Vintage King’s Hear the Gear SERIES: Mystery Magicians M808A Preamp

Written By Arash Mafi

The Mystery Magicians M808A is a two-channel, Class-A tube preamp that offers tons of vintage vibe and a surprising amount of flexibility. Providing ample gain for microphone and DI sources, two saturation modes for different harmonic flavors, versatile high- and low-pass filters, and a built-in effects loop, the M808A can bring out the best in any track—from clean and bold DI guitars to slightly saturated vocals or crunchy, distorted drums.

To tap into the sonic alchemy of this unique preamp, Vintage King’s Bryan Reilly wrote and recorded the original song “Something Like Magic,” which features vocals and lyrics by Olivia Dear. Using the M808A on every single track, Bryan took advantage of its bold sound and impressive versatility to create a cohesive mix that showcases the unit’s magical sound.

But before we dig into the samples, let’s take a look at everything that makes the M808A stand out among its peers in the class of modern tube preamps.

A Look at the Mystery Magicians M808A

Unlike many tube preamps on the market, the M808A gives you the choice between two “flavors” of tube saturation that color the sound differently as you increase the gain. The high-gain EF86 input tubes can be operated in the standard pentode mode for fairly linear performance with subtle breakup or switched to triode mode for more exaggerated harmonic distortion and a slightly mid-forward frequency response. Both channels offer mic and DI inputs, with a notable low-end bump on the DI side.

The Filter control offers four settings, including high-pass filters at 50 and 150 Hz, and low-pass filters at 2 and 5 kHz. A bank of switches to the left allow you to activate phantom power, toggle the filter circuit, engage a -20 dB pad, invert the polarity, switch the output impedance, and adjust the reference point of the analog VU meters.

But the versatility doesn’t stop there—effects send and return points allow you to insert outboard processors before the filter, gain, and attenuation stages. The output stage can be configured with three different tube options: the stock ECC82 (12AU7), a 6414 for higher output and lower headroom, or a 6350 for lower output and higher headroom.

Additionally, a set of trim pots provide meter calibration and Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) adjustments for each channel, although these settings are meticulously calibrated at the factory.

The faceplate is well laid out with clearly labeled controls, oversized vintage-style Bakelite knobs that feel great in the hand, and warmly lit analog VU meters with traditional ballistics. An optional 1U patchbay panel provides easy access to all of the available I/O, including the mic and DI inputs, line out, line in, send, and return.

Mystery Magicians M808A Audio Samples

In keeping with our methodology of testing gear in real-world applications, Bryan Reilly wrote and recorded an entire song from scratch to show how the M808A can shape the sound of each track as well as its cumulative effect on the mix. “As I was tracking the demo, I didn’t even think twice about wanting or needing to use another preamp to get the sound I was looking for,” said Bryan. Take a listen below:

Now, take a listen to each track one by one: vocals, drums, percussion, guitars, bass, toy piano, and bells. Most of these tracks exhibit the raw sound of the instrument, mic, and preamp, but a few feature additional effects such as reverb.

Vocals

Paired with an AEA R84A ribbon mic, the Mystery Magicians M808A imparted a palpable warmth to Olivia Dear’s vocal tracks. In pentode mode with the gain cranked close to maximum and the high-pass filter at 150 Hz, the preamp added just a touch of harmonic richness to the close-up, breathy vocal without adding any unwanted harshness. As a side effect, the headphone bleed and noise floor are accentuated a bit (but not enough to be audible in the mix).

Vocal Settings

  • Mode: Pentode

  • Gain: 85

  • Filter: 150 Hz HPF

  • Phase: Inverted

  • Attenuation: None

  • Output Impedance: 600Ω

Drums

Bryan recorded the drums with just two mics: a Coles 4038 in the overhead position and a Peluso P-414 in front of the kit. He overdubbed the kick, snare, and tom tracks separately using the same setup for each, with the overhead mic channel in pentode mode and the front mic channel in triode mode.

The result is an absolutely fat drum track that sounds stunning on its own yet fits perfectly into the full mix. Combining the pentode and triode modes gives the drums a nice blend of harmonic flavor, making the snare more aggressive and the kick more punchy.

