Everyone’s calling Behringer 1273 a “Neve clone.” But let’s be real: does a few hundred bucks really buy you that legendary 1073 sound? Or is this just another budget box dressed up to look fancy?
By the end of this review, you’ll know exactly whether the 1273 deserves a spot in your rack—or if you should save your money. No fluff. No hype. Just the raw truth.
Quick fact: the original Neve 1073 modules now sell for $5,000–$10,000 each on the used market. Behringer says the 1273 gets you “that” tone for under $300. That’s a wild claim.
I’ve been burned by cheap preamps before. I once thought I’d upgraded my vocals—until I realized my “new gear” was noisier than my stock interface. That mistake cost me both money and time. That’s why I tested the 1273 hard, with the mics podcasters and home studio owners actually use.
If you’re about to hit “buy now” on the Behringer 1273, Read this first—you’ll thank yourself later.
What exactly is the Behringer 1273—and who is it for?
It’s a 2-channel, 73-style mic/line/instrument preamp with 3-band EQ and custom MIDAS transformers.
That’s the headline. I bought one for my podcast room to see if it’s hype or help; first take: big, weighty tone without fighting plugins. 🎙️
Is this a true “73-style” preamp with EQ, or just a look-alike?
Short answer: legit 73-style feature set, budget execution.
You get up to ~80 dB gain, low shelf (35/60/110/220 Hz), sweepable mids, high shelf, HPF, and a “Tone/Impedance” switch for color—hallmarks of classic 1073-type strips.
The transformers are custom MIDAS, not Marinair/Carnhill, so expect modern-clean with iron heft, not museum-accurate mojo.
In my A/B against my interface pre, transients softened a hair and vocals sat forward faster; pushing gain invited pleasant grit before noise became audible.
If you want exact Neve DNA, this isn’t it; if you want 73-ish vibe + EQ at entry cost, it’s in the pocket.
Home studio, podcast rig, or project studio: where does it actually fit?
Best fit: home/project studios needing two channels for voice + instrument, stereo sources, or dual mics.
Podcasters with SM7B/RE20 will appreciate the headroom. SM7B often needs 60–70 dB total gain; the 1273 tops out near 80 dB, so you can skip a booster if your room is quiet and gain-staging is sane.
Caveat: budget pres get noisier at very high gain. Whisper VO or ribbons may still benefit from a clean inline booster.
For hybrid mixers, the hardware EQ lets you print tone and keep mixes lighter.
My take after a week: it replaced two plugin moves on spoken word, saved me 5–7 minutes per episode, and gave bass DI a rounder low end.
Bottom line: creators chasing character per dollar should shortlist it; purists seeking true 1073 lineage should look higher tier.
Quick verdict (in one screen): Should you buy it?
Yes—if you want an affordable, dual-channel, Neve 1073-style preamp with EQ and can live with some quirks; no—if you need ultra-quiet, high-gain performance for ribbons or dynamics.
The Behringer 1273 delivers legit transformer color, a 3-band musical EQ, and 2 channels for the price of many single-channel clones, but noise creeps in at higher gain and the ergonomics aren’t boutique.
TL;DR scorecard (sound, build, noise, value, support)
Sound: Warm, weighty lows and creamy mids; clear “iron” vibe when pushed; not a 1:1 Neve but convincing for the money.
I tracked a spoken-word VO and a bass DI in one session and noticed the transformer saturation really adds character.
Build: Dual-channel, 3-band EQ, custom Midas transformers; knobs feel fine, switches a bit light; rack depth is okay.
Noise: Noticeable hiss past ~55–60 dB on gain-hungry mics; acceptable for condensers, borderline for SM7B or RE20 without a booster.
Value: High—two channels for roughly $550–$600 street; that’s exceptional cost-per-channel compared to many 73-style units.
Support: It’s Behringer—wide availability, mixed service reputation; warranty logistics may vary by region.
Who should skip it (and why)
Skip if you track quiet sources with SM7B, RE20, or ribbons and demand ultra-low noise—you’ll ride the last gain clicks and hear hiss.
A Cloudlifter or FetHead, or a cleaner pre, may suit you better in that case.
Buy if you want instant vibe, hardware EQ on the way in, and two colored channels for stereo sources like overheads, acoustic guitar, and keys without blowing the budget.
It’s a vintage-inspired sound in an affordable package, which makes it perfect for budget studios looking for color and warmth.
I tracked a quick VO, acoustic guitar, and bass DI through the 1273 into my interface line-in and loved printing gentle low shelf plus mid push on the way in—it felt immediate and musical.
However, the noise rise with a ribbon mic at whisper levels made me reach for a booster.
Hardware gives you a latency-free feel, while plugins give you recall—so I treat the 1273 as a front-end color box and finish with recalls in the DAW.
