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Preamplifiers We Like

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As a mic manufacturer, we’ve had the opportunity to work with many brands of preamplifiers. Some stand out as real winners. Here are a few we’ve had good results with, in no particular order: Millennia Media HV-3 series (especially for classical work) Grace 101, 201 Great River MV-2NP, MP-4 Phoenix Audio DRS-2 Sonosax SX-M2 (for

The Bottom Line

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The main points to consider when choosing a microphone preamplifier for use with a ribbon microphone are; A suitable preamplifier should have lots of clean gain. Choose a preamp that has enough gain to suit your recording needs. For example, loud rock recording requires less gain capability than classical recording. We recommend 60 dB (or

To transformer or not to transformer?

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Many modern solid-state preamplifiers have eliminated the traditional input-coupling transformer altogether, and in many cases the output coupling transformer as well. This not only saves space, weight and money, but also offers a more direct route for the signal to travel as it makes its way through the signal path. So, do transformerless designs sound

Tubes or Transistors?

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There are two basic types of electronic circuit topographies utilized for analog signal processing; solid-state (transistorized) and vacuum tube. The debate over which style sounds better will go on forever, but what it boils down to is taste and practicality. Each design offers something special or unique. Vacuum tube preamplifiers sound punchy, warm, yet wonderfully

Headroom

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A good preamplifier will have plenty of headroom. In other words, it won’t distort or change its tonal character if it is suddenly required to handle an instantaneously loud signal. The preamp should sound clean and unencumbered, regardless of the intensity of the source signal. Fortunately, most modern preamplifiers fare very well in this area.

Preamplifier Noise

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The more gain a preamplifier is called on to produce, the harder it is to keep noise down. Even with modern electronic advancements, designing ultra-low noise preamps is no easy trick. Manufacturers need to invest a considerable effort in the R&D department, and ultra-low noise components don’t come cheap either, so expect to pay more

Preamplifier Input Impedance

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Ribbon microphones need to be mated to preamplifiers with suitable input impedance. An impedance mismatch will degrade the performance of any ribbon mic.  A ribbon microphone needs to be paired with a preamplifier that has high enough input impedance that it won’t load down the microphone. The lower the input impedance, the more the ribbon

Preamplifier Gain

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Ribbon microphones produce low level electrical signals and need preamplifiers with enough gain to amplify that signal without degrading it.  The preamplifier you use needs to have enough gain to amplify the microphone to a suitable level to efficiently drive the recording equipment (equalizers, compressors, A/D converters, recorders, etc.). If the gain is too low,

What types of preamplifiers work best with ribbon microphones?

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All ribbon microphones, regardless of brand, share certain fundamental characteristics and have similar preamplifier requirements. The only exceptions are active ribbon microphones, which are similar in operation (but not in sound) to modern phantom powered condenser microphones. The two most important preamplifier issues to consider with ribbon mics are gain and input impedance. Did this