Grace Design m103 is a single-channel channel strip in a 1U chassis, combining the acclaimed m101 microphone preamp with a 3-band parametric EQ and an optical compressor. The entire signal path is based on the fast, musical trans-impedance architecture, giving the engineer a complete, transparent tracking chain from microphone or instrument all the way to the recorder.
A transparent preamp for any microphone
Channel strips often colour the signal enough that a good microphone loses its character. The m103 starts from the transformerless m101 path: clean, detailed and with large dynamic headroom, with 0.5% metal film resistors and a 12-position gold-plated gain switch. The exclusive Ribbon mode raises the input impedance to 20 kΩ with a single push, bypasses the coupling capacitors and locks out 48 V, protecting ribbon mics and optimising dynamic mic performance. A front-panel Hi-Z input makes the m103 an excellent instrument preamp for bass or acoustic guitar.
EQ and compression with full signal control
Tracking demands flexibility: sometimes EQ before compression, sometimes after. The m103 lets you switch the order of the EQ and COMP sections and use them independently thanks to extensive I/O with a separate preamp output and a line input to the EQ/COMP section. The 3-band single-stage parallel EQ delivers natural shaping from 20 Hz to 20 kHz, with a fully parametric mid plus peak/shelf modes for the high and low bands. The optical compressor provides everything from gentle limiting to heavier compression while staying neutral, and the link/sidechain input enables de-essing, ducking or linking two m103 units into a stereo pair.
KEY FEATURES
- 1U channel strip: preamp, 3-band EQ and optical compressor
- Signal path based on the m101 preamp
- Trans-impedance architecture with 0.5% metal film resistors
- 12-position gold-plated gain switch plus trim
- Exclusive Ribbon mode with phantom lockout and raised impedance
- Switchable order of the EQ and compressor sections
- Fully parametric mid, peak/shelf modes for high and low bands
- Front-panel Hi-Z instrument input
- Link/sidechain input for de-essing and a stereo pair
- 10-segment meters for gain reduction and output level
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
- Manufacturer: Grace Design
- Type: single-channel 1U channel strip
- Preamp architecture: balanced, transformerless, trans-impedance
- Mic gain range: 10 dB to 65 dB
- Ribbon mode: 20 kΩ impedance, 48 V lockout
- Hi-Z input: 2.5 MΩ unbalanced / 5 MΩ balanced, gain -10 to +45 dB
- Filter: HPF 75 Hz, 48 V phantom power
- EQ: 3 bands, 0-12 dB cut/boost; Low 20-750 Hz, Mid 500 Hz-4 kHz (Q 0.5-5), High 3-20 kHz
- Compressor: optical, threshold -15 to +15 dBu, attack 3-200 ms, release 0.03-3 s, ratio 1:1-12:1
- Frequency response (Mic): 3.7 Hz to 140 kHz (-3 dB)
- Impedance: Line In 24 kΩ, Main Out balanced 350 Ω / unbalanced 150 Ω
- Link/sidechain input: 100 kΩ
- Power: built-in power supply
- Manufacturer warranty: 5 years