The Toft Audio Designs AFC-2 Dual Mic Pre-Amp and Equalizer is an extremely versatile piece of equipment. With the equalizer section bypassed, it can be used as two independent, high quality, low noise, high headroom precisely adjustable microphone pre-amplifiers with selectable +48 volt D.C. phantom power and phase reverse facility. It can also be used as two independent line level amplifiers with gain precisely variable from -20 to +20dBm. A switch selects between microphone and line operation and an instrument input (accessible via the front panel) is also provided.

In addition to these functions, the heart of the unit is two independent four band swept equalizers identical to those found in the MTA Series 980 music recording console. As a recording engineer and console designer with over 25 years experience, Malcolm Toft has gained a reputation for designing consoles and equalizers that are both highly musical and intuitive to use. The AFC equalizer follows that tradition of excellence in every way.

One of the main features of the equalizer is its ability to enhance bass frequency signals without introducing the unwanted ‘boom’ so often found in many modern console equalizers. The frequencies and curve shapes of each range have been carefully chosen after painstaking listening tests in order to provide the precise degree of control that creative recording engineers require. Whilst a level adjustment of ±15dB in each range has been provided, use of the unit will show that only a small amount of boost or cut is needed to provide the desired effect. In severe cases where it may be necessary to remove unwanted frequencies to provide a particular effect (such as telephone voice simulation), the full boost and cut range can be used to great advantage.

Because of the versatile input arrangement of the unit, another use is that of a very high quality musical instrument pre-amplifier or D.I. (direct injection) box. It will be found that by plugging an instrument such as a guitar, bass or synthesizer into the instrument input, the level can easily be adjusted to provide line level to feed a professional mixing console. Furthermore, the equalizer will provide a range of control that many dedicated instrument pre-amplifiers will not match up to.