Mic preamps

Lee Gillespie · Post by **Lee Gillespie** » 20 Jan 2011 9:45 am

I'm thinking of getting a Mic preamp to put in my recording chain.. Any suggestions on a decent preamp that dont cost and arm and a leg.???
I use condenser mics. Lee

Greg Cutshaw · Post by **Greg Cutshaw** » 20 Jan 2011 11:37 am

Lee,

Not sure what price range you are in but I just bought the Studio Project VTB-1 and it's dead quiet, absolutely no white noise and it works great with my Shure SM-57 and Behringer condenser mic with phantom power. It also has a variable tube preamp blend that add a bit of warmth if desired. Details here:

http://www.gregcutshaw.com/Zoom%20R24%2 ... tudio.html

More details on the premap here:

http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/pr ... sku=180360

There's one but it now on ebay for $75 and one bid up to $30 right now.

Greg

Lee Gillespie · Post by **Lee Gillespie** » 21 Jan 2011 6:24 am

Thanks Greg for the comeback... Visited you site. Lots of good informative information. It gave me good insite on my question... Lee

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 21 Jan 2011 7:02 am

I'm using a Presonus "BlueTube" dual preamp. It can be set for tube or solid state. It also has some limiter type functions.

The unit I have is a dual channel, but I think they have a single channel model too.

I've had good results with the tube preamp and an SM58 and a Beta58 for singers in my studio. I've also used it with my MXL Condenser mic's.

Bryan Daste · Post by **Bryan Daste** » 21 Jan 2011 10:43 am

I guess it depends what your budget is and what you're using it for. You probably don't want to spend more than you spent on your nicest microphone

A company called Hamptone makes some nice tube and FET preamps, either preassembled or in kit form. If you're handy with a soldering iron, you could get a nice pre for less $$$.

http://www.hamptone.com/

Tim Herbert · Post by **Tim Herbert** » 21 Jan 2011 6:41 pm

Lee - email sent.

Tim

Jerry Gleason · Post by **Jerry Gleason** » 30 Jan 2011 10:12 pm

+ 1 on the Hamptone. I love mine. The kit is a modestly priced entry into the world of higher end mic pre's, and it's a fun build if you are proficient at soldering and have some rudimentary electronics knowledge.

Bill Terry · Post by **Bill Terry** » 31 Jan 2011 7:37 am

Another well regarded supplier of preamp kits:
http://www.seventhcircleaudio.com

I like the chassis based approach, so you can add different type pres as time and budget allow.

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 31 Jan 2011 7:57 am

Each of the preamps mentioned are nice and will give fine performance for the intended purpose. I would also suggest a stand alone compressor unit in the initial chain, even a mono unit with presets would be good, you don't want to over compress but just enough to control the sharp peaks.

I am thinking this will be the year to upgrade to a reasonably priced tube preamp and a tube compressor which allows for subtle settings.

t

Jay Fagerlie · Post by **Jay Fagerlie** » 31 Jan 2011 9:27 am

You can't go wrong here:
http://www.mil-media.com/td-1.html
Or the ultimate w/comp and 4 band EQ:
http://www.mil-media.com/stt-1.html
There really isn't anything better out there.....

Jay

PS Both units do more than just mic pre's- both deal with instrument/line/mic level signals.
The STT-1 is switchable from tube to SS at each section (pre/EQ/comp)

Teddy Ray Bullard II · Post by **Teddy Ray Bullard II** » 16 Mar 2011 11:23 pm

Bryan Daste wrote:I guess it depends what your budget is and what you're using it for. You probably don't want to spend more than you spent on your nicest microphone

A company called Hamptone makes some nice tube and FET preamps, either preassembled or in kit form. If you're handy with a soldering iron, you could get a nice pre for less $$$.

http://www.hamptone.com/

I have a couple of those, great fun to build.

My favorite products, however are the DAV Electronics mic amps. www.davelectronics.com

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 17 Mar 2011 9:25 am

What do you guys think of the mic preamps that are built into the various audio D/A interfaces such as M-Audio, MOTU, RME, PreSonus, etc etc ?

Bill Terry · Post by **Bill Terry** » 17 Mar 2011 11:13 am

EB, I used the mic pres on a PreSonus for a while. I found them clean, fairly colorless.. sort of from the 'wire with gain' school I guess you'd say.

For some reason I liked them better with condensor mics (AKG, Studio Projects) than with something like an SM-57, but that may just be me.

I didn't hate them, didn't love them.. they just worked.

Jay Fagerlie · Post by **Jay Fagerlie** » 17 Mar 2011 11:14 am

Not a big fan, but I am biased.

If anyone is using the API luchbox power supply, there is a new mic/instrument pre out for it....of course it's from Millennia Media:
http://mil-media.com/HV-35.html
For $799.00, you get a top of the line mic/line pre- amp.

Jay

Edited to add "Sorry for the shameless plug- but not really"

John Seitz · Post by **John Seitz** » 17 Mar 2011 12:25 pm

There are numerous preamps in all price ranges. If you go to sweetwater.com you can get an idea of what is out there. I'm sure you understand that instrument pre is a bit of a different animal than mic pre and some do both (I have an Anthony DeMaria from PreSonus that covers a wide range). For steel, I had a chance to check out the new Telonics Pre-1000. Top of the line in features and sound.

Cass Broadview · Post by **Cass Broadview** » 30 Mar 2011 8:53 pm

I just can't seem to find a good microphone preamp that works well without white noise or distortion. I've tried hooking it up two different ways, and still not happy. I have an ART Pro Channel. And a Allen Heath Zen12 w/effects mixer.

I plug my Audix OM5 vocal mic, into the XLR on the back of the preamp. Then i tried going from the XLR output on the back of the preamp, into the XLR input on my mixer, and i get white noise and distortion. Then i tried going into the 1/4" line input on my mixer, still get a hint of distortion, but it is better. I barely have the preamp turned up?? Any advice would be appreciated.

Jerry Gleason · Post by **Jerry Gleason** » 30 Mar 2011 9:33 pm

When you connect the xlr output of your preamp to the xlr input of the mixer, you are daisy-chaining two mic preamps together, giving you way too much gain, and the noise floor is also amplified. If it's still too hot when you connect to the line input, check that the trim control (usually the uppermost knob on each channel strip) on that channel is turned to unity gain or lower. That should give you a clean signal with minimum noise.

Cass Broadview · Post by **Cass Broadview** » 3 Apr 2011 9:31 am

Thank you very much jerry

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