Plugin interface — screenshot pending
Channel Strip

Helios Type 69

Universal Audio

Where to get itAvailable from Universal Audiouaudio.com

The Helios Type 69 Preamp & EQ Collection is an end-to-end circuit emulation of the legendary vintage Helios Type 69 console channel, built on deep analysis of two original "golden unit" Olympic-era modules. It combines a Lustraphone transformer-based mic preamp with a colorful inductor-based three-band EQ, delivering the punchy midrange aggression and assertive growl that defined rock's golden age. With Unison technology support on Apollo interfaces, it provides authentic hardware impedance and gain-stage behavior for tracking, plus artist presets from renowned engineers like J.J. Blair, Chris Coady, and Jacquire King.

Written from the manual and checked against it. How we check

Key Features

01Lustraphone transformer-based mic preamp with feedback-style triple-amp amplifier circuit
02Inductor-based three-band EQ with saturation modeling at extreme settings
03High Shelf Gain fixed at 10 kHz with 4 dB increments (–16 to +12 dB)
04Mid Freq selectable at 700 Hz, 1 kHz, 1.4 kHz, 2 kHz, 2.8 kHz, 3.5 kHz, 4.5 kHz, and 6 kHz
05Mid Gain with up to 15 dB boost or 9.9 dB cut in Peak or Trough mode
06Four low-frequency bell-shape boost filters (60 Hz, 100 Hz, 200 Hz, 400 Hz) plus fixed 50 Hz low-cut shelving (–3 to –15 dB)
07Input Select for LINE/MIC with creative mic-input distortion coloring
08–20 dB Pad switch, Polarity invert, and Danner-modeled output fader (–∞ to +10 dB)

Things to Try

  • 01Route line-level signal into the MIC input to access creative distortion coloring from the feedback-style amplifier circuit
  • 02Use the Bass band's fixed 50 Hz low-cut mode with stepped gain control (–3 to –15 dB) to clean up overheads and room mics
  • 03Push the EQ to extreme settings while relying on the inductor saturation behavior to keep the sound musical
  • 04Enable the –20 dB Pad in MIC input mode when tracking hot signals to tame gain without losing preamp character

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Helios Type 69 by Universal Audio | Plugin Library