Heritage Audio Herchild 660 "The Ardent Edition"

The Heritage Audio Herchild 660: Ardent edition offers an ultra-limited release capturing the legendary sound of Ardent Studios. This piece of equipment embodies the essence of Memphis music, historically revered for its distinctive sound in records produced at Ardent. Recognised globally as a hub of creative energy and technological innovation, Ardent Studios has hosted an array of influential musicians and groundbreaking recordings, significantly impacting modern music and production.

Unique Collaboration and Design Innovations

Upon the invitation from Ardent Studios to develop an Ardent Edition of our Herchild to replace their original Fairchild units, we accepted the challenge with great enthusiasm. The original Fairchild units at Ardent had undergone modifications in the early '70s, altering their attack and release times to suit contemporary recording needs better. Initially featured on tracks such as Jimmy Page's acoustic guitars for Led Zeppelin III, these changes were previously undisclosed. In collaboration with Ardent, Heritage Audio meticulously replicated these settings in the new Herchild "Ardent Edition" after thoroughly analysing the original modification notes.

Enhanced Functionalities and Modern Adaptations

The Herchild Ardent Edition integrates specific attack and release settings, precisely matching the original Ardent specifications in the TIME CONST section and an all-tube side chain circuit for precise dynamic control. This model introduces direct access to progressive ratio adjustments through the DC THRESHOLD, allowing seamless transitions from hard limiting to subtle, transparent compression. Additionally, it includes a SC FILTER with four selectable frequencies, designed to minimise lower frequency interference on the signal—crucial for contemporary recording environments.