The 8 Best Mic preamps For Guitar Recording (2023 reviews)

The dbx mic preamp for guitar recording'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 podcast: Coda music technologies Mic Preamp For Guitar Recording

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Not everyone likes to purchase preamp for their daily usage, but the coda music technologies mic preamp for guitar recording would be an anomoly. The MB-1 is ruggedly built, housed in a black anodized aluminum case. It really doesn't color the sound at all. The CODA unit sounds the same as the CL-2 (no added noise), and it's $100 cheaper. The device is well built and once you plug in your XLR cables you never have to look at it again.

The MB-1 is great tool, if you have an open recording room, it cancels noise completely and the only one minor thing is that is not compatible with all types of microphones. The vocal sound is very clear and full and the vocal activity is quite easy with the use of this cloud lifter.

Why We Like This:

25 db is a lot of gain for low gain dynamics or ribbon mics
Much less gain needed on pa and audio interface
Delivers what they promise

Best For musicians: Comica Mic Preamp For Guitar Recording

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Not everyone likes to purchase preamp for their regular usage, but the comica mic preamp for guitar recording would be an anomoly. It’s designed with functions of a mic/phone audio monitor. The LINKFLEX AD2 Audio Adapter comes with a gain control knob, which maximum gain can be adjusted to 20dB, so you can adjust the volume according to your needs. The interface is pretty simple with a main volume control knob on the front and a few switches on the side to set the power mode, select the monitoring mode, and select which output you are recording to.

This amp has a number of features and it supports all kinds of devices and accessories. Morever, the belt-clamp and magic-tape allows you to hang the belt clamp on the belt or pass the magic-tape through the magic-tape fixing slot and attach it to the fixer for use. Sound quality is great and has plenty of headroom with the gain control to get a clean boost of volume when needed. It hooked up easily and is great to go immediately. It is an easy way to connect professional microphones for your iphone or android smartphone, nikon canon camera and guitar etc.

Why We Like This:

Can also be applied to sm7b microphone
High quality audio input for mics or instruments
Easy to use and worth the money
A very smart and inexpensive audio preamp

Best For Dynamic preacher: ART Mic Preamp For Guitar Recording

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We would, of course, be remiss if we didn't mention art mic preamp for guitar recording for daily purpose. The Tube MP project series is a professional quality audio interface that lets you connect microphone, instrument, and line level signals to audio inputs to digital audio workstations as well as standard analog devices. The compressor does its job without coloring the sound noticeably. The "instrument" input in the front of the unit will automatically bypass the XLR input in the back. It will supply phantom power.

This unit has an unbalanced 1/4” output (so use TS, not TRS cables), and you certainly could use an XLR to 1/4” adapter if you want to use the balanced output. It has a built-in compressor and a limiter to use while tracking. There's a little background hum and hiss at higher gain levels, especially if you are using the compressor aggressively, but this is to be expected and is in no way objectionable.

Why We Like This:

Really well-built, great sound, easy to use
Certainly is very useful for di electric guitar
Sounds killer for guitar or vocals

Best With ADAT: Focusrite Mic Preamp For Guitar Recording

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Best part: focusrite mic preamp for guitar recording costs comparatively low and it is available to ship in 24 hours. It comes with eight channels of focusrite 2nd generation scarlett preamps and precision a-d conversion at sample rates up to 192 khz, scarlett octopre is the ideal way of increasing the number of inputs in your studio. It can connect via adat with an optical cable. When an XLR connector is used, the pre-amp automatically configures gain and impedance to receive microphone level signals.

The line input signal goes through the variable gain section of the preamp circuit allowing the user to set the input level of their line-level audio sources. It comes with high-headroom inputs and a pad on every channel, scarlett octopre is ideal for tracking drums as well as guitars, keyboards, and vocals.

The sound quality and ease of connections is good, and the unit has good locking of signal. These are very good about responding quickly.

Why We Like This:

You will be able to monitor the analog signal to the analog outputs
Easy to use and a great value for anyone needing some extra mic inputs
Great product to add inputs for your recording studio & great support from focusrite

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

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The focusrite scarlett octopre dynamic's material feels more premium than its price would suggest. 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. This can be connected to an audio interface or recorder with ADAT inputs. The compressor would be great for drums, but would not save you any channel space on the board.

There is no control for the compressor beyond a single pot, which appears to raise the ratio and the gain accordingly. A switchable Air mode will add extra clarity to your acoustic instruments when recording with your Scarlett 18i20, replicating the revered Focusrite console. If you need an audio interface and some solid recording software, the PreSonus Studio Series will do the job.

Why We Like This:

Flexible analogue compression on every channel
Pro performance with eight of the finest mic preamps
Lot of satisfied buyers

Best With XLR Output: Donner Mic Preamp For Guitar Recording

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We would, of course, be remiss if we didn't mention donner mic preamp for guitar recording for daily purpose. The donner microphone Preamp is a great choice for anyone looking to enhance the performance of their dynamic microphone. This device is an alternative to a Cloudlifter device, which boosts your dynamic mic signal level by using the 48V phantom power provided by your pre-amp. It is all plug and play, and the clarity of sound, as well as the ability to increase decibel levels significantly, makes recording ultra professional.

One of the standout features of this preamp is its impressive noise-reduction capability. The resulting sound is clear, clean, and professional, making it an excellent choice for recording vocals or other instruments. The sound is clean and clear and it works flawlessly. This device is fairly unobtrusive and it plugs in line. This is especially useful for recording podcasts or streaming sessions where background noise can be a distraction.

Why We Like This:

Adds the db you need to your weak preamp for dynamic mics
Nice clean gain with absolutely zero hiss
A compact and affordable microphone booster
Pretty good little preamp for recording on your computer

Best With Condenser Mic: ART Pre amp

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Compared with other preamp in this category, the art pre amp has a convenient design. This device is great to guard against modulating more than 100 percent while providing a "non clipped" natural mike audio sound. It features many new and exciting design enhancements to art’s pro and home studio staples, including the addition of a tube circuit to the compressor module. The device gives you preamp, eq, compressor and the signal will go directly from its output to the input of other recording device.

As a "channel" it has a preamp, compressor and equalization. There's a separate level meter for the preamp level AND the compression level. There is a bypass switch for Compression module and also EQ so those stages can be skipped if there is no need. The EQ is basic but provides immediately better recordings and saves time on mixing and mastering.

Why We Like This: