Arturia Filters and Preamp
Two packs of emulations touching on some the most soughtafter equipment on the planet. Stuart Bruce digs in
Arturia have a well-earned rep for making incredibly accurate emulations of classic analogue and digital synths using their TAE (True Analogue Emulation) technology. With their 3 Filters You’ll Actually Use pack, they’ve taken already-proven filter sets from three of their V collection synths and turned them into plugins so you can use them on any sound. With 3 Preamps You’ll Actually Use, they’ve used that technology to emulate three classic mic pres and their associated EQs.
The 3 Preamps package is based on the Neve 1073, the Trident A range and the Telefunken V76. Each has common controls for phase, stereo link, stereo or mid and side operation, input and output, and then there are individual elements exclusive to each. Let’s start with the V73, the classic Rupert Neve transistor design with a few little extras. Where the original had stepped gain and frequency selection controls, here they are continuous and there is also the option to switch between two types of output transformer. Sonically it does what I’d expect. The beautiful curve of the HF is reproduced with all its clarity and the mid and low bands can add plenty of bite and warmth depending on where you set them. Pushing the pre gain can add subtle amounts of punch through to outright distortion.
The TridA-pre is a very different beast. I love Tridents of this era as I learnt on one and there is a familiarity to the sound of that EQ that takes me back to my younger years: the wonderful interaction between the mid and high and that extra bit of presence you get when you push the gain to the edge of distortion. Think early Bowie and Queen. I love it.
The V76 is a very different beast, smooth and creamy with plenty of solid low warmth. Pushing this into distortion and then pulling it back a bit really warms up a thinner signal and adds some lovely harmonic texture. The EQ is less sophisticated than on the other two, more like tone controls (they are simple fixed frequency shelves) but they do have a certain quality to them and are particularly great if something just needs a bit of brightening.
Having regularly used all of these devices over the last 35 years I can honestly say that the character of each is very close to the originals. I found myself using them in series, pushing some warmth into a sound with the V76 and then adding presence with the TridA, or fattening up drums with a touch of overload and the second transformer on the Neve. I have to agree with Arturia, I will actually use them all.
With the filters we have the tonal heart of three classic synths from the V collection range, the Minimoog (Arturia developed their original