Overhead Mic (Coles 4038) Settings

  • Mode: Pentode

  • Gain: 60

  • Filter: Out

  • Phase: Normal

  • Attenuation: None

  • Output Impedance: 600Ω

Front Mic (Peluso P-414) Settings

  • Mode: Triode

  • Gain: 60

  • Filter: Out

  • Phase: Normal

  • Attenuation: None

  • Output Impedance: 600Ω

Percussion

For auxiliary percussion, Bryan added tambourine and shaker overdubs, using the Peluso P-414 on both. The M808A’s low-pass filter eliminated any potential harshness above 5 kHz, and 76 dB of gain in triode mode restored a bit of that lost high-end. A healthy dose of spring reverb gave the percussion tracks additional sustain and helped them blend into the mix

Tambourine and Shaker Settings

  • Mode: Triode

  • Gain: 76

  • Filter: 5 kHz LPF

  • Phase: Normal

  • Attenuation: None

  • Output Impedance: 600Ω

  • Additional Effect: Spring reverb

Bass Guitar

For the bass track, Bryan plugged a 1978 Fender Precision Bass into the M808A’s DI input. At maximum gain, pentode mode gave the bass a bit of “growl” in the louder sections without dampening the string attack that allows it to poke through the dense arrangement.

Bass Guitar Settings

  • Mode: Pentode

  • Gain: 100

  • Filter: Out

  • Phase: Normal

  • Attenuation: None

  • Output Impedance: 600Ω

Acoustic Guitars

Bryan double-tracked a Martin 000-16 with an AKG 4041 condenser mic, using moderate gain in pentode mode for a relatively transparent sound that allows the natural tone of the instrument and mic to shine through. This track shows off the cleaner side of the M808A, which exhibits very subtle but musical coloration with zero harshness.

Acoustic Guitar Settings

  • Mode: Pentode

  • Gain: 40

  • Filter: Out

  • Phase: Normal

  • Attenuation: None

  • Output Impedance: 600Ω

Electric Guitars

The four electric guitar tracks all come from a Les Paul through a 1965 Ampeg Gemini 1 amplifier mic’d with a Coles 4038 ribbon microphone and a Peluso P-414 condenser. Bryan set both channels to triode mode with the high-pass filters at 150 Hz, using low gain for the condenser mic and high gain for the less sensitive ribbon mic.

Bryan switched pickups for different tones, using the bridge humbucker for track one, the single-coil neck pickup for tracks two and three, and both pickups for track four (with a lush helping of Valhalla VintageVerb).

Electric Guitar (Coles 4038) Settings

  • Mode: Triode

  • Gain: 70

  • Filter: 150 Hz HPF

  • Phase: Normal

  • Attenuation: None

  • Output Impedance: 600Ω

Electric Guitar (Peluso P-414) Settings

  • Mode: Triode

  • Gain: 36

  • Filter: 150 Hz HPF

  • Phase: Normal

  • Attenuation: None

  • Output Impedance: 600Ω

Bells & Toy Piano

The reverb-soaked bells and toy piano give the arrangement a definite “magical” vibe. Bryan tracked both with the Peluso P-414, setting the preamp to pentode mode and engaging the 150 Hz filter to eliminate excess low-end. A sprinkling of Valhalla VintageVerb on the bells (and a lot more on the toy piano) helps both tracks stand out in the mix.

Bells Settings

  • Mode: Pentode

  • Gain: 65

  • Filter: 150 Hz HPF

  • Phase: Normal

  • Attenuation: None

  • Output Impedance: 600Ω

  • Additional Effect: Valhalla VintageVerb

Toy Piano Settings

  • Mode: Pentode

  • Gain: 71

  • Filter: 150 Hz HPF

  • Phase: Normal

  • Attenuation: None

  • Output Impedance: 600Ω

  • Additional Effect: Valhalla VintageVerb

Final Thoughts

If you’re looking for a boutique tube preamp that isn’t just a one-trick pony, the Mystery Magicians M808A delivers. The pentode/triode switch and generous gain and attenuation controls make it easy to dial in just the right tone and harmonics. The four filter options provide additional tone-shaping, and the configurable output tube stage offers even more customization. As these samples prove, this preamp has the power to enhance the sound of any track.

Arash Mafi
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