The World of High-Quality Recording Essentials: Microphone Preamps

2021-11-26

Hello! Kaoru the composer here.

Today, I would like to talk about an essential piece of gear that can seriously improve your recording quality: the microphone preamp.

Microphone preamps are incredibly important. If you go into a recording studio, you’ll always find them there.
Some studios even have multiple high-end models installed.

That said, you can go down a bit of a rabbit hole of microphone preamps when it comes to music gear.
I’ve been thinking about getting one myself, but making a decision can be pretty hard.

So in this post, I’ll give a simple overview of microphone preamps and introduce some recommended options available at Sound House.

What Is a Microphone Preamp?

The full name is “microphone preamplifier”.

To put it simply, its job is to amplify the signal from a microphone.
That alone might make you think, “Wait… what does that really mean?”

In short, using a microphone preamp lets you capture a higher-quality sound than recording with just an audio interface. It helps bring out the subtle differences in tone.

While many modern audio interfaces now come with decent built-in preamps, using a dedicated one can upgrade your setup and give you more control over your sound.

The Character of Microphone Preamps

Even though we call them all “microphone preamps”, the sound can vary greatly depending on the model and manufacturer.
This is just my personal impression, but I’ll explain it simply.
(Keep in mind that how sound is perceived depends on the environment and personal taste—so please use this as a general reference.)

Neve-style:
The sound can vary significantly depending on the production era and condition, so these are more suited to advanced users. Generally, they have a solid, full-bodied tone with a strong core. They’re great for vocals, but also easy to use for recording many kinds of instruments, making them a great choice for your first outboard preamp. Exploring the tonal differences between models is part of the fun.
API-style:
Great at capturing the overall image of the sound. The tone is clean but it has a bold, punchy character, which tends to divide opinions. (Personally, I love it.)

There are also many high-quality software versions available, making them an attractive, more affordable option to start with.

Basic Usage

The basic connection order is:

Microphone → Microphone Preamp → Audio Interface → Computer.

It’s so simple that anyone can do it!

Important Points:
- Always turn phantom power OFF on your audio interface when using a separate preamp.
- If your audio interface has separate mic and line inputs, be sure to connect the preamp output to the line input.
- Set all volume knobs to a minimum when connecting.

Since this is expensive delicate equipment, following these rules will help prevent damage.

Next, I’ll carefully introduce some great products you can buy at Sound House!

FOCUSRITE / ISA One – Classic Microphone Preamp/DI

This is a super classic microphone preamp.
It’s also known for being used by the famous musician Hyadain, who has worked on many songs for Momoiro Clover Z.

The blue and yellow color scheme is quite striking!
Since it’s a desktop unit, it doesn’t take up much space on your desk.

This mic preamp features Focusrite’s traditional variable input impedance design, allowing you to choose from four impedance settings to match a variety of microphones!

It also includes an outboard insert jack (TRS phone) on the rear panel, keeping cables neat and tidy without tangling.

What I’m especially interested in is the VU meter!
The VU meter makes it easy to visually check whether the mic input level is set correctly.

Great not only for vocals but also compatible with various instruments like guitar and bass.

UNIVERSAL AUDIO / 710 TWIN-FINITY

A microphone preamp from the pro-favorite manufacturer, Universal Audio.
This unit is also quite compact and doesn’t take up much space.

It offers both tube and solid-state sounds in one device, and you can blend the two to create your preferred tone.

It’s especially useful for recording acoustic instruments!

If one channel isn’t enough for you, there’s this option as well: ↓

UNIVERSAL AUDIO / 4-710DY

This model features four 710 Twin-Finity microphone preamps and includes ADAT and AES/EBU digital outputs.
It’s quite expensive, but it greatly expands what you can do, making it very useful!