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Chameleon Labs

Chameleon Labs 7603 XMod

Mic/Line/DI Preamp with 3-band EQ (Carnhill transformer upgrade)

Preamp

$1,699Manufacturer list price

Specifications

Type
Preamp
Description
Mic/Line/DI Preamp with 3-band EQ (Carnhill transformer upgrade)
Topology
Neve-style transformer-coupled, Class A
Signal path
Analog
Channels
1
Channel format
mono
Form factor
1U rackmount
Rack units
1
Frequency response
10Hz-20kHz (-0.5dB); 10Hz-50kHz (-1dB)
Impedance (Ω)
300/1200 (mic input, switchable)

Details

Controls: Mic sensitivity (+20dB to +70dB) / Line (-30dB to +20dB); 300Ω/1200Ω mic input impedance selector; 48V phantom switch; DI engage switch; EQ engage switch; polarity reverse; high-pass filter (40/80/160/320Hz, 15dB/oct); low/mid/high inductor EQ ±15dB; VU meter

I/O: XLR mic input (transformer-balanced, RF-isolated); XLR line input (transformer-balanced, RF-isolated); 1/4" TRS DI input (high-impedance); transformer-balanced floating output driving 600Ω loads

Notable use: Robert Lang (Robert Lang Studios) quoted on chameleonlabs.com praising low noise and clarity (shared quote used on base 7603 page)

Notes: 1073-style Neve-inspired preamp; variant of 7603 fitted with UK-made Carnhill input/output transformers in place of Chameleon's own custom transformers (per third-party review, adds ~$400 vs base 7603). Same circuit family as 7603, listed as separate SKU/product on manufacturer site so kept as separate row. price_usd is street price at Vintage King (vintageking.com/chameleon-labs-7603-xmod-mic-preamp); chameleonlabs.com does not publish price. Captured 2026-07-20.

Where to buy

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