Intersound

Intersound

Unclaimed

Intersound was an American audio equipment manufacturer based in Boulder, Colorado, best known for the IVP (Instrument Voicing Preamp), a rackmounted preamp first released in 1978. The IVP paired a six-band EQ — four semi-parametric bands plus two Baxandall shelving bands — with two channels: a clean channel and a drive channel marketed as "Tube Voice," which generated overdrive through a combi...

more

Intersound was an American audio equipment manufacturer based in Boulder, Colorado, best known for the IVP (Instrument Voicing Preamp), a rackmounted preamp first released in 1978. The IVP paired a six-band EQ — four semi-parametric bands plus two Baxandall shelving bands — with two channels: a clean channel and a drive channel marketed as "Tube Voice," which generated overdrive through a combination of op-amp gain, a transistor stage, and transformer saturation rather than clipping diodes. The unit could be run at instrument or line level and also found use as an outboard studio preamp.

The company was acquired by Electro-Voice/Tapco in 1980, and IVP production continued under that ownership into 1982. Beyond the IVP, Intersound also produced power amplifiers such as the SP-300 professional stereo power amp.

The IVP in particular developed a long-standing cult reputation among engineers and bassists. Steve Albini of Shellac has been a prominent advocate of the unit in both live and studio contexts, and Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead also used the IVP in his rig. Original units are scarce enough that several boutique builders, including Aion FX, FTelettronica, and Dirty Sock Effects, have released pedal-format adaptations of the IVP circuit.

Intersound has 3 products cataloged on Equipboard, including Effects Processors, Preamps, and Guitar Amplifier Heads. Their gear is featured by 2 artists, with the strongest followings in Rock. Notable users include Steve Albini and Bob Weir.

Artists Who Use Intersound

Steve Albini uses 1 Intersound product

Steve Albini

Singer, Guitarist · Big Black

Bob Weir uses 1 Intersound product

Bob Weir

Guitarist, Composer · Grateful Dead

Are you on the Intersound team?

  • Be the first to know when an artist is spotted using Intersound gear
  • Curate the Intersound catalog, images, and product details
  • Respond to community photos and reviews of Intersound gear
  • See how Intersound gear is trending on Equipboard