Heritage Audio HA-609A

Fortify Your Sound With Holy Grail British Compression

Based on legendary vintage British-spec diode bridge compressor/limiter designs, the Heritage Audio HA-609A fortifies your mixes, stems, and tracks with punch, weight, and color. This boutique 2-channel unit features a fully discrete Class A signal path with three Carnhill/St. Ives transformers per channel, in addition to a transformer-coupled ’73-style gain circuit for compressor makeup gain. For maximum sonic and operational flexibility, the HA-609A is equipped with special fast settings for both compression and limiting, along with stereo link and dual mono modes.

Add warmth, girth, and authority to any sound source

As with all Heritage Audio Elite series equipment, the HA-609A is handcrafted at Heritage headquarters in Spain using cutting-edge manufacturing methods and top-shelf components, including rotary switches and precision, stepped potentiometers for accurate recall and channel matching. The Heritage Audio HA-609A is ready to add warmth, girth, and authority to any sound source, and delivers some of the sweetest vintage-flavored compression we’ve heard in this price range at Sweetwater.

Perfect for tracking, mixing, and mastering

Standard and fast attack times make the HA-609A an ideal dynamics processor for recording individual tracks, as well as during mixing and mastering. The HA-609A’s proprietary diode bridge design allows precise channel-to-channel matching of compression curves and response to within hundredths of a dB. Extended threshold range for both compressor and limiter as well as true bypass for both channels (in addition to bypass on individual compressor and limiter functions) increase flexibility to accommodate contemporary hybrid workflows.

Strong, fast, and punchy compression

The HA-609A’s compressor section offers controls for threshold, ratio, release, and bypass. In addition to the standard fixed attack time (tailored for general program material), the compressor also offers a special fast attack mode designed to catch loud transients on drum buses and other challenging highly dynamic material. The compressor’s makeup gain is a Class A amplifier with transformer-coupled output, inspired by Heritage Audio’s acclaimed ’73 preamp.

Modern limiting for contemporary workflows

With an extended threshold range and a new “fast attack” setting, the HA-609A serves up classic limiting with the modern workflow in mind. The HA-609A limiter is extremely versatile, adept at everything from subtle peak control to more extreme sculpting, while controlling the fast transients of percussion and general program material. The limiter section features controls for limit level and release time, and can be bypassed. Considering the HA-609A's impressive sonic performance and versatility, it's amazing that Heritage Audio managed to bring it in at such an affordable price point. But then, that's what they do.

Legendary performance, epic value

Founded in 2011 by engineer/producer Peter Rodriguez, Heritage Audio immediately set about designing and manufacturing equipment inspired by legendary vintage British console modules, using the same handwired, transformer-coupled Class A circuitry, with functionality aimed at today's studio workflows. Built to stringent tolerances using reliable modern components, Heritage designs deliver clean, problem-free audio with generous headroom and the vintage-flavored sonics we all crave.