In this video review for Production Expert, Technical Editor James Ivey takes a look at the new Chroma 500 series mic pre/line preamp. The Chroma offers the same A & N modes of mojo mic pre circuit found on its big brother the Silver Bullet but adds the ability to add your own flavour of tone shaping with a "Colour" module.

Chroma 500 Series Twin Tone Amp With Colour

Chroma is a 500 series mic preamp that features the amazing Twin Tone-Amp architecture from US company Louder Than Liftoff, which gives the user the ability to accept real analog hardware plug-ins for expanding its tonal capabilities. Chroma is the response to calls for a single channel Silver Bullet, and delivers with its twin topology (A or N) line processor and mic amp, but adds an exciting twist in the form of an analog plugin slot accepting Colour Modules. This feature allows additional processing and effects to be inserted into the signal path and mixed with Chroma's classic ' A or ' N inspired MOJO Amps.

Adding Colour

James first discovered the Colour Modules when he first started building analogue studio hardware and 500 series modules back in 2016. Since then the Colour format has grown into an audio sub-culture and there are a vast array of different tone and effects Colour modules available. In this review, James tried 3 of them. 

Mass Driver
The Mass Driver brings the classic American console sound to the Colour format. This circuit was inspired by the Model 325 Line Amplifier used throughout vintage API recording consoles from the 1970's. 

Pentode
There something very satisfying about listening to audio reproduced through a valve circuit. Pentode increases the perceived loudness of your source by saturating the transients (audio sorcery!) and adding musical 2nd order harmonic distortion. 

Pulse
There is a magic about the way real analog tape echo and slapback can add depth and dimension to a vocal or guitar track. A subtle dose can integrate a dry source into the space of the mix like nothing else. Louder Than Liftoff love it so much they decided to capture the sound of their trusty Otari 1/4' 2-track echo deck and miniaturize all those motors and tape heads for the Colour format. 

You can also check out James' full reviews of the Editors Choice Award-winning Silver Bullet by Louder Than Liftoff below.