Soyuz Lakeside Single-channel Preamp

Soyuz Lakeside Single-channel Preamp

1-channel Mic Preamp with DI, Variable Harmonic Enhancement, Custom Input and Output Transformers, and HPF

Value-packed, High-performance Preamp from Soyuz

Representing yet another value-packed, high-performance product from the innovative brain trust at Soyuz, the Lakeside is a single channel, Class A preamp in a smart-looking 1U rackmount chassis. As Soyuz’s first venture into outboard gear, the Lakeside has created quite a stir here at Sweetwater due to its strong performance and outstanding value. A contributing factor to the Lakeside’s authoritative sonic signature is the use of discrete, through-hole circuitry and beefy, custom-wound Soyuz-made input and output transformers. As with Soyuz microphones, the Lakeside preamp is inspired by classic designs from the golden age of analog — but designed for the modern studio.

Simple and effective

The Soyuz Lakeside preamp rocks a clean, approachable layout. From left to right, the cream-colored 1U, 19-inch faceplate features a 1/4-inch DI jack, a powder-blue input Gain knob; a vertical arrangement of DI, 48V phantom power, and polarity reverse switches; an orange HPF knob, and a fire-engine-red Output knob. The Gain knob is hitched to a rotary switch that controls input gain in 5dB increments, providing variable harmonic enhancement for versatile tonality — one of the most desirable and useful features of the Lakeside. The smooth output trim control lets you compensate for added gain to maintain optimal gain structure in your signal chain. The unique inductor-based highpass filter pot is sweepable from 40Hz to 330Hz, giving you ample flexibility to strip any unwanted/unneeded low-end content from your signal.

Truly impressive flexibility

The wide range of the Gain control (10dB–60dB) gives you broad latitude when using the Lakeside. It has ample gain to handle low-output passive ribbon mics, yet you can crank down the gain enough to accommodate line-level signals. This means you can use the Lakeside for re-amping individual tracks and stems. And with two Lakesides, you can re-amp entire stereo mixes, taking advantage of the juicy harmonic enrichment on tap in this superb preamp. Given the Lakeside’s excellent performance, versatility, and budget-friendly price tag, it would make sense to double your value and invest in a pair of them for stereo capture and processing duties.

What’s in your mic locker?

Among the most cherished assets of any world-class recording studio are its microphones. Take a peek in the mic locker, and you will almost certainly find vintage European tube and FET models made in the 1950s, ’60s, or ’70s. The “human-touch” manufacturing methods and discrete handwired circuitry of that era yielded microphones with sonic characteristics that are distinctly different from modern computer-assisted designs. Built using a blend of old-school handcraftmanship and state-of-the-art machining, Soyuz’s original tube and FET microphone designs — while not clones of vintage models — deliver the coveted sonic attributes associated with these classics, along with modern precision and reliability. It’s truly the best of both worlds. So, what’s in your mic locker? The answer will determine the sound of your recordings.

Soyuz: Eastern engineering, Western design

The Russian word “soyuz” means alliance, and it signifies the partnership that is the driving force behind Soyuz Microphones. In 2013, American vocalist David Arthur Brown and Russian entrepreneur Pavel Bazdyrev teamed up and launched a company to build world-class microphones in Russia — a country where less than 5% of small businesses last more than two years. Since then, thanks to their outstanding quality and sound, Soyuz microphones have gained a firm foothold in the industry and are being used by top engineers, producers, and artists. As a natural extension of its expertise with microphones, Soyuz is developing a preamp range, the first releases of which have been received in the professional community with critical acclaim.

Soyuz Lakeside Features:

• Single-channel, Class A mic/DI preamplifier
• All-discrete, through-hole circuitry
• Custom-wound input and output transformers
• Stepped input gain switch with 5dB increments
• Smooth output trim control
• Unique inductor-based highpass filter (sweepable from 40Hz–330Hz)
• Front-panel 1/4-in. DI; rear-panel XLR I/O
• Gain control provides variable harmonic enhancement for versatile tonality
• Enhances all microphones, particularly Soyuz mics
• Rugged professional 1U rackmount chassis
• Suitable for re-amping stems, recordings, and full mixes