The 9 Best Channel Mic preamps (2023 reviews)

Behringer line of preamp come in a pretty wide variety of styles, so you can definitely find one that suits your individual preferences and needs. They aren't needed with modern digital filters and they hog valuable computer resources, limiting the number of tracks and plugins you can run. This is an adat breakout that provides analog in/outs. It's light pipe (adat) optical expansion unit for other computer interfaces. It provides analog in/outs plus fits a standard 19” rack. It's good for expanding your inputs 4 or 8 channels, with caps on sample rate.

It has a good phantom power feature and enough inputs for mic 8 instruments. It can be used as stabdalone, but only with the analog outputs. It adds 8 analog ins and outs to an existing audio unit.

Why We Like This:

Well built, sounds great, priced right
Best bang-for-your-buck unit with 8 channels
Great value and awesome audio quality

Best For podcast: Coda music technologies Channel Mic Preamp

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The coda music technologies channel mic preamp is the best reliable preamp on the market today. Cordless microphones have a gain control on the transmitter, or receiver, or both. It will only work with dynamic and ribbon mics, not condesner mics. It has genuine plug-and-play simplicity. This is not an audio interface, this is a microphone preamp booster, and it gives more volume to a dinamic mic, such as the Shure sm7b or Rode mic. It makes it crystal clear and nice for a clean gain.

It's a simple plug-and-play, and the output from the mic is instantly raised. It provides 25db gain per individual channel.

Why We Like This:

Additional noise, no feedback, no negative effects
Works really well with no noise
Needs 48v phantom power from audio interface or mixer
Much less gain needed on pa and audio interface

Best For controlling The dynamics Of electric basses And guitars: Focusrite Channel Mic Preamp

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The focusrite channel mic preamp's high-end materials makes sure that it ages well with use. The Scarlett OctoPre Dynamic is an ADAT expansion device, which can be linked to any audio interface with corresponding ADAT ports. It offers eight balanced line outputs, sourced directly from their respective mic preamps for use on stage in a live environment. The preamps are very detailed and have good headroom.

The Scarlett octopre features 8 line outputs on the rear panel which can be used to individually route the signals from the 8 analogue inputs out to any external audio device that features line inputs. This can be connected to an audio interface or recorder with ADAT inputs. A switchable Air mode will add extra clarity to your acoustic instruments when recording with your Scarlett 18i20, replicating the revered Focusrite console. It is ideal for expanding any high quality, multi-channel recording system.

Why We Like This:

Create powerful guitars, luscious keys and huge drums
Pro performance with eight of the finest mic preamps
Simple adat connectivity via optical cables

Best With reverb: Presonus Channel 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 drum: Warm Audio Channel Mic Preamp

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Warm Audio offers a variety of preamp for personal choice and yet maintaining quality in all the variants. It provides 4 channels of classic american console preamps in a sleek 1ru design. It is known for its high headroom and low distortion characteristics and has much to do with the coveted sound of these classic console preamps. It's an amazing piece of gear not only because of the value but because it really sounds fantastic on a number of instruments. It also has plenty of gain for ribbon mics.

This thing is punchy as heck, and captures drum kits with a detail and body that makes mixing a breeze. A tone switch (transformer input impedance) is also available on each channel, which allows you to choose between a warm and punchy classic console tone, or go for a more open & neutral sound. It is available on every channel for precise control and creative gain staging.

Why We Like This:

Clear mid range when tone button is disabled
Fully discrete, transformer coupled, through-hole component topology
New and hot release

Best For practice: Saramonic Channel Mic Preamp

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The saramonic channel mic preamp's material feels more premium than its price would suggest. The Saramonic Smartrig+ di is a portable microphone/guitar interface for recording professional quality audio. It provides 48v phantom power for microphones, and includes a 3.5mm headphone output for real-time sound monitoring. It works with 3.5mm mic jack devices. It features a mfi certified lightning output connector allowing you to attach an xlr microphone or 6.3mm guitar directly to your lighting connected ios device.

The Smartrig+ di makes your recording work easier by connecting professional microphones and guitars (or other instruments) to your smartphone, tablet, dslr camera or video camera. It is perfect for practice or recording. The interface also features 3 types of input to accommodate any set up.

Why We Like This:

Connects directly to iphone through lightning adapter
Provides 48v phantom power for microphones
3.5 mm headphone output jack for monitoring
Great product works for recording interviews at festivals

Best For detail: black Lion Audio Channel Mic Preamp

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The black lion audio channel mic preamp might be a relatively new release, but it's still nothing short of impressive this year. Every good mic needs a great preamp to bring out it’s best, and the auteur mkiii is an exceptional offering for your entire microphone collection. It features a tour-worthy chassis, that’s extremely portable. It is perfect for capturing every nuance and detail. It is followed up by a vintage-inspired output-stage design coupled with a cinemag transformer for massive, colorful sound. The Hi-Z switch makes for a stellar instrument input for direct capture of guitar and bass.

The Auteur MKIII design starts with a modern front-end that’s best described as fast and transparent. It is great on the go, but it fits perfect on a desktop for smaller setups. The pres are very clean and give a full sound to your instrument.

Why We Like This:

Great build quality and very nice gain pots
Vintage-inspired transformer-coupled output-stage featuring cinemag transformers for massive, colorful sound
2 channels of fast response, with fat low-end sound
Based front-end for fast and transparent sound

Best With ADAT: Audient Channel Mic Preamp

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Similar to vintage valve preamplifier designs of the 1960s, HMX provides a sweet, thick tone that will sound incredible on anything from drums to electric guitars. It provides 8 channels of audient renowned console mic preamps, class-leading burr-brown converter technology, two jfet d.is and two retro channels with revolutionary tone control. By using discrete mosfet technology, HMX produces asymmetrical harmonic distortion giving you the option to add richness and body to the pristine tone of the audient mic preamp, d.i or line input.

Upgrade your soundwhether youre recording drums or simply need more channels, asp800 is the perfect tool for expanding your existing interface via adat. Its flexible and intuitive feature set will transform your current setup into the complete recording rig, perfectly at home recording both acoustic and electronic instruments. The preamps sound rich on 1&2 and the other 6 are very clean.

Why We Like This:

2 x retro channels with dual stage colour saturation controls
New and hot release

Best With Phantom Power: Klark Teknik Channel Mic Preamp

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The klark teknik channel mic preamp has killer features for the price point. The Dynamic and PowerfulBoth channels of the CM-2 can work with almost any dynamic or passive ribbon microphone. Its high-quality preamp adds an incredible +25db of gain to your mic pre's which increases headroom and allows you to dial in the perfect mic level at a much lower gain setting at the mixer thus leading to a cleaner sound. It also runs on phantom power and needs no external power source.

The simplicity and size of the cm-2 means you can set it up as close as possible to any mic anywhere in your studio or on stage. This minimizes the risk of any potential noise being picked up by long cable runs.

Why We Like This: