![]() As an alternative, some producers have been filling that need with hand crafted preamps (with absurdly high THDs). If you want full tube power, you won’t (can’t) get it. Right, “nothing” is a strong word here, as musical information is very dynamic, let's just say they are probably doing something around the peaks. As a result they end up doing nothing, just amplifying linearly. Unfortunately, they end up suffering the same judgement, so the companies produce tube equipment with low THD. But that doesn't happen with tubes, trust me, they sound great. ![]() THD is often seen bad in solid states/ transistors when they distort the sound. You'll probably notice that a mild distortion brings a nice touch. Tubes bring their best when they distort. Actually, if you ever find one like that, consider yourself lucky. Tube preamp with high THD (Distortion)? Fear not. They are best known for its warm, open, “fat” sound. Tube mic preamp Tube mics work using one or more vacuum tubes to amplify the mic signal. Now I think it's necessary to understand also the different types of mic preamps and for what microphones they are best suited. So far we have covered a lot of relevant information in regards of the mic preamp topic. Pretty much like microphones, there are types of mic preamps as well. If that's the case, it must be connected to the line in (as it’s not a mic-level signal anymore. External mic preamps work only on the analog realm, as the mic signal goes directly to it, and from it, to the interface. The difference from external mic preamps is that mic ins are embed in one container, in line with the A/D Converter. “Mic Ins” in audio interfaces contain mic preamps. In some situations, some of them will have mic preamp integrated mostly because they need it. Pro tip: Keep your eye on price range and device specs, should tell you a lot about its quality. Although the answer is usually "yes", it doesn't mean that all audio interfaces will have a great mic preamp. If you don't, the signal level will be too low and you'll notice something is missing.ĭoes my audio interface have a mic preamp integrated?īefore we dive into the topic, if you don't know what is an audio interface, you might want to check this article of ours to understand. In order words, although in some cases you don't have to use an external mic preamp, you'll always be using one (built-in). But let me be clear, those devices don't need mic preamp because they have it already integrated. Ones like recording interfaces, USB mics and some mixing consoles are examples. For instance, there are a few devices that won't require a mic preamp. That's why you don't always have to buy everything you heard or have seen in a pro studio or a guide somewhere. Setting up a home recording studio could be expensive. From amplifiers to devices like compressors and reverbs, to your DAW. Pretty much every audio device operates at line level. That's simple enough to understand, right? So in order to the amplifier to receive a usable signal, it has to be boosted from mic-level to line-level first. Unfortunately, most microphone's signal are too low. That's because the amplifier's input is expecting a line level signal. ![]() Have you ever tried to plug a microphone directly into a power amplifier? If you already did, you'll know that it will not only sound not loud enough, but will also have unnecessary noise. That is necessary because you must have a signal strong enough so that it can sound properly on a speaker, for instance.īut here is where we have a problem. ![]() That signal goes to an amplifier, which will boost that signal. The microphone captures the sound and it turns it into an electric signal. For that we have to understand what an amplifier is.īasically, an amplifier is a device that allows us to increase the amount of electronic signal that is present in an electronic device. It's found on interface mic-ins, recording console mic-ins and sometimes it's an external, dedicated, mic preamp hardware. It's any input expecting microphones that has a trim/ gain potentiometer. In short, a microphone preamp is a device that boosts a weaker signal to line level. Stick with me and let's find out what exactly it is and how to choose one that suits your needs. What is a mic preamp? Why should I get one? Do I really need one and which is best suited for me? Isn't my audio interface enough? If those are questions you'd like to get answered, I'm glad to say that you're in the right place. Even if you're still in the process of planning the studio, that's probably something that crossed your mind at some point. At some point, while you were setting up your home recording studio, you've probably heard about or read about this somewhere. ![]()
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