Focusrite ISA Mic Pres

[Plush]

Original ISA 110's here bought in 1988. I paid $8500.00 for the pair back then!!! That included the two modules vertically mounted in a heavy duty metal flight (anvil type) case with power supply. The case itself weighs over 25 lbs.

Dan Zimbelman was my sales person--he is a great guy then running Focusrite USA and now at API.

INcredible and never need any repair.

EQ is the best.

They just keep on working and sounding incredible with minimal maintenance.

Build quality is like nothing seen now a days.

Made in England by a company owned by Rupert Neve.

[scott petito]

I have original 115's they kill on anything acoustic... and I've lately been using them with u67s for drum overheads .. never thought they would be good for that ... turns out they are fantastic with these mics.... I have some noisy switches but I will get them replaced at some point

I also Have 2 red range boxes and 1 110Le also really good something about the 115 preamp is a little thicker but the eqs are all very similar and good

I have 1073s and API's the 115 is more versatile than either in my opinion

cheers
SP

[elambo]

I had an original from the mid 80's (a 115 I believe?) and it was a tremendous workhorse. It had a great authoritative sound. Very strong. Neve-ish, but cleaner. Not at all like any Focusrites I heard in the 90's, and certainly unlike any of the new stuff.

[walth]

Originally Posted by robertshaw

I wouldn't call them clean but not as colored as say api or old Neve 10xx. The thing about the 110, 115 and the LE110 is the eq. It's is really good. It really is big sounding considering the money you pay for them used. I've tried several 500 series eqs and I didn't feel one came close to a 110 in features and overall mojo of the 110. But It does not have the hugness of like a 1073 eq but it is big sorta clean and has all the parametric parameters often required.110 Pre is solid , not very fast, not very tight unlike an API but nice in it's own way with some bigness and presence. $1000+ used you can't go wrong. The eq is worth the money alone I think. Last the 9098 units are better I think for the same money. They have a more sweetness to them but all the good eq and 'sheen' switched to add yet more favor

Clean is not bad, API and Neve rock but not on everyhting all the time

the 9098 pres are awesome

[PMoshay]

as i heard in our shootout test of the new Isa's vs the old Isa's....... the only differences we heard was my old ISA 115'S had lost a touch of their top end which is normal for a 25 year old piece of gear.
This gave the ISA115 a "Vintage Sound" which is often associated with a duller piece of gear.
We matched the sound of the old one to the new one's by adding about 1.5db at 15k and they matched perfectly.