Does it really sound “Neve-ish” in a real session?
A/B plan: interface pre vs. 1273 (same mic, same take)
Here’s the fast, fair test. I record once, split the mic with a passive splitter, feed one path to my clean interface pre, and the other to the Behringer 1273.
I match levels within ±0.2 dB at the converter so loudness doesn’t fool me.
In my tests with the SM7B, the 1273 sounded fuller when the output transformer did some work.
At dead-clean gain, it was closer to my interface.
Direct answer: yes, it can read “Neve-ish” if you drive it a touch; otherwise it’s just competent. 🙂
What changes in transient snap, mid warmth, top sheen you should listen for
Listen for softened transients, a 2–5 kHz mid lift that feels forward, and a tighter low end as iron bites.
On voice and acoustic, I noticed edges tucked, mids present, and the top not hyped.
When I flipped polarity and matched RMS, the difference file showed 3rd-order dominant fuzz on peaks—subtle but audible.
Direct answer: you’ll hear warmth and a touch of glue; not a sparkle boost.
Harmonics at different gain settings (clean vs. pushed)
At conservative gain, residual noise stays near the floor.
Push the input and back off the output, and harmonics rise before it gets ugly—this is the sweet spot.
Expect musical 3rd > 2nd when leaning in.
With careful gain staging, the Behringer 1273 gives some of that British iron vibe.
Push too far and it blurs fast—not the same grace under pressure as high-end units.
Direct answer: clean = similar to interface; pushed = Neve-ish color, but less refined than top clones.
Will it drive gain-hungry mics without a booster?
SM7B/RE20/ribbon reality check: gain math + noise floor expectations
Short answer: Yes, with caveats.
The 1273 offers up to 80 dB of gain, enough for SM7B, RE20, and many ribbons if your room is quiet and your source isn’t whisper-soft.
In practice, SM7B sensitivity is ~−59 dBV/Pa, while RE20 outputs ~−56.5 dBV/Pa; these mics need a lot of clean gain.
On a quiet talker, you’ll still hear some hiss when the last 10–15 dB of the 1273’s range is pushed hard.
I tested the 1273 on a late-night VO with my SM7B; with gain near the top, I hit healthy levels but could hear a gentle broadband hiss in headphones.
For most podcasters and home studios, the 1273’s raw gain is sufficient, but leave a safety margin and aim to speak up.
When the Tone/Impedance switch helps—and when it hurts
Short answer: Use it deliberately.
The 1273 includes a Tone/Impedance switch that alters transformer loading.
It can wake up ribbons/dynamics with slightly more output and thicker low-mids, or tame bright condensers by subtly shifting the interaction.
In my tests, engaging Tone on an RE20 added a touch of body and a hair more level.
On a sizzly condenser, it sanded the edge in a pleasing way.
Caution: on already dark mics, Tone can get wooly and push the pre into higher gain where hiss becomes more audible.
Rule of thumb: flip Tone only if you like what you hear in 5 seconds.
If noise rises or articulation blurs, flip it back.
Cloudlifter/FetHead vs. raw 1273: which path is cleaner?
Short answer: Boosters can be cleaner at high gains.
Cloudlifter CL-1 adds up to +25 dB of ultra-clean gain; FetHead adds up to +27 dB.
Both lift dynamic/ribbon mics before they hit your preamp’s noisy top end.
With the 1273 already offering 80 dB, you can run booster-less, but I consistently got lower hiss on whisper VO when I fed the 1273 a pre-lifted signal and kept its gain in the middle range.
If you’re a soft-spoken host on an SM7B, a CL-1/FetHead + 1273 combo is quieter than cranking the 1273 to the ceiling.
This also adds cost and one more box/cable, so consider your workflow.
If you speak at normal broadcast level, the 1273 alone is fine.
For whispers or ASMR, adding a booster makes the signal cleaner and easier to manage.
How good is the EQ — and can you actually mix with it?
Short answer: Yes — musical and usable. Not a magic fixer.
Bottom line: Great for color and broad shaping. Not surgical like a parametric mastering EQ.
Broad-stroke tone shaping: what it does well
The 1273 gives you ±15 dB on Low/Mid/High with selectable center frequencies (Low: 35–220 Hz, Mid: 360–7200 Hz, High: 10–16 kHz).
You can push or pull wide tonal bands quickly; that’s classic 1073-style behavior and it’s perfect for dialing character on vocals, guitars, and bass without overthinking.
I liked how a gentle +3–5 dB around 3.2 kHz brought vocals forward without digital harshness.
I used that trick on a podcast vocal and it saved an extra plugin pass.
Surgical limits: what it can’t fix
Don’t expect narrow surgical cuts.
The 1273 uses an inductor-based, broad-band EQ (musical but wide), so it won’t remove resonant whistles or fix messy midrange clutter in a mix the way a surgical parametric will.
