VPRE-73 vintage preamp plugin interface by Black Rooster Audio

VPRE-73: Vintage Preamp Emulation Plugin by Black Rooster Audio

Rated 4.8/5 on Plugin Boutique (17 ratings)

VPRE-73 is a preamp plugin from Black Rooster Audio that emulates a classic recording studio preamp, including its discrete circuit, audio transformers and high shelf filter band. It is available in VST3, VST2, AU and AAX formats.

VST3VST2AUAAXWindowsmacOS64-bit

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01Overview

VPRE-73 is an effects plugin in the preamp subcategory, developed by Black Rooster Audio. Its developer describes it as inspired by one of the most classic preamps in recording studio history. The plugin streamlines that original processor while keeping its high shelf filter band. Black Rooster Audio says the goal was an authentic emulation of the discrete preamp circuitry and audio transformers, aimed at producers who want a particular vintage character on tracks or buses.

Best for

Vintage vocal coloring
Drum bus saturation
Mix bus warmth
Tracking with classic vibe
Adding THD character

Developer: Black Rooster Audio
Category: Preamps
Store: Plugin Boutique

02Key features

What you get

Emulates discrete preamp circuitry and audio transformers
Retains the original high shelf filter band
SPICE-type component-based circuit simulation
SSE2-optimized DSP processing
Auto-adjusted oversampling to the session sample rate
Low-latency linear-phase Dolph-Chebyshev oversampling
Highdpi and Retina display support
64-bit plugin in VST3, VST2, AU and AAX formats

03In depth

Authentic Circuit Emulation and Sound Character

Black Rooster Audio says VPRE-73 uses a real-time, SPICE-type component-based circuit simulation. The developer states that the input and output audio transformers, the discrete preamp circuit and the HF shelving filter band were each modeled.

The developer describes the plugin as providing low-end weight, high-end sparkle and a controlled amount of THD to recreate a classic vibe. The emphasis is on the character of the analog original rather than a clean, transparent gain stage.

Processing Performance and Oversampling

DSP operations are pipelined with the SSE2 instruction set, which the developer says keeps performance high despite complex calculations. Oversampling is set automatically to the session sample rate to limit CPU use.

Aliasing is reduced with a low-latency, linear-phase Dolph-Chebyshev poly-phase design. Highdpi and Retina display support is included on macOS and Windows, though Windows users should check whether their DAW is High DPI capable.

04Specs

Will it run?

Formats, systems and requirements as listed by Plugin Boutique. Missing details are left out, not guessed.

Developer	Black Rooster Audio
Type	Plugin
Category	Preamp
Formats	VST3, VST2, AU, AAX
Operating systems	Windows, macOS
Architecture	64-bit

05FAQ

Questions, answered

What formats is VPRE-73 available in?

VPRE-73 is listed in VST3, VST2, AU and AAX formats. It is a 64-bit plugin.

Which operating systems does VPRE-73 support?

VPRE-73 supports Windows and macOS. On macOS, the listed requirements include OS X 10.9 or newer, with M1 and M2 Apple Silicon supported. On Windows, Windows 7 or newer is listed.

What do I need to run VPRE-73?

You need a VST, VST3, AU or AAX compatible 64-bit host, at least 1GB of RAM and a display resolution of 1280x1024 pixels or more. Windows systems also need an SSE2 compatible processor, with an Intel Core CPU recommended.