Do all microphones require a preamp?

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mjamed

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Hi all,

1. Do all microphones require a preamp?

2. What are the best preamps availabe in the market?

3. Do you know other good recroding forums? (other than Homerecord & SOS
)?

Thanks Guys :)
 
there is a newbies forum for complex questions of this nature.
 
Man, you guys are mean. :D I might have to go over to the recpit. They're a lot friendlier over there. See ya.
 
He was just pulling your leg.... he thought your answer was good, and funny.... so did I. :cool:
 
chessrock said:
Man, you guys are mean. :D I might have to go over to the recpit. They're a lot friendlier over there. See ya.
Click to expand...

I agree. They love answering questions like this. Especially in Mixerman or Fletcher's forums.
 
ChristopherDawn said:
I agree. They love answering questions like this. Especially in Mixerman or Fletcher's forums.
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Now THAT'S mean.
 
Not quite, Mjamed. It would be more correct to say that 99.9% of all mics require a preamp. There is such a thing as a line level microphone. I own one. A Shure SM82 puts out line level output. It too, needs a preamp. It's just built into the mic. Unfortunately, I didn't know that, and I pretty much blew up a preamp by plugging it into one.-Richie
 
mjamed said:
Hi all,

1. Do all microphones require a preamp?

2. What are the best preamps availabe in the market?

3. Do you know other good recroding forums? (other than Homerecord & SOS
)?

Thanks Guys :)
Click to expand...

1. For all intensive purposes, yes. As you can see, there are *some* very rare exceptions.

2. Neve pre-amps are commonly considered to be amongst the best on the market. You can buy them used in sets of 48 starting at about $US 6 Figures.

If you're looking for something a little less high end, which you should be if you're asking the queston "Do all microphones require a preamp?", try a mackie mixing board with direct outs, or the dmp3 everyone here is so fond of.

Buying expensive hardware for an inexperienced engineer = blowing up expensive hardware.
 
An exception is high output mics on loud sources. But then level setting becomes yet another issue.
I use QTC-1's on the kits and still have to throw level away sometimes. (AT in-line switchable pads)
Wayne
 
Re: Re: Do all microphones require a preamp?

indydisc said:
1. For all intensive purposes...
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:D :D
LOL - that's hilarious - never seen that one before!

er... the expression is "...for all intents and purposes...."
 
Not sure if anyone needs to know this, but the Neumann Solution D digital mic doesn't require a preamp. Some other digital mics probably don't need a preamp either. Given the current prices, that's rather theoretical knowledge, but I'm sure we'll see more of digital microphone technology in the coming years, and prices will eventually come down. The Solution D is an excellent sounding mic, btw. Not cold or "digital" sounding at all. I tested it briefly at the Frankfurt music fair.
 
<Not sure if anyone needs to know this, but the Neumann Solution D digital mic doesn't require a preamp. Some other digital mics probably don't need a preamp either.>

Rossi, none of the digital mics require a "preamp". By definition the output is DIGITAL, whatever it is.
 
Hmm, I guess you're right there :D

BTW: does SLC mean Sarah Lawrence College?
 
Well guys, i guess i am going to have to spark a debate here.

My answer is NO, all microphones do not require a pre amp.

Now don't flame me yet....

I would assume he means and external pre amp like a pre-sonus or whatever.

Now, i can take my (shudder) $49 radioshack mike, and plug it into almost ANY P.A. amp, and crank it up and have a usable combination. No mixer or nothing.

BUT....

is a pre amp desirable..

Yes it is very desirable

The idea is an external dedicated amp can be more efficient (more gain, less noise) and amplify a MIKE level signal (which is very weak electrically) to a LINE level signal, for use in other processors (like a mixing board).

so.. if you are talking about an outboard processor, no they are not necessarily "required".
 
Yo Radio! A PA head, like any mixer, contains preamps, usually not great ones, but they are in there. Nobody suggested that the preamp had to be an outboard dedicated unit.-Richie
 
an educated debate...

given the complexity of the given original question, i think it is safe to assume (yes i know, dont go there) that this is a relatively new person to the art of recording.

i am sure his definition of a pre amp through the things he has heard and read about here is: something (an external box) you must plug the mike into before you plug it into the amp/mixer to make it work.

i noted this assumption in my reply.

now i imagine a heated debate to follow as to what exactly defines a PRE-AMP, and then when does a PRE-amp becomes a first stage of an amplifier chain?

It may be an accepted definition in this circle that the Pre means the signal is converted from a microphone level signal to a line level signal for later processing, i dont hold that defintion true across the board.


So, MJamed, my answer remains that NO you do not need a pre-amp for all microphones.

Most equiment has built in amplifier stages to boost the level of the signal.

You can plug your microphone into a mixer board, and then into a recorder without the use of a "pre-amp"

by the way Richard, i am not trying to be an ass. i just love intelligent conversation, so thank you for participating.
 
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