Looking at a mixer you notice there are several strips with identical buttons on each strip. A microphone preamplifier is basically a stand alone mixer strip. When you buy a recording console you are pretty much committed to the sound quality of each strip because they are all the same. That is where a microphone preamp comes in. A microphone preamps main duty is to boost a microphones low signal to a line level that is usable for any device you are recording too. There are plenty of variety, design, features and sound quality that allow you to mix and match different pre-amps for your recordings.

Depending on manufacturer, design, type etc. of a preamplifier they all perform the same function and they all have common features. Gain control increases the signal being picked up by the microphone, this is helpful for quiet performances. Another common feature found on preamplifiers is an equalizer, which can cut or boost sound frequencies during recording. this can be helpful if you know exactly where your performance will be sitting in a mix and you want to cut or boost frequencies before editing in the computer. A free helpful hint about EQ is try cutting frequencies first then boost frequencies when mixing.

A compressor is another feature found on some preamps. Compression squishes the dynamic range of a signal, then boosts that signal so that the quiet parts of a recording is louder. Now during a loud part of a song you can still hear the quiet acoustic guitar for example. Be careful because once you use compression on your dry recording you are committed to that compression. It is very hard to remove compression once you are editing.

Microphone preamps allow for greater mobility, instead of having a big recording console you can have a variety of different preamplifiers. In the digital age preamps are easy to use because they can be used with sound cards and audio interfaces via line inputs. A preamplifier is a personal choice and is based on the sound you want and the features you require. Preamplifers are a very cost effective way of experimenting with different sounds, giving you functionality and modifiable studio.

A preamp is a great way to mix and match for different sounds they come in great variety of distortion specs, different sounds and use of tube or integrated circuit technology. This diversity in every preamp gives you a great ability to cater for specific recordings. The choice you make when choosing a preamp is purely personal, depending on what your studio needs. There was a time when there was only a few ways to get a good quality recording but now there is so much choice and gear out there that it is hard to make a bad decision. So make sure you test preamps to find one that will do the job for you and having people wanting to come record at your studio.

Looking to purchase a music studio equipment. Learn what the pros know about recording equipment microphones

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