Neve 1064 (#1)

What is the Neve 1064?

The Neve 1064 is a vintage Class A mic preamp and three-band EQ module from 1969, designed by Rupert Neve for his consoles. It shares its preamp and EQ circuit with the Neve 1066, the module the famous 1073 was developed from, in a longer 12-inch module. A discrete silicon amplifier drives a Marinair output transformer, and that combination is the thick, weighty Neve sound engineers chase. Our vintage Neve units are from the personal collection of F. Reid Shippen.

What is the Neve 1064 best for?

The Neve 1064 shines on the mix bus, vocals, and guitars, and a pair on the drum bus adds weight and glue. F. Reid Shippen, who owns 24 channels of them, runs a linked pair across full mixes at “+1 @ 60, +1 @ 10k.” Even with the EQ flat, its transformers and Class A amplifier add a thickness that makes a track sound finished.

What’s the difference between the Neve 1064 and the Neve 1073?

The Neve 1064 and 1073 share the same Class A preamp design and differ mainly in their EQ frequencies. The 1064’s mid band switches between 0.7, 1.2, 2.4, 3.8, and 7 kHz with a 10 kHz high shelf, while the 1073 has six mid points and a 12 kHz shelf. The 1064 came first: it carries the same preamp and EQ as the 1066, which the 1073 was built from. Reid Shippen’s verdict is “better low end and silkier highs than the 1073.”

What controls does the Neve 1064 have?

The Neve 1064 has a switched line gain control, a high-pass filter, and three EQ bands, all on stepped controls. The high-pass filter offers 45, 70, 160, or 360 Hz; the low band 35, 60, 100, or 220 Hz; the mid band 0.7, 1.2, 2.4, 3.8, or 7 kHz; and the high band is a 10 kHz shelf. Each band boosts or cuts in five steps either side of zero, so every setting is exactly repeatable. At Access Analog the line gain runs 0, +10, or +20, and stepping it up drives the module harder.

Why do vintage Neve modules sound so thick?

A vintage Neve module’s thickness comes from its transformers and Class A amplifier stages reacting to the level you feed them. Transformer cores saturate most at low frequencies, so pushing harder adds weight and harmonic density to the bass. Class A stages conduct through the whole waveform, avoiding crossover distortion and adding mostly low-order harmonics as they approach their limits. On Access Analog, your send level and the 1064’s line gain set how strongly that character comes through.

Is this the real Neve 1064 or an emulation?

It’s the actual vintage Neve 1064, with its real transformers and Class A circuitry, not a model of them. Your audio streams from your DAW to the physical module in our rack, and robotics set its controls as you adjust the Analog Matrix plugin. Real Gear. No Emulations.

Can I track a microphone through the Neve 1064, or run it in stereo?

The Neve 1064 at Access Analog processes audio that’s already in your DAW at line level; it isn’t used to track a live microphone. Your track passes through the real module and comes back into your session, with your settings saved and recalled robotically. We have two 1064s, so you can use one in mono or link both with the Analog Matrix’s Link L/R setting for a matched stereo pair on a bus or a full mix.

How much does it cost to use the Neve 1064?

The Neve 1064 is included in the Elite tier of the Access Analog Subscription, and you can also reserve it outright from the reservation calendar on this page. Current rates for every device are always listed on the Gear Prices page. New accounts start with 12 free credits to try the service.