

The 737’s feature-richness adds to the unit’s appeal. It’s won 2 “Best Preamp” awards in the past 20 years and has received plenty of words of praise. For an all-in-one channel strip type preamp, not a whole lot can beat the Avalon. Avalon VT-737Ī tube preamp, an opto-compressor, and an EQ, the Avalon 737 is a very popular higher end signal path. It’s also a unique blend of two of the most time-tested, go-to choices for preamplifcation and compression, all in a single rack space. You could very well consider the 1173 a “top-of-the-line” unit at a price point that’s much more reasonable for home recorders and hobbyists. UK Sound is a division of BAE operating out of California and building gear with carefully selected, high quality components. The unit offers a Neve-style 1073 microphone preamp and a Universal Audio-style 1176 FET compressor. If the name sounds somewhat familiar, it’s very likely because the UK Sound 1173 is a collaboration between our very own Warren Huart and gear designer Michael Stucker. It’s a lot less frilly than an 8-channel budget pre, and it’s much, much more expensive, but the quality is unmatched. When shopping for gear like this, you’re going after a “holy grail” piece that will perform extremely well if you like its sound. The very simple 3124V has undeniable sound quality and classic API character that you simply won’t get out of anything else. The API preamp is designed to do one thing incredibly well, and that’s amplify low-level signals! You’ll probably notice that high-end microphone preamps like this one have fewer inputs and features than their more budget-friendly counterparts, yet can cost 10x as much. It’s a high-quality rackmount preamp with 4 discrete channels. The 3124V is API’s newer version of the popular 3124+ with added variable output. It’s certainly a unique piece worth trying! API 3124V

PRE AMP MIC FULL
At just $299, the ART TubeOpto 8 is a full hundred dollars cheaper than both the Focusrite and PreSonus preamps. If you’re looking for a little more character in your recordings, tubes may be the way to go. I haven’t used the ART tube preamp personally so I can’t attest to its quality, but, based on reviews, I believe it’s a piece that’s great “for the price.” Sometimes it’s advisable to err on the side of caution with this type of stuff in the sense that it’s best to manage your expectations. Tube preamps and “budget” don’t often go hand-in-hand, though ART has managed to create an affordable 8-channel tube mic pre. Each channel also has a -20 dB pad for loud sound sources and +48 V phantom power switchable in odd or even pairs.

The unit has two convenient 1/4″ inputs on the front panel, while the 8 XLR inputs are on the back of the device to keep cabling hidden and tidy. If you’re looking for a versatile 8-channel mic pre, the DigiMax D8 is a good shout. PreSonus is synonymous with quality on a budget. RELATED: Lynx Hilo Review: A World-Class Digital Converter & Monitor.It also has plenty of headroom and pads for “extreme inputs.” Use it for drums or a guitar cabinet without batting an eye. The Scarlett preamps are natural-sounding to capture the character of the microphone and the instrument without excess coloration. Focusrite OctoPreįocusrite’s OctoPre is another fantastic 8-channel preamp with A/D conversion up to 192 kHz. Warm Audio worked closely with Carnhill Transformers of Cambridgeshire, UK, to design faithful reproductions of these most coveted, early version transformers. It comes in both single and dual channel versions, with or without EQ. Modeled after the most iconic preamp of all time, Warm Audio’s affordable WA73 is a great way to get some of that classic character without breaking the bank.
PRE AMP MIC UPGRADE
