REVIEW BEHRINGER 73 500 SERIES MICROPHONE PREAMP: It's real, it's here, lets go inside!

It is finally here, I paid the full price to be an early adopter and find out if this product lives up to the hype. The Behringer 73 is one of the most highly anticipated -- 500 series -- mic preamp  modules EVER, but, is it good?

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I've only had a couple of days with the Behringer 73 and will be updating this review with more information in the future after I use it on a larger variety of sources. I don't want to keep you waiting, how does it sound? It sounds big, full and meaty, very much like like my full size Neve 1073SPX rack mounted preamps. With the gain carefully matched you would be hard pressed to hear any significant differences. 

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How did Behringer do this? How did they fit all that circuitry into a single 500 style package? How did they do this for such an amazing price.....certainly corners had to be cut, right? 

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Before we even listened to it we had to rip open the enclosure and see the inside. Wow, this little box is not only heavy in your hand but it is packed with circuitry and those big, beautiful transformers. 

Behringer 73 Transformers, click to enlarge

Here is a closer view of the two transformers: The big one wrapped in yellow tape is the output -- it appears to be constructed using iron laminations (as were vintage Neve parts), the dark color is the clue, nickel lamination material is much lighter in color. The smaller transformer is packaged in what appears to be a rectangular shaped Mu Metal enclosure for additional shielding. This transformer packaging is different than the packaging used in the 1273 input transformers which are in more common round cans.

1273 Transformers, click to enlarge

Here is a view inside the 1273 (big brother of the Behringer 73). The shape of the transformer package -- square or round -- is for your viewing pleasure; as long as the package holding the transformer is made of Mu Metal and it's wound, then stacked correctly with lamination material, and in the case of Neve emulations, gapped, the sound should be virtually indistinguishable from each other.

SONIC TESTING

I went right to a tough source I'm very familiar with, my voice, through an SM7B Shure microphone. These mics need a lot of gain, the Behringer 73 packs the same gain specification as the Neve 1073 products, 80 dB available. Just like on my Neve 1073SPX, the SM7B came to life with beautiful full tone at 55dB of gain -- indicated by the nomenclature around the rotary switch on the Behringer 73 -- it really had wonderful full and alive sound at 60 dB of gain. If I was doing broadcast work I'd want 60 dB of gain on the mic. Hearing it sound so big and full, put a huge smile on my face. 

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PACKAGING

The metal work on the Behringer 73 is top notch and compares directly to modules priced $700-$1200, or more, the bends were sharp and tight, the metal is the right thickness and overall the look and feel is excellent. The metal parts fit together in a very precision manner. The circuit board edge connector plugged right into my API VPR 500 rack beautifully, nice engagement between the electrical contacts.  

THOUGHTS

I love having a Neve-like preamp in a bargain priced 500 enclosure. 

It's not a kit, there is nothing to do except plug it in and love recording with it. You can buy them everywhere so it is easy to purchase.

The gain switch works the same as on the real Neve -- which Behringer clearly copied -- same OFF positions which annoy folks who don't understand them. Just like the Neve 1073LB the Behringer 73 has the same annoying phantom power switching (a press-on, press-off switch built into the output level knob). 

The combo-style input XLR jack on the front of the Behringer is by Neutrik and it mated beautifully with expensive gold Neutrik male XLR plugs and the dirt cheap plugs on Amazon brand XLR cables. 

The "Signal Present" LED adjacent to the Gain knob is in the exact same location and functions just like on the Neve 1073LB.

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EPILOGUE

I like this little preamp a lot, it is more than good, it's great! It is in industry standard -- 500 series -- packaging and it functions beautifully. I will be working with it a lot more and intend to update this review as I learn more. 

So, does it sound exactly like a Neve? It's really, extremely close. Go listen for yourself, or just buy one, at $250 it's an incredible deal, it even comes with the screws to mount it. 

Thanks for reading High on Technology, Good Music To You! 

©May 2025 by Mark King, it's not ok to copy or quote without written permission from the author. 

Go forth and create beautiful things.....

all photos are ©May 2025 by Mark King