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Shadow Hills Industries Mono GAMA 500 Series Microphone Preamp

500 Series microphone preamp with Discrete Operational Amplifier, Jensen input transformer and Transformer Switching Matrix
13 Write review Item ID: MonoGama
$1,195.00

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Shadow Hills Industries Mono GAMA 500 Series Microphone Preamp
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Amazing 500 Series Mic Pre

The Shadow Hills Industries Mono Gama 500 Series mic preamp will make any signal you put through it sound great. A formidable piece of no-compromise engineering, the Mono Gama (Golden Age Microphone Amp) slips into your API 500 Series compatible rack and delivers massive, punchy, full-frequency sonics with extraordinary depth and "air." Through the Mono Gama, vocals authoritatively command the spotlight - and the Mono Gama is also perfect for line level signals, handily coaxing even weak signals into compliance. If you're ready to step up to an astonishingly good preamp, give the Shadow Hills Industries Mono Gama a serious listen.

Related Videos: Mono GAMA 500 Series Microphone Preamp

Shadow Hills Industries Mono Gama 500 Series mic preamp at a Glance:
  • Exceptional clarity and transient response
  • Shape your sound with the Transformer Switching Matrix
  • Seriously built to sound great
Exceptional clarity and transient response

At the heart of the Mono Gama is the Shadow Hills Discrete Operational Amplifier. Notable for its exceptional clarity and lightning-fast transient response, this op amp is responsible for the Mono Gama's remarkable transparency and absence of coloration. If you've got a track that needs coloration, however - read on.

Shape your sound with the Transformer Switching Matrix

A unique feature of the Shadow Hills Industries Mono Gama is its Transformer Switching Matrix, which lets you choose between Nickel or Steel transformers - or Discrete (the transformerless setting) - to compliment whatever you're recording. Nickel gives you ruler-flat low end, and a slight (1dB) boost at 10k. Steel adds the personality of a 1dB boost at 40Hz, with a tight Q. The Discrete position yields startlingly fast transients and unmatched clarity.

Seriously built to sound great

The uncompromising build of the Shadow Hills Industries Mono Gama is, of course, to a large degree responsible for its amazing performance. Starting with an original Jensen input transformer, and ending with the innovative Transformer Switching Matrix, every component was painstakingly selected based on its contribution to the overall design objective: stunning sound quality. Of course, the Mono Gama is fitted with everything you expect in a world-class professional mic pre: phantom power, polarity switching, and an attenuation control that gives you an 18dB range on incoming mic signals, or 8dB on the line input.

With its impressive sound and performance, ease of operation, and weapons-grade build quality, the Shadow Hills Industries Mono Gama belongs in your 500 Series arsenal.

Shadow Hills Industries Mono Gama 500 Series mic preamp Features:
  • Jaw-dropping performance in a 500 Series format mic preamp
  • Discrete Operational Amplifier gives you amazing clarity and fast transient response
  • Original Jensen input transformer
  • Output Transformer Switching Matrix lets you choose between Nickel, Steel, or Discrete
  • Stepped rotary attenuator gives you easy repeatability of settings
  • DI input, fitted with pad and phase reverse
  • Engraved, vintage-flavored front panel
  • Exceptional build quality
Pop a Shadow Hills Mono Gama mic pre in your 500 Series rack and be amazed!

Additional Media

500 Series Buying Guide
Signal Processing Buying Guide

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Tech Specs

  • Preamp Type: Solid State
  • Number of Channels: 1
  • Phantom Power: Yes
  • Manufacturer Part Number: Mono Gama

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Customer Reviews

4.9 out of 5

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Fantastic Pre

I'm just echoing what everyone else has said, but I guess it can't be said enough. This is a really awesome preamp. My only criticism is the lack of some type of metering for the ins/outs, but levels are easily monitored within my DAW, so it's not an issue. I love this pre on snare drums and vocals, and the direct input is magic for electric guitars and basses. It is built like a tank, and feels like it's pretty much bullet proof. I appreciate the detent dials too - makes reproducing setting much more accurate. It is on the expensive side, but it's worth every penny.
by Gary Gidak from Phoenix, AZ on
Music background: Studio owner, producer, musician

