80 Series Collection

Heritage Audio's 80 Series Collection brings two foundational mixing tools into the digital domain: the 8173 and 6673 modules that established the company's sonic philosophy over a decade ago. Both units derive from the classic 73 circuit architecture, but Peter Rodriguez's design approach differentiated them significantly to handle distinct mixing scenarios.

The 6673 functions as a four-band tone control, combining traditional 73 topology with an additional 66-series midrange band. This yields genuine tonal flexibility across the frequency spectrum. The midrange section offers expanded frequency choices beyond the original 73 selections, while the high-frequency shelf abandons the vintage 12kHz fixed point for a three-position selector. The result handles sources requiring substantial spectral sculpting - vocals benefit from the extended mid options, while mix bus applications leverage the broader tonal palette to move between vintage warmth and modern clarity without plugin switching.

The 8173, by contrast, takes a different design direction within the same lineage, offering engineers alternative sonic characteristics for specific sources and mixing contexts.

The plugin models Heritage Audio's original wooden enclosure with period-accurate GUI design, grounding the digital interface in the brand's physical heritage. The emulation captures the character of analog circuitry without attempting transparent modeling, emphasizing the modules' inherent coloration and musical behavior.

For mixing engineers accustomed to hardware-grade EQ with genuine personality, this collection occupies a distinct position. The tools prioritize musical response over clinical precision, making them particularly valuable for vocal-heavy mixes, full arrangements, and mastering applications where controlled saturation and harmonic enhancement matter as much as frequency adjustment.