British Audio Technologies Altec 1588 500-Series Mic Preamp

British Audio Technologies Altec 1588 500-Series Mic Preamp

The BAT 1588 brings the legendary Altec 1588C microphone preamp circuit to the 500-series world — not as a clone but as a faithful evolution tuned for modern workflows. Packed with vintage vibe and loaded with premium Cinemag transformers (yes, the same transformer supplier used by UA, API, AeA, Moog, Avalon Design…) optimised for today’s demanding studios. The BAT 1588 is not trying to be everything, it’s trying to be exactly the right tool — for rich tone, effortless vibe, and musical colour.

Not Just Transparent — Purposefully Musical

Where many modern 500-series preamps focus on transparency and precision, the BAT 1588 leans into musicality. This isn’t one dimensional — it brings your sound alive. The subtle harmonic coloration, transformer saturation and mid-forward focus provide the kind of texture that makes vocals sit in a mix effortlessly. Think “record-ready tone” from the first take.

Simple Circuit, Complex Tone

The Altec 1588C is one of the most revered transistor-based preamps for a reason: it’s minimalist but sounds massive. The BAT 1588 preserves the original signal path with discrete transistor topology, avoids op-amps or ICs and stays transformer-balanced on both input and output. It’s the sound of radio hits from the ‘60s and ‘70s — now with lower noise and modern stability.

Examples of uses:

• Vocals: Warm, detailed, and naturally forward
• Drums: Rounded transients with punch and grit
• Guitars: Organic and harmonically rich
• Keys/Synths: Adds life and vibe to DI sounds

Specifications

• Gain: ~55dB (perfect for dynamic mics, ribbons with boosters or condenser mics)
• Frequency Response: 0.5dB deviation from 20Hz to 25KHz
• Circuit: Discrete Altec 1588C-inspired topology with no op-amps or ICs on the signal path
• Transformers: Cinemag input/output
• Trim adjustment: To fine tune the preamp saturation
• Output Fader: The output fader lets you saturate the output transformer for added colour, then reduce the level before the next stage
• Power: Standard 500 Series Rack (±16V)
• Components: 1 Watt 1% metal film resistors, Nichicon Gold capacitors, high quality potentiometers and E-switch high quality switches
• Build: Hand-assembled in small batches and tested for consistency