Overview
The Coil Audio CA-286S is a modern homage to the iconic European two-stage amplifiers of the 1950s and 60s, inspired by legendary brands like Telefunken™, Langevin™, Collins™, and Gates™. While the CA-70s delivers a deep, massive tone, the CA-286S offers a more mid-forward, high-fidelity character, while capturing the rich, detailed tones typical of vintage EF86 tube-based preamps.
Using our proprietary component-level modeling technology, we’ve meticulously recreated the classic CA-286’s sound, bringing its timeless warmth and texture into the modern studio environment.
Introducing, MixWave: CA-286S.
Saturation with clarity
The CA-286S is incredibly intuitive, instantly enhancing any signal with its warm octal tube circuit. The Input section features Mic and Line amp models that offer everything from subtle saturation to full-blown distortion, alongside a phase reverse switch and a 4-position pad network.
Unmatched depth & character
The Low and Negative Feedback controls interact seamlessly, allowing you to sculpt your sound in a musical and inspiring way. The Low control shifts the low-end presence, while the Negative Feedback control gradually adjusts the source from bright, forward harmonics to a darker, more controlled tone. The combination of the two act almost like a front to back control within the context of your mix.
Built for modern workflows
Exclusive plugin-only features elevate this classic preamp for today’s needs, including wet/dry mix controls for instant parallel processing, high-pass and low-pass filters before and after processing, and up to 8x oversampling for the highest sound quality.
System requirements
Available in 64-bit VST3 / AU / AAXmacOS 10.13 to macOS 15 (Intel & Silicon Native)
Windows 10 to 11 (64-bit)
iLok License Manager & iLok account required
Authorization via iLok 2/3, iLok Cloud & Machine
For more system requirements information, visit our Support Page.
FAQs
Yes, fully functional 14-day free trials are available. See eligible plugins.
MixWave plugin licenses include two activations. Activations can be used on an iLok USB, a machine activation, or iLok Cloud.
To use MixWave plugins you will need a compatible DAW that supports VST3, AU, or AAX plugins, an iLok account (free), and iLok License Manager (free).
A physical iLok USB dongle is optional. Plugins can also be activated using machine authorization or iLok Cloud.
MixWave plugins work with most modern DAWs that support VST3, AU, or AAX formats. For a full list of tested and supported DAWs, see our DAW Compatibility article.
It's recommend to start a free trial to test the plugin on your system before committing to a purchase.
MixWave plugins are supported on macOS and Windows systems and are available in VST3, AU, and AAX formats. For complete compatibility details, including recommended operating systems, supported DAWs, and additional requirements, please visit our Plugin System Requirements article.
It's recommended to start a free trial to verify compatibility on your system before purchasing.
Visit our Knowledge Base for more information.
