E-A-Ski’s move from behind the boards into professional audio hardware has earned some major industry recognition, as the E-A-SKI B-50 Microphone Preamp/EQ has officially been named a finalist for a 2027 NAMM TEC Award.
Developed by the veteran Oakland producer alongside audio designer Tom Hilbe of T.H.E. Company, the B-50 is nominated in the Microphone Preamplifiers category, joining products from AudioScape Engineering, GC Audio, Quagliardi Pro Audio and Solid State Logic.
Presented annually by NAMM, the TEC Awards recognize achievements in professional audio technology and sound production. Now in its 42nd year, the awards have become one of the recording industry’s longest-running honors for technical innovation, with a history that also includes recognition of influential music figures including Quincy Jones, Stevie Wonder, Chuck D, RZA and Les Paul.
The nomination adds another chapter to a project that began generating attention before the B-50 reached studios.
The B-50 was created by E-A-Ski and Hilbe as a discrete, dual-space 500 Series microphone preamp and EQ designed for microphones as well as line-level, high-impedance electronic instruments. Its design combines British and American transformer components with EQ points specifically selected with electronic drums and beat production in mind. The initial 40-unit presale sold out in just one hour and three minutes.
The Los Angeles-built unit uses Carnhill and Jensen transformers along with three Melcor 1731 op-amps, bringing together classic analog components in hardware heavily informed by E-A-Ski’s decades of experience producing hip-hop.
For Ski, the B-50 represents an extension of a career that reaches back to the early 1990s. The Oakland producer helped shape early records from Spice 1 and Master P and has worked with artists including Ice Cube, Too $hort, MC Ren, Tech N9ne and others. More recently, he reunited with Ice Cube to produce “It’s My Ego” from 2024’s Man Down and “Man Power” from Cube’s 2025 Man Up album.
The hardware venture arrives during an especially active period for E-A-Ski. He recently previewed new solo music with “Still Ill” while continuing work with Mr. Jet Black on their Line In The Sand project, which is being produced entirely by Ski.
Now, the B-50 has moved beyond being an experiment from a veteran hip-hop producer entering the hardware space. Its selection by the TEC Awards finalist panel places E-A-Ski and Hilbe’s creation alongside established professional-audio manufacturers competing for one of the industry’s recognized technical honors.
The winners of the 2027 NAMM TEC Awards will be selected following the awards’ voting process.