The most coveted vintage consoles and outboard gear weren't transparent. And that's the point behind the Warm Audio WA12. Coloration is, in many cases, desirable. If your mixes sound unprofessional, lacking in vibrance and depth, you'll adore the WA12-500 MKII. Subjective listening tests played a big part in the development of this amazing 500 Series preamp. Test equipment can tell you only so much, and there's a point in the design process where you just have to let your ears call the shots.