From the course: Audio Recording Techniques

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Explaining the microphone preamplifier

Explaining the microphone preamplifier

From the course: Audio Recording Techniques

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Explaining the microphone preamplifier

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Almost as important as the microphone is the microphone preamplifier or Mic Pre, Mic Amp, or just Pre Amp. The circuit boosts the tiny output voltage from the microphone up to a level, which is called Line Level, that's easily sent around the studio to consoles, outboard gear, and DAWs. Let's see how it works. Most DAW interfaces and almost all consoles have mic preamps built into them, but in most cases the quality of the circuitry isn't nearly as high as what's available in a dedicated outboard piece. That said, each Mic Pre has its own sound and most engineers will select the Mic Pre and microphone combination because of the sonic color that the combination provides, which makes the captured audio fit the music better. Usually a dedicated mic amp sounds a lot better than the once included in the DAW interface or console. An outboard pre generally provides a signal that has higher highs and lower lows, meaning it has a better frequency response, and is clearer and cleaner. This…

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