Highland Dynamics builds all-tube gear in Los Angeles, wired point to point on parts chosen for how they sound rather than what they cost. There are two designs, and they do completely different jobs: the BG2 is a vari-mu compressor with automatic levelling, and the Delta 4-7 is a two-channel tube mic preamp with a DI section, based on a British circuit from the 1960s.
Who it's for
- Vocal engineers tired of drawing automation — vari-mu compresses loud phrases harder than quiet ones, so the track sits in the mix by itself.
- Studios tracking through tubes — the Delta 4-7's four gain modes are set by feedback, which makes them a tonal decision rather than just a level.
- Anyone who needs three boxes and has room for one — the BG2 works as a British-mode compressor, an American-mode compressor, and as a plain tube amplifier in Line Amp mode.
Neither box is neutral, and neither was meant to be.
How the two differ
| Model | What it is | Key feature | Best used for |
|---|---|---|---|
| BG2 Compressor | All-tube vari-mu compressor | Three modes: British (clean), American (more harmonics), Line Amp (no compression). 600 or 150 Ω input, two attack times, six release positions, stereo link | Vocals, mix bus, subgroups |
| Dual Delta 4-7 | Two-channel tube preamp with DI | Four gain modes set by how much feedback reaches the EF86 (Low, Med, High, Open), EF86 and 6DJ8 tubes, Grayhill switches, three high-pass filters | Vocals, guitar, acoustic sources |
What to choose
- The vocal keeps drifting despite compression — the BG2 in British mode: smooth, high-fidelity compression with no added colour.
- The take is correct but dull — the same BG2 in American mode, which lets more harmonics through.
- You only want tube colour, not gain reduction — the BG2 in Line Amp mode.
- You're building a tracking chain with character — Dual Delta 4-7. In Open mode there is no feedback at all, so the preamp runs at maximum gain and maximum colour.
- You record with a pair of mics — the Delta 4-7 again: Grayhill switches let you set both channels identically and return to the setting for an overdub.
Browse also: compressors and limiters and preamps.
Before you decide
- How to record vocals at home — the order in which gear is worth adding.
- Condenser vs dynamic microphone — what to put in front of a preamp like this.
Why buy from us
Both units are in stock. In our Warsaw showroom (Nowogrodzka 6A/102) you can hear the BG2 in British and American mode on your own material — that comparison settles the choice faster than any description. Selected gear qualifies for our Test-Drive: 30 days, free, and everything comes with 36 months of warranty, 30 days to return and EU-wide delivery.
About the brand
Highland Dynamics works out of Los Angeles and builds in a way that has become rare: point-to-point wiring, solid core copper, West-Cap, Vitamin Q and NYT paper-in-oil capacitors, 2-watt carbon resistors in the audio path and Grayhill switches instead of pots. The company is open about where the circuits come from: the BG2 nods to a British-modified Altec 436 front end with an RCA BA6A-style output, and the Delta 4-7 to a well-known British microphone preamp of the 1960s.
