Thermionic Culture Earlybird 2.2 Two-Channel Tube Preamp/EQ

The microphone amplifier is arguably the most important part of the audio chain, yet it is here that solid state technology is weakest in most mixing desks.

The Thermionic Culture Earlybird 2.2 has been developed to be simply the best mic amp you can buy. Because of the special balanced push pull double triode circuit, it is virtually silent and distortion free, and has a very open, clean yet warm sound. The extended frequency response and lack of phase shift make it ideal for classical or rock recording.

The Earlybird 2 has a simple yet very effective eq for top, mid and bass in the feedback circuit (switchable). The high pass filter has been designed so that it works conventionally at lower settings, but on the 2 highest settings is gentler, and provides a mid cut when used in conjunction with the active bass lift.

The Earlybird 2.2 does not have to sit idly by on a mix! A separate line in socket is provided so that it becomes a valve eq and can produce a wonderfully warm distortion if required. The Output Trim control is placed after the electronics (as on The Phoenix ) and if turned back to a low setting, The Earlybird 2 can be overdriven by increasing the Gain setting.

Some Cultured users...
Because of their unique blend of flexibility, musicality, and usability, brought about as a result of being hand-built by some of the worlds leading pro audio valve equipment designers and engineeers, Thermionic Culture products attract their fair share of high profile, industry leading producers and engineers from the world of recording technology. Here is just a handful - why not add your name to the list?

• Tony Maserati - Culture Vulture
• Black Dog Productions - Earlybird 2.2, Pullet, Phoenix Mastering Compressor, Culture Vulture.
• Al Schmitt - Phoenix
• Big Life Music - Phoenix Master Compressor
• Steve Dub Jones - Earlybird 2
• The Dairy - Phoenix
• Al Stone - Culture Vulture
• ROBERT CARRANZA - PRODUCER FOR LOS LOBOS, SUPER GRASS, JACK JOHNSON - CULTURE VULTURE
• PABLO MUNGUIA - ROBBIE WILLIAMS - PHOENIX & CULTURE VULTURE
• STEPHEN STREET - KAISER CHIEFS - CULTURE VULTURE
• JAMES FORD - PRODUCER - ARTIC MONKEYS - CULTURE VULTURE
• GROOVE ARMADA - EARLYBIRD & CULTURE VULTURE MASTERING - " Both myself and Tom Findlay bought the Earlybird and the Culture Vulture Mastering, they're like your first mobile phone, once you've used them for a week you wondered how you ever liver without them!" Andy Cato - Groove Armada.
• Larry Hammel - Producer, Deepwave Music Productions, Earlybird 2.2 and Phoenix
• Peter Katis
• Chemical Brothers - Culture Vulture Mastering MV & Phoenix
  "The vulture it distorts synths in a truly beautiful way-we used to acheive this effect thru a long,convoluted process now we can get this great sound at a flick of a switch!" - Tom Rowlands
• Peter Gabriel - Real World Studios - Culture Vulture
• Alan Moulder -Producer/Engineer The Jesus & Mary Chain, Swervedriver, My Bloody Valentine,Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails Downward Spiral, U2's Pop.
• Mike Caffrey
• Steve 'Dub' Jones - Engineer/Producer - Chemical Brothers, Madness. Culture Vulture Mastering MV & Phoenix
• Tom Findlay - Groove Armada - Earlybird-2, Phoenix
• Pietro Taucher - Engineer for Sharrie Williams
• Paisley Park
• Tie Dye Keith
• Jerry Harrison and Eric Thorngren (Talking Heads)
• Peter Katis
• Jimmy Boyle
• Kevin Bacon ( Axis Studios, recent credits include Jaimeson )
• Angel Mountain Studios
• Overtones
• Andy Strange ( recent credits include Robbie Williams )
• David Ives
• Bernard Butler
• Tony Hoffer ( Beck , Turin Breaks )
• Edwyn Collins
• Mick Jones
• The Libertines
• Mark 'Spike¹ Stent ( U2, Madonna, Oasis )
• Portishead
• Ken Nelson ( Badly Drawn Boy, Coldplay )
• Dave Gilmour
• The Prodigy
• Hugh Jones
• Strong Room Studios
• Air Studios
• Mute Records
• Ross Hogarth - "Mondo distorto! dude, i like your box a lot...really liked the musicality of it!"
• San Francisco Soundworks
• “La Source” Mastering suite - Paris France
• Yves Jaget
• Bertrand Blais producer of Etienne Daho
• Wisseloord Mastering