Yes, you should buy this

Shadow Hills makes an incredible mic pre! I did my first test tonight and on a vocal it delivered a focused, detailed image while injecting depth and character - up front, thick, and present in the mix. The transformer selection makes this a secret weapon with 3 distinct tones. While I don't want to "compare it to a 1073" because it's not a clone, it definitely performs with the big boys (neve, api, etc). Also, I didn't realize it had stepped gain attenuation until I bought it (2db increments) - which is another selling feature if you're looking for a badass pre to run on a stereo mic application. All in all, you can't go wrong with this unit!
by Tim from Los Angeles on
Music background: Multi-Instrumentalist, Producer, Recording & Mix Engineer

shadow hills mono gama

I have been going back and forth on should I buy this unit or maybe one of the other high end preamps. After countless reviews I took the plunge and picked one up and it is all that and more and sounds good on everything. This preamp is a gift because it is like having three different preamps in one, not to mention the build quality. All I can say is wow! This is hands down a great investment for any studio home or professional. You can't go wrong with this preamp! Shadow Hills mono gama rules!!!!
by patch p from fort wayne on
Music background: guitarist,studio geek

Go To Preamp

I have a home studio that I travel with. The portability of the 500 series is great for that, so I loaded up my 500 series with a Great River MP-500NV and this Shadow Hills Mono GAMA, along with two FMR RNC compressors and a Rupert Neve Designs 551 EQ. I also have a Summit 2BA-221 tube pre and record through a Fireface UCX. I've had the Mono GAMA for a few years now. In the beginning, I was very impressed by the Great River's Neve-like qualities, but as I mature in my recording techniques, I have found myself going to the Mono GAMA for almost everything now. It's excellent for direct in instruments. I plug a Fender Precision Player Series bass guitar straight into this on the steel setting, then EQ it with the Rupert Neve 551, then run it through the RNC, and I'm getting a really nice bass sound like I hope for. This preamp can really thicken up an electric guitar or a vocal mic as well. It can add an iron like character, I would describe it as weight. A heft to the sound. It's very versatile and consistent. I can get good sounds out of this one every time in comparison to the Great River, which I use to get some overdrive. Sometimes I listen back to a track that I've recorded through the Great River, and it's a little too distorted. My mistake, but it's easy to mess up. With the Mono GAMA, it's clean and imparts character on the tracks. You can't go wrong with this pre!
by Bobucci from Houston, TX | Zurich, Switzerland on
Music background: Published Songwriter/Singer/Guitarist

Really stunning and versatile

I could not be happier with this purchase. The sound is so rich and full and deep and expressive. And the switches allow it to be versatile enough for many applications. This is my fourth preamp, some of which are household names as professional preamps. While they sounded nice, this one was even nicer and is much more versatile to work with different mics and instruments.

My only wish is that it had a separate gain and output dial so I could really drive the transformer without complicating my downstream signal. That said, this is such a gorgeous sound that this is a minor inconvenience.
by Chris from San Francisco on
Music background: Hobbyist

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What Do Our In-house Gear Experts Think?

Scott Augustyniak

The Shadow Hills Mono Gama preamp is my secret weapon when tracking in the studio. Having the choice of different colors from the Transformer Switching Matrix is really nice. It is like have three high-quality preamps in one. While recording with this preamp I will typically try out different transformer settings before grabbing the dials on my EQ and the results are awesome!

Austin Moss

This black magic box is too good for mere mortals! In the Shadow Hills Industries Mono GAMA, there are three classic signal paths for the price of one. On one extreme is the nickel-wound transformer that gives a slight boost in the midrange, and at the other is the steel-wound transformer which offers a low end bump. Right in the middle is an uncolored, discrete sound that is more of a wire with gain. The knobs and switches are mil-spec and make you feel like you should be piloting a submarine or tank. It's what you want for weapons-grade recordings!
See also: 500 Series Pre, Shadow Hills Industries, Shadow Hills Industries 500 Series Preamps
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