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.

• Heritage Audio and Ardent Studios collaborate to create the Herchild 660: Ardent Edition
• Meticulously replicated attack and release times from original Ardent modifications
• Includes an all-tube side chain circuit for enhanced dynamic control
• Features direct ratio adjustment via DC THRESHOLD for versatile compression
• Equipped with a SC FILTER featuring four selectable frequencies for optimal signal integrity

This item, like everything we supply, comes with the complete support of our expert team. Our excellent technicians have been specifying, building and supporting studios for over twenty years. If you have any problems with installation, setup or everyday use, they’re never more than a click away, and always happy to help.

You can contact them here.