General

What dB should preamp be?

Standard

What dB should preamp be?

For maximum versatility we recommend that a preamplifier have at least 60 dB (or more) of usable gain capability. For very quiet sound sources, 70+ dB of gain may be required.

What does Class A mean for preamps?

“Class A” refers to a specific amplifier output design. Without diving too deep into electrical engineering, suffice it to say that Class A is the simplest, most basic circuit topology for an amplifier, and the easiest to design with less inherent distortion.

What is the impedance of a ribbon type microphone?

A microphone’s impedance changes at different frequencies. In Figure A, you can see that the impedance is consistently around 250 ohms until about 500 Hz, where the impedance starts drastically moving up to almost 2000 ohms. AEA’s passive big ribbon mics have a nominal impedance of 270 ohms.

What are the different types of preamps?

Come to think of it, preamps can be categorized into three types: 500 series preamp, desktop preamp, and racked preamp, in which the 500 series one is the most popular.

How much gain should a preamp have?

Technical Editor Hugh Robjohns replies: It is certainly the case that nearly all of the mic preamps built into budget and moderately priced desks and channels generally offer a maximum of around 60dB of gain, and this is usually more than enough for recording the vast majority of close-miked sound sources with typical …

What is a Class A and B preamp?

A class-B amplifier pushes the top of the wave up with one device on the circuit and pulls the trough of the wave down with a second device. A class-A amplifier uses just one device for the entire input signal (the conduction angle, or “Θ” equals 360°).

What does Class A mean audio?

Class A design is the least efficient but has the highest sound fidelity. Class B design is a little more efficient, but full of distortion. Class AB design offers power efficiency and good sound. Class D design has the highest efficiency but isn’t quite as high-fidelity.

Does impedance affect sound quality?

In general, amplifiers are designed to have an extremely low output impedance (usually fractions of Ohms) so that the loudspeaker impedance is significantly higher. However, the impedance of the connecting cable can also have an audible effect on the sound quality.

What is a good impedance for a microphone?

50 Ω – 500 Ω
A professional or “good” mic output impedance is in the range of 50 Ω – 500 Ω, though some pro mics have impedances slightly outside this range. So long as the output impedance is much lower (1/10th or less) than the load impedance, it is considered good!

What should I look for in a pre amp?

Before you choose a new preamp, here are some things to consider:

  • Preamps are a profit center for many manufacturers.
  • There are no new designs in preamps.
  • A: The best tube preamps use more tubes.
  • B: The best tube preamps are tube rectified.
  • C: The best tube preamps are dual-mono.
  • D: