ART Auto-Tune Pre review

T-Pain vox in a clever box

  • £199
  • €321
  • $289
The ART Auto-Tune Pre is licensed by Antares', inventors of the auto-tune technology

MusicRadar Verdict

A packed feature set, and the presence of a proper valve amplifier make this a grown-up mic-amp which sounds excellent with dynamics and condensers. Would you belie-eee-eeee-ve it?

Pros

  • +

    Great features. Valve-powered pre-amp. Surprisingly ergonomic design.

Cons

  • -

    Slightly limited settings.

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When we realised what the ART Auto-Tune Pre is, we had the same feelings of disappointment and inevitability as at the announcement of a new reality TV show called 'Fat Ballet'.

Still, we shook off our blinkers, recalibrated our technology/morality meter and opened the box with excitement; secretly, we could use this. It's a proper, fully spec'd valve mic amp with built in Auto-Tune. Not someone else's attempt, but actual Antares licensed Auto-Tune - the real deal!

"There are three settings from T-Pain to subtle intonation correction"

The Auto-Tune part works with cut-down controls. There are three settings from T-Pain to subtle intonation correction, and the usual key select and note bypass options via a little LED push-button keyboard on the front panel. Five presets and a bypass are available, and a preset can be bypassed on load. It sounds exactly as you would expect.

Given the amount of controls ART have fitted onto a small unit, the front and rear panels are surprisingly ergonomic. Gain and Output knobs are at the front, everything else round the back. Inputs are XLR or 1⁄4-inch jack (unbalanced, Hi-Z) on a combi, output on XLR and 1⁄4-inch Jack (unbalanced).

There's also an insert (post amp, pre Auto-Tune) allowing for interception, interruption and line - level injection and footswitch control. Phantom 48v is available and sensibly there's a low-cut filter.