W
Will25
New member
If a pre-amp only boosts a signal, what do transparent pre-amps actually do? I mean what's the point in just boosting the signal..?
My transparent pre-amps are there for the purpose of being able to see my lava lamp positioned on the other side of them!![]()
If a pre-amp only boosts a signal, what do transparent pre-amps actually do? I mean what's the point in just boosting the signal..?
A microphone has to be increased in level to line level before it can be used.
I really good transparent pre-amp. will boost the signal without colouring the sound at all and retaining all the characteristics of the microphone.
And they tend to be expensive. I've never used one but I've been told that the M-Audio DMP-3 is remarkably clean for it's price point. Going up from there is the FMR Real Nice Preamp, Appogee Duet, Sound Devices USBPpre 2, John Hardy, Lynx, and the sky is pretty much the limit.
For me the point of diminishing returns is reached at the Duet/USBPre 2 price point (approx $600). Note that these two particular devices also enjoy highly regarded A/D/A converters.
Oh - these are the cheapies...
..... this being on the theory that you can warm the sound up if you put the lava lamp near the inputs?
Should wrap the leads round it a couple of times as well there moresound...![]()
The most transparent preamp is no preamp at all--which is free!
Take a -30dBV/Pa condenser mic with 4dBA self-noise (that's really really quiet); it has a noise floor of -120dBV-A. Find a converter chip with 120dB dynamic range and 0dBV = 0dBFS. No gain is required; the noise will only degrade 3dB-ish (to 7dBA, still pretty quiet).
Hook up to a reasonably quiet phantom power source--not too critical so long as the mic has some power supply rejection. It's pretty easily to filter a source with 3k4 supply resistance, so that is not very hard to do.
If you are recording a loud source, use a pad on the mic.
THE END![]()
The most transparent preamp is no preamp at all--which is free!
Take a -30dBV/Pa condenser mic with 4dBA self-noise (that's really really quiet); it has a noise floor of -120dBV-A. Find a converter chip with 120dB dynamic range and 0dBV = 0dBFS. No gain is required; the noise will only degrade 3dB-ish (to 7dBA, still pretty quiet).
Hook up to a reasonably quiet phantom power source--not too critical so long as the mic has some power supply rejection. It's pretty easily to filter a source with 3k4 supply resistance, so that is not very hard to do.
If you are recording a loud source, use a pad on the mic.
THE END![]()