The 8 Best Analog Mic preamps (2023 reviews)

The dbx analog mic preamp's high-end materials makes sure that it ages well with use. It is a full-featured channel strip processor that delivers a studio-quality microphone/instrument preamplifier and four processors that can be used independently or in any combination. It is designed to clean up compress and amplify vocals. It is electronically very accurate, allowing for seamless butt-end edits without the need for cross-fading.

The expander increases the dynamic range of the audio signal. It's also very helpful for voiceover work, incredibly inexpensive for such a fine and versatile piece of hardware, very easy learning curve and there are dozens of very helpful videos on how to set it up perfectly available on YouTube.

The build quality is good, the controls are postive and accurately labeled, and the options it offers make it very flexible. It allows you to make the voice sound very natural.

Why We Like This:

Really brings the quality of the vocal up a few notches
Sounds great, nice and clean sounding preamp, all the way up to 100% gain
Great product for recording rap vocals
A great processing unit for voice-over work

Best For An XLR Input: IK Multimedia Analog Mic Preamp

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We know from years of feedback from readers, customers and amazon sellers, what most people want in a convenient and appropriate preamp. The ik multimedia analog mic preamp is exactly that - it's a simple preamp that hits all the right notes. This portable preamp with xLR input and true +48v phantom power ensure a clean, crisp sound with any dynamic mic, condenser mic or ribbon mic. The iRig Pre 2 is compact and sturdy, easy to stow in a backpack or guitar case. This is a simple and useful solution to adding traditional (XLR) microphones for use with an IOS device.

This is designed for an XLR input from a microphone. Controls are simple, and easy to use, set up is easy once you know where the set up features on your devices are. The iRig Stream also supports "Loopback" which acts like virtual cable to send your system audio into your recordings when enabled. This can also supply Phantom Power to Condenser style microphones. This is super a perfect little preamp for streaming anything from your phone.

Why We Like This:

Works great with clubhouse, instagram, zoom and many more top apps
Excellent audio quality and compact design
A great portable, versatile interface with good sound quality

Best With reverb: ART Pre amp

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Not everyone likes to purchase preamp for their regular usage, but the art pre amp would be an anomoly. If you are looking to boost your mic input before going into your audio interface this is a good choice. It does a great job and has a very clean noise floor. It can be used for Microphones or Guitar Amps as it comes with 2 XLR jacks 1 in and 1 out as well as 2 1/4" jacks 1 in and 1 out. The center rotary switch allows you to dial in the tone you would like in a manner similar to an equalizer but with that sound only a tube can give the voice or instruments for you musicians out there.

The sound quality is great and it's really solid.

Why We Like This:

Great product for those who requires amplify a dynamic mic
Great for turning mic volume up and down
Great sound quality and good craftsmanship

Best For All sources: Golden Age project Analog Mic Preamp

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If you often find yourself scrambling for appropriate and satisfactory preamp, golden age project analog mic preamp is your solution. If you need a simple, superb, affordable, no-frills, quality pre-amp, the Jr is a great choice. It's built like a TANK with an all-metal chassis and quality knobs and buttons. The instructions for adding this to your sound chain and setting this unit up are simple. It can produce gentle, warm overdrive for instruments and vocals with plenty of overhead gain.

The cable splits into two cables-one for input to a device such as a compressor and one for output that is fed back into the preamp. It gives a nice warm tone and a smooth analog distortion when pushed hard. Those two controls have the most effect upon the color of the sound of the preamp. If you want to add some great saturation with real analog circuitry and not break the bank, this is it.

Why We Like This:

Warms the sound ever so slightly
Great value for a great sound
One of the new comers and featured product

Best For Ribbon Mic: Presonus Analog Mic Preamp

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Presonus has been making great preamp for years, thanks to a combination of clever design and appropriate materials. If you are handy building stuff making sound panels is pretty easy and for the cost of a good tube preamp, you can totally transform the acoustics of your listening room. It comes with the bluetube dp v2 dual-path preamp, you get the best of two worlds. It has instrument inputs on the back. The adapter reduces it to 12 Volts that this preamp runs by. It has a very nice build quality that looks like it will stand the test of time.

This is a pre-amp for aiding in the recording of instruments/vocals via. The unit is half rack space in size, but has no rack ears. It's presence is quite noticeable when using the Rode dynamic mike.

Why We Like This:

A warm sound while practicing guitar whilst listening through headphones
Added in the t-12ax7-s vacuum tube for a slightly warmer sound
New and hot release

Best For controlling The dynamics Of electric basses And guitars: Focusrite Scarlett Octopre Dynamic

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Best part: focusrite scarlett octopre dynamic costs comparatively low and it is available to ship in 24 hours. Building on the features of the scarlett octopre, scarlett octopre dynamic brings you the ultimate scarlett expansion with eight scarlett mic preamps and analogue compression on every input channel providing a musical, soft-knee style of compression for more subtle control of your dynamics. The eight outputs give you the option of expanding your analog outputs over and above the scarlett octopre.

The compressor would be great for drums, but would not save you any channel space on the board.

A switchable Air mode will add extra clarity to your acoustic instruments when recording with your Scarlett 18i20, replicating the revered Focusrite console. This can be connected to an audio interface or recorder with ADAT inputs. If you need an audio interface and some solid recording software, the PreSonus Studio Series will do the job.

Why We Like This:

Create powerful guitars, luscious keys and huge drums
Pro performance with eight of the finest mic preamps
Good investment for long term

Best For Other extreme level sources: Focusrite Analog Mic Preamp

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The focusrite analog mic preamp is suitable and reliable and fits well with your daily usage. This is just 8 mic pres and you will need an audio interface with at least 6 outputs to do 5.1 mixing. It offers 57db, and the arturia has far better metering. It comes with eight clarett mic pres, eight line outputs and adat interfacing, the clarett octopre is the ideal way of adding inputs and outputs to your clarett thunderbolt audio interface. It features its own switched insertion point for single-cable connection of outboard analog processing.

The operating level of the unit is only +18db rather than the +24 the Arturia uses, but after accounting for that the dynamic range is the same. The Air feature is nice, it’s a combo of Neve-style transformer distortion (weighted toward odd harmonic) and a tilt EQ to the bright. It comes with hard-wired relay bypass, so you can leave outboard gear or a patch bay connected ready to access at the press of a button.

Why We Like This:

Useful for feeding a live console while recording the digital outputs
Good brand reputation

Best With ADAT: ART Analog Mic Preamp

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The art analog mic preamp should be able to handle its purpose and duties with ease. Even the stock tubes sound decent enough on vocals, but where this excels is as a bass preamp. This unit has all the controls needed to dial in the right amount of tube drive (or none at all) and send a clean digital signal out to the next component at any sample rate. Because of the full signal passing the tube, it truly flavors the signal with that good tube warmth everyone likes. The variable impedance feature and continuously variable low-pass are great for dialing in the exact tone from your mic and removing unwanted low-end junk. It is also a push button for, and two wordclock jacks, allowing loop-through.

The weight specification are especially important for people who will travel with this equipment on flight as there are weight restrictions. The ADAT/SPDIF digital output feature is great for exapansion. This unit is the last exit before spending thousands on high-end stuff and does its job very well. It is a definite upgrade, and adds nice warmth and tube color.

Why We Like This: