Just Bought a Cheap ALTO PreAmp...

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avieth

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So I was browsing the local music store looking for a 2-channel preamp for drum overheads when I come across the ALTO Alpha MICtube, used, for $75 Canadian. I figure it's not the greatest piece of gear, but I'm on a tight budget and they didn't have the DMP3 I was after.

I get it home and try it out as a preamp, and as a DI for my bass, and I can't say I regret buying it, yet... Has anyone had any experience with this unit? I was thinking of getting a higher quality tube for it, any suggestions?
 
I'm still trying to buy into the idea that a higher quality tube helps improve the sound in a hybrid preamp, especially a budget one. To me the improvement might be about 2-3% overall. Better components or better design in the solid state side would help them more.
 
PhilGood said:
I'm still trying to buy into the idea that a higher quality tube helps improve the sound in a hybrid preamp, especially a budget one. To me the improvement might be about 2-3% overall. Better components or better design in the solid state side would help them more.
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No, the improvement can be greater, but let's say it's in the 30% range, then by simple economics it should cost less than $20 to swap. In fact I wouldn't recommend spending more than about $7-8, if you can score a lot of NOS or just working vintage tubes and try them out and resell the ones you don't like, that is the best way to do it. I certainly wouldn't drop $30 on a magical tube for a $75 preamp.

I agree that the solid state and PSU sides tend to need more attention, but you don't need a soldering iron to swap a tube . . .
 
I have one. It is the noisiest preamp I've ever heard. Pretty much useless for anything you want to sound "good." I mainly use it for toms, since it has pads, and occasionally as a DI for keyboards, when I really want to muck up the sound. I don't use the tube drive feature, usually, as it just adds a wall of hiss.
 
I contacted Alto and they said that they use INA 163 OpAmps which are the same as the ones in the DMP3? I'm really surprised there's so much hiss? I guess the rest of the pre uses poor components or is manufactured poorly? I have a DMP3 and this is the quietest/cleanest pre I've used so far!
 
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