformer-balanced output stage for rich analog character.
• Cinemag Output Transformers: Features US-made Cinemag transformers on the output for added depth, tonal weight, and sonic color when pushed.
• High Gain Capacity: Offers a robust 66 dB of gain, making it perfectly suited for use with power-hungry dynamic and ribbon microphones.
• Versatile Input Connectivity: Includes front-panel 1/4" inputs on all four channels, accepting both Instrument (DI) and Line-level signals.
• Professional Metering: Features all-new, eye-catching analog VU meters on every channel for precise level monitoring.
• Essential Per-Channel Controls: Each channel includes switchable +48V phantom power, polarity reverse, and a -10 dB pad.
• Premium Componentry: Built with high-grade components, including Nichicon and Vishay capacitors, ensuring lowest noise and highest fidelity in its class.
• Rack-Mountable Chassis: Housed in a durable, space-efficient 1U chassis with an elegant brushed black aluminum finish.