Stam Audio announces 3A-5 Opto Comp, 1073-5T Pre, SA4000 Tube-5 MK2 Bus Comp & SA-87i mic
by The Press Desk   25th July 2022

Wow a 4000 with TUBE!!!!!

Would love to see again the V72 in stock

Me too!
Unfortunately tube supply has made it impossible but I might find a batch around to make a few hopefully next year!

we need a full eq now. rack

Noted sir!

Which EQ would interest you?

I don't know how difficult/expensive could be to develop it in the hardware realm but this plugin from Analog Obsession could be a dream to have in the rack:
Analog Obsession FRANK

1u stereo 5500 type clone. 4 bands with filters.
Seems like it will par wel with the 4000mk2 api mod

That would be so neat to have in real life!

I really like Stam Audio Gear and i own 2 hardware which are awesome
The only drawback is delivery time, I wasn’t in a hurry at that time, but I waited for nearly an year for the product which was supposed to be in a few months ?
If Stam Audio were to improve delivery and production time, it would be a no brainer. But if I have the money today I would go to a similar brands which I can get in the same day.

I am sorry you had to wait!!

We are addressing this by making smaller batches with 4-6 weeks lead time each (like the ones above).

Before we use to announce when having ordered all parts and the estimated time for delivery was based on that and it just never worked out. There is always an unforeseen issue with a supplier, customs or some mistake along the way that delays things.

Now we make sure to have all parts with us first before giving an estimated lead time that is more dependent on us rather than external factors.

This has managed to cut down the wait time and how will be how we do things moving forward so that no one has to wait more than the announced time.

We still have 3 units backordered from last year to complete before we fully move to this new setup.

We always make 25% extra to have in stock for every batch but sadly (or thankfully) it sells out within days.

Thanks for your kind words towards our work!

So what can you tell us about the tube stage in the 4000 comp? I haven’t seen any info about it. What type of tube is in there? Is it easily user replaceable? Could we put NOS in there? What sort of voltage is getting to the tube and how hard is it being driven, are we talking very subtle or big warmth?
Cheers. I’m quite tempted.

I'm also quite curious about the implementation!

Either way - I WANT ONE.....BAD!

I'm sure it sounds INSANE; like all Stam gear. Built like tanks too, IMO..

I own a 312T-500 (312-styled circuit with a TUBE) and it's literally one of the most lush, detailed and BIG sounding preamps I've ever heard. Legit AMAZING. Build-quality is also TOPS.. the PCB layout and soldering is extremely clean, elegant and professional. I love this thing to bits!

Wow, quite an announcement. I wouldn't mind having a couple different things.

I'm happy to send stuff over for testing!

You'd just need to cover the shipping (which is very low on these) and return shipment to our local US techs in case you don't want to keep them.

It workouts pretty well like this.

Are you IikeIy to make a 500 version of your 384 comp anytime soon? As in, soon enough to wait for.... :-)

And is the SA4000-5T in stock or how Iong wouId one have to wait for one?

Does this work for the uk as weII? I wouId Iove to test the SA-4000-5T and SA-3A-5 if so.

That SA-87i sure looks good. If it as you say, indistinguishable from your 72 U87 then that is a very attractive price. Would love to try it out.

The LA-3A from what I can see is all discrete, is the SA 3A-5 the same?

Yes, it's fully discrete.

Just got my 87i in. Has great weight to it and can’t wait to start using it. Mic is beautiful.

Just did my first recording on the 87i mic and I'm amazed. Raw vocals came out perfect for what I was looking for. Not even close to being sibilant and got a nice full body of sound from it. Very impressed for my first piece bought from Stam. Next is the 800g.

Thank you for your warm feedback everyone.

We have a few pieces of the 3A-5 Plus, SA-87i and 1073-5T at the lab, feel free to email me if you want one.

I am fortunate enough to own all 4 of these pieces of gear, although my 4000 is the non-tube version. I can't say enough about the physical quality of all the Stam equipment I own in addition to the superb rich sound each piece of gear gives to my recordings.

The SA-3A would be amazing as a standard rack size unit let alone a 500 series. I own a pair of UA LA-3A's and in A/B comparisons, these not only hold up beautifully, the LA4 setting gives it an instant added dimension you will not find in an LA3A. It has become my go-to for vocals, drums and bass.

I own both the Stam SA-87 and 87i and have compared them to each other several times on male vocals. There is a very subtle difference between the two, what one would expect from any two vintage U87's as no two are exactly alike. Teh 87 is slightly darker than the 87i and has slightly less pronounced top end but both are airy and pleasing. Kuddos to you Josh in capturing the nuanced sounds the vintage and modern Neumann mics are known for. The high end, mids and lows are exactly what I was looking for when I made the purchase. You have delivered once again.

I run the SA-73t in series with the SA-3A 5 and its a perfect combination for just about anything one would want to record in rock music. Uncolored and flat is not what these preamps are about. Teh 73 tube stage gives it just enough warm coloration to take the traditional 1073 sound and give it some extra magic. It's very subtle and not overdone at all.

I can't stress enough the high level of build quality for all of the Stam gear. I own 7 Stam mics and 11 pieces of Stam outboard gear. All of this gear is in regular use in my setup because it simply sounds the best even compared to some of my vintage pieces. I already have set aside some budget for two more pieces in the coming months.

Way to go Josh! Keep up the incredible work you are doing, I can't wait to see what is next.

Josh,

What’s the difference between the SA87 mkiii that I have and the SA87i?

They have a different tunning in the capsule, the SA87i is smoother

Also, we went back with the original Sowter 1303F that matches this tuning better and adjusted a few minor values on the circuit.

It's a puzzle at the end of the day to get it to sound how you want it to sound!

Thanks Josh. To my ears, the mic sounds fantastic. Do you feel the SA87i is a better mic or just a different mic?

To compare and contrast, I have a Chandler TG, Soyuz 017 and TLM103 for LDC. I find the SA87 MKIII to have a very open and clear sound with a sweetness in the top like a high shelf EQ on a Pultec or Ibis. Just a little deessing and compression and things are ready for mixdown. It’s detailed and polished. I really like it for this sound.

And thank you for the quick shipping and excellent customer service. I will definitely do biz with you again. I’m very interested in your SSLGold Can bus compressor ; )