If you’re a musician, filmmaker, or podcaster, I’m positive you’ve searched endlessly to achieve optimal sound quality to improve the consumer’s experience of your projects. In many conversations regarding this topic, microphone preamplifiers are at the heart of the discussion. Do microphone preamplifiers improve sound/audio quality? A mic preamp will affect audio quality as it…
So you’re wondering which microphone preamplifier you should buy, rent or otherwise try out. In this comprehensive buyer’s guide, we’ll go through everything worth considering before you make any decisions about a mic preamp. If you’ve found yourself asking, “which mic pre should I buy?” this extensive resource is for you. Please feel free to…
Microphone preamplifiers are essential for bringing up mic-level signals in recording and sound reproduction. As the portable, lightweight, modular and affordable 500 Series format becomes more popular amongst professionals and amateurs, more excellent mic preamp options become available for the format. In this article, we’ll go through the best 500 Series microphone preamplifier options on…
Phonograph/vinyl records have been around since the 1940s and are still a fairly popular method of listening to music. To play vinyl records, one must have several pieces in his or her sound system, including speakers, a power amplifier, a record player (turntable), and, as we’ll discuss in this article, a phono preamplifier stage. Note…
A high-end preamp or boost pedal will really do your pedalboard/rig wonders. This is true whether the pedal’s used in a set-it-and-forget-it fashion to improve signal strength and tone, or it’s used to bring the guitar (or bass) up a step dB for important parts. Choosing the best boost and/or preamp for your setup can…
The microphone preamplifier is a critical part of any signal chain that includes a microphone. This is because microphones output relatively low mic level signals and require microphone preamplifiers to boost the signal to line level for processing and recording in analog (and digital) audio. It goes without saying that microphone amplifiers are very important…
If you’re familiar with microphones, you’ll know that they require preamplifiers to boost their relatively low-strength output signals to usable levels. Microphone preamps come in various shapes and sizes and are defined by a list of specifications. What are microphone preamplifier specifications? Mic preamp specifications, shown on specifications/datasheets and product pages, are pieces of information that…
Amplifiers (and/or preamplifiers) are essential components in most practical audio signal chains and typically require electrical power to function properly. They’re used to drive loudspeakers and headphones, boost mic and instrument signals to usable levels, and for many other reasons. Why do audio amplifiers and preamplifiers need power supplies? Whether solid-state, tube-based or digital, audio…
Audio amplifiers are required in nearly all playback environments and many recording situations as well. There are plenty of amplifier types out there, and a major distinction between amplifiers is the use of solid-state circuitry versus tube circuitry. What are the differences between solid-state and tube amplifiers? Solid-state amps use solid-state (transistor-based) amplifier circuits, while…
So you’ve got your microphone, and you’re ready to go. Not so fast! You’ll also need some sort of microphone preamplifier to use the signal from your microphone effectively. What is a microphone preamplifier, and why does a mic need one? A mic preamp is a type of amplifier with the purpose of bringing mic…
When dealing with any kind of audio signal, amplification is often a necessary step between devices (microphones to mixers, mixers to loudspeakers, etc.). Amplifiers, as the name suggests, are needed to provide such amplification to the audio signals. Do microphones plug into amps? Microphones output mic levels signals which require amplification to become line level…
Microphone preamplifiers are essential for electrical recording. Microphones output mic level signals [60 dBV (0.001 volt) to -40 dBV (0.010 volt)]. Electrical analog (and analog’s conversion to digital) recordings run at line level [0 dBV (1 volt)]. Therefore, in order to properly record, mix, and ultimately use microphones, we need microphone preamplifiers that amplify mic…