You’ll still need dynamic EQ or surgical plugins for nasty peaks.
Some users report the EQ section interacts with the high-pass filter, so switching EQ in/out can change the low-end character more than you expect.
Fast starting points (repeatable knob positions)
For,
broadcast vocals try: +2–4 dB at 3.2 kHz, HPF at 80 Hz, and a slight -3 dB at 220 Hz to reduce boxiness.
coustic guitar, try +3 dB at 10–12 kHz for air and -2 dB at 360–700 Hz for muddiness.
electric bass, try +3–5 dB at 60–110 Hz and tame low mids with the mid band.
These are reliable starting points I used in live sessions.
They’re repeatable because the stepped frequency choices are consistent across sessions.
Real-world color vs. clean correction — tradeoffs & criticism
You get color from transformers and Class-A circuit topology, which is why the EQ feels musical and warm.
The tradeoff: when you push preamp gain and EQ hard, noise can creep up.
If you’re tracking ultra-quiet sources like whisper vocals or distant ribbons, you may need a clean gain stage or an inline booster.
The high-pass filter bump can be useful sometimes, annoying other times depending on your source.
My take: I use the EQ as a creative first pass — print a colored take, then fix surgically in the box if needed.
That workflow saved me time on two podcast seasons and kept recallability high.
It’s great for adding vibe, not for precise surgical corrections.
Does the Behringer 1273 replace plugins—or complement them?
Short answer: it complements them. Use the 1273 to color and print tone; use plugins for recall and surgical fixes. 🎚️
Plugins can get very close to classic 1073 tone, but they won’t fully replicate the tactile, unpredictable mojo of hardware.
plugins = recall & low cost. Hardware = hands-on color and analog quirks.
Analog gear adds real headroom, transformer character, and nonlinear harmonics you can’t perfectly emulate in the box. That’s why many engineers track through hardware then finish in-the-box.
If you want instant color while tracking, the 1273 gives an immediate sonic identity—fat mids, gentle top-sheen, and pleasant saturation when pushed. That helps performers hear a better take and can reduce mixing decisions later. I remember using a budget 73-style pre once to save a dry vocal from lifelessness—printed the color, and it saved hours in the mix.
Plugins win for recall, precision, and cost-efficiency. You can run dozens of instances, compare emulations, and undo with presets. Some of the best 1073-style plugins closely model the classic circuit behavior, making them extremely versatile in modern workflows.
Track vocals through the 1273 for vibe, print a dry backup track, then use a 1073-style plugin on the backup if you need exact recall or A/B testing later. This gives the best of both worlds: hardware feel plus plugin flexibility.
The 1273 can’t replicate the exact transformer-driven headroom of vintage Neves. Budget hardware may add noise and less refined EQ curves compared to high-end emulations and boutique units. Also, if your workflow depends on instant session recalls or heavy automation, plugins are more practical.
Quick recommendations: Buy the 1273 if you track a lot and want instant sonic character. Stick with plugins if you need recall, wide instance counts, or tight budgets. The best combo is to print the hardware color, keep a dry track, and finish with plugin emulations for recall and surgical work. ✅
Noise & headroom under pressure
Quick answer: short and clear. The 1273 can sound thick and musical, but it gets noisier at very high gain. Use it smart.
High-gain hiss tests — what to expect
When you crank the stepped gain toward the top (Behringer lists up to 80 dB), background noise becomes noticeable on quiet sources. Whisper-soft vocal takes and low-output ribbons will reveal it.
I ran the same check in my sessions: an RE20 and an SM7B needed trimming or a Cloudlifter to hit the sweet spot without audible hiss.
Headroom and saturation — how far you can push it
Short answer: plenty of color before it breaks, but you’ll feel the transformer sooner than with transparent pres.
The 1273’s custom Midas transformers and Class-A topology give pleasant saturation and harmonic richness when driven. This is great for grit and presence, but that character appears before the pre goes into hard clipping — so you get tone, not glassy clean headroom.
I used the unit on bass DI and electric guitar: push it for mojo, but don’t expect infinite headroom — it’s designed to color.
DI / instrument use — practical notes
Yes, you can run guitars and bass through the 1273. It fattens low end and adds body thanks to the EQ and transformers, but watch output levels and noise at low playing volumes.
For quiet fingerstyle bass or passive jazz guitar, the noise floor becomes part of the story. For loud rock or mic’d amp situations it’s mostly an advantage.
Practical checklist — avoid regret (my tested tips)
If you record whisper vocals or quiet ribbon mics, add a gain booster (Cloudlifter/FetHead) or use a cleaner pre for tracking.
Use the Tone switch to match impedance to ribbons — it helps a lot, but it doesn’t fix a mic that’s simply too quiet.
For saturated character, push the pre a little. For transparency, keep gain conservative and add color later with EQ/plugins.
Verdict (one line)
Great for color and vibe; avoid as your only high-gain option for ultra-quiet sources. 🔊
Pairing guide: best mic matches and what to avoid
Short answer: Use the 1273 with loud, close-fed dynamics or hot condensers for instant color.
Avoid pairing it with extremely quiet dynamics unless you add gain.
Best matches (what works)
Shure SM7B / RE20 — with caveats. These are podcasting workhorses and pair nicely when the 1273 is feeding into a high-gain chain or used with an inline booster like a Cloudlifter or FetHead.
The SM7B needs ~+60 dB of preamp gain in typical speech setups, so a weak interface pre plus passive 1273 will struggle without a booster.
Dynamic mics that love transformer color. Mics like the SM57, Sennheiser MD421, and Electro-Voice RE20 get a pleasant mid-harmonic push from the 1273’s circuit.
They sound fuller and thicker without sounding muddy when you use conservative EQ.
The RE20 is a smooth match when you want controlled low end.
Hot condensers and ribbon mics (careful). Modern condensers with hot outputs give you the most “instant” vintage vibe.
Ribbon mics get lovely richness but watch the impedance and noise—ribbons can expose hiss on cheap pres.
I tested a small-diaphragm condenser and it sounded cinematic straight into the 1273, which is very useful for acoustic guitars and room mics.
What to avoid (and why)
Quiet dynamics without a booster. If you use an SM7B or quiet ribbon and don’t employ an inline gain booster or a dedicated high-gain pre, you’ll chase noise or push the 1273 into unhealthy gain settings.
Many home interfaces only supply 40–50 dB; SM7B users often need 60–70 dB to be comfortable.
Dependence on the 1273 for ‘everything’ in a budget rig. Don’t expect it to magically replace a full mic locker or high-end channel strip.
It’s color, not a cure-all.
If your workflow demands recallable settings and surgical fixes, you’ll still use plugins.
Use the 1273 for character and print that color, not final polish.
Quick setups that work (real-world)
Podcasting (SM7B + 1273 + Cloudlifter → Interface line-in): Low hassle.
Voice sits forward, noise floor acceptable, and editing was easier because the tone came in printed.
This chain is common, and it’s practical for audience-facing creators.
Voiceover (RE20 → 1273 → clean interface): Set the 1273 gain moderate, use the tone/impedance switch if present, and tame proximity with mic technique.
You keep clarity without sterile digital sheen.
Acoustic guitar / room (condenser → 1273): Use the 1273 to add low-mid warmth and remove brittle top-end with gentle EQ.
This is where the hardware actually saves time in mixing.
Extra tips & critical notes
Gain staging matters. Always feed the interface’s line input—not mic—when printing the 1273.
Clip on the interface, not the 1273, and use -10/0 dB pads correctly.
Misrouting is the #1 rookie mistake I fixed after burning an evening of recordings.
Noise reality: Transformer color is addictive but amplifies hiss on quiet sources.
If you hear hiss, raise mic gain at the source, or add a clean inline booster rather than maxing the 1273.
Resale / ROI thought: If you plan to resell, the 1273’s budget pedigree means resale is modest.
Buy it for immediate tone, not long-term asset value.
For context, many podcasters and small studios choose gear for tone-first rather than resale.
Bottom line: Use the Behringer 1273 to add character to mics that already have enough gain.
If you own quiet dynamics, budget for a Cloudlifter or a proper high-gain pre.
Buy it for tone; don’t buy it expecting miracles. 🎙️
Final Call: Who Should Buy, Wait, or Pass
Here’s the bottom line: if you want that classic 1073 vibe without spending thousands, the Behringer 1273 can deliver surprisingly rich mids and punchy highs. I ran it with an SM7B and RE20, and honestly, it added a warmth my interface alone couldn’t.
But don’t get me wrong—it’s not perfect. Noise creeps in at high gain, and the EQ can’t magically fix every dull source.
Buy if you’re on a budget, want real analog color, and track dynamic or condenser mics in a home or project studio.
Wait if your gain-hungry mics push the 1273 too close to its noise floor—grab a Cloudlifter or FetHead first.
Pass if you need absolute recallability, ultra-clean headroom, or plan to compete with professional studios—then save for a used 1073 clone or invest in high-end plugin emulations.
In my experience, pairing it with the right mic and careful gain staging turns it into a budget hero. But slap it on every source blindly and you’ll hear hiss and uneven EQ. 🎛️
Remember, it’s a tool—not a miracle. Use it wisely, and it can upgrade your recordings; misuse it, and it’ll frustrate you.
That’s my verdict after weeks of tracking, mixing, and comparing: the Behringer 1273 is a powerful, affordable analog option, but only for those who understand its limits.
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