So in conclusion, well at least my conclusion because I am sure you will have your own too, it says a lot that a preamp assembled from $5 worth of components and not even mounted in a box can compare favorably against a preamp costing $200, and another costing $1500! -AudioMasterclass
I could see a 2200 for mic preamp going into a Composer ex/gate-comp/limiter on CL for $100 total. $50 each on a good haggling day. Probably a nice setup.....
2200 is the 4580 Texas Instruments Op Amp-
http://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/rc4580.pdf
Hitachi Transisitor Discrete Mic input/stage
2SA1084 Datasheet
FEATURES
Extremely low-noise, high-end, discrete microphone/line preamp
Integrated high-quality 12AX7 vacuum tube
Microphone input stages based on ultralow-noise 2SA1084 transistor pairs
Extreme bandwidth from 2Hz to 300kHz
Two additional high-end parametric EQs
Independent level conversion from home to professional level (-10dBV/+4dBu)
Super low-noise 4580 operational amplifiers
Extremely flexible DI box function
Soft mute +48V phantom power
Fully sweepable, switchable high-pass filter (12dB/octave)
Phase reverse button
Precise twelve-segment output level display
Servo-balanced, gold-plated XLR and 1/4" TRS connectors
Professional-quality potentiometers and illuminated switches
Manufactured under ISO 9000 certified management system
30 years plus as musician, recording artist. The Behringer Ultragain Pro MIC2200 ranks with the best. I compared it with an Avalon VT-737SP Pure Class A Mono Vacuum Tube Channel Strip (two thousand +). I couldn't really notice a difference in sound quality except the Avalon cost twenty three thousand more-gearhead
YouTube
Nice sounds of the 2200
Im guessing the GAIN is 26-60db with a possible 10db more with outputs along the way. 60-70db?
Like everything a lot of good press and a lot of bad press. The buzzing QC units can always get mentioned and like my hamburger the other day at a fast food drive through....the cook took a bite of it I noticed when I unwrapped the sandwich.
time for some coffee and dayquil...