How to Buy a Preamp

A preamp amplifies an audio signal before it reaches a microphone, instrument or recording equipment. A preamp takes a signal from a guitar, turntable or other musical equipment and drives a voltage gain, but the power amp (such as a guitar amplifier) follows and provides the higher current needed to propel a rich, full sound. The preamp "primes" the sound. Here's what you need to know to buy a preamp.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Consider a channel strip. This device contains a preamp, signal processor, compressor and equalizer. Use this enhanced preamp for recording voice because it contains all the effects you'll need to balance and improve vocals.

2. Select a solid state preamp. Normally, these devices exhibit low distortion, but jump from low to extreme distortion effortlessly while maintaining top-notch performance. They have a cleaner sound than distortion-heavy tube preamps.

3. Experiment with a hybrid preamp. These units feature both solid state circuitry and vacuum tubes. The solid state component drives the input and produces a clear sound while the tubes season the audio with harmonics.

4. Buy a multi-channel preamp for miking a drum set or recording background vocalists. Multi-channel preamps work well for remote recording sessions because you don't need to carry a lot of gear and handle too many connections.

Tips & Warnings

• Use a solid state preamp or a tube preamp with a bit of "sparkle" when recording acoustic guitars.