Recommend a Preamp

asimmd

Hi All I am looking for a preamp to use with my guitar amp. Can't have the amp top loud at home so a pre would help with the recording. Behringer Mic200 has been mentioned but I would like to know what others recommend. Budget about £100 Thanks Alan

Branshen

Consider a software option like amplitube? 

TheMarlin

Get a Nocturne Atomic Brain......if you can find one...

Awesome pedal.

Marlin

ecc83

Not quite with you Alan? Do you want to mic up an amp? If so you really need an Audio Interface and the cheapest, decent one is the Alesis iO2 at about 70quid.

Better for £100 is the Steinberg UR22 and that comes with Cubase so you can run Vst FX (might have Amplitude as well?)

Dave.

asimmd

Ok here goes. I want to record by miking up my amp but I can't have it too loud because of neighbours so if I get a preamp I can connect the Mike to the preamp then the output of the preamp to my Focusrite Interface hopefully boosting the signal from the amp to a suitable level to record. Alan

ecc83

asimmd said:

Ok here goes. I want to record by miking up my amp but I can't have it too loud because of neighbours so if I get a preamp I can connect the Mike to the preamp then the output of the preamp to my Focusrite Interface hopefully boosting the signal from the amp to a suitable level to record. Alan

Gotcha! Well, Focusrite AIs have a good name for low noise pre amps and usually plenty of gain, even with the low sensitivity dynamic mic I suspect you are using? So, although you COULD use a pre amp to boost the mic's output I doubt that the overall noise levels* will be any better than you presently achieve.

My suggestion would be for a Small Diaphragm Capacitor mic, something like the AKG P170, I have two  of the near identical P150s and they a fine, The 170 is some ten times more sensitive (20dB) than the SM57 for example and should "amp your amp" beautifully! The mic is also excellent on acoustic guitar.

*Running the amp at a very low level might cause its own hum and noise to predominate. Two solutions to that, buy a quieter amp or use a power soak.

Dave.

asimmd

HI Dave

Thanks for the reply I don't have a Mic yet a friend is sending me one to try before I buy anything.

My amp is a Vox AC15C1 and I am running it with a Weber Attenuator at the moment but as everyone

says amps sound better miked up I want to try it for myself.

Alan

Phil_aka_Pip

Why not use a power soaking DI? Marshall SE100, Palmer PDI-03, etc. You get the full force of the amp's o/p stage cut down to line level so you can record it, you can monitor on your headphones or studio speakers.

asimmd

That's what my Weber does but it's not the same as miking up the speaker. I do like the sound of going through the Weber it's just that I was trying to do better. I have tried using a Mic today but I can't get the amp loud enough to make a recording so do I use a Condenser Mic or get a Preamp. Alan

Phil_aka_Pip

Its pretty damn good though, and tbh I've never persisted for long enough to capture even a half-decent sound by miking a speaker. The mic never hears what I'm hearing. IMO it's a lot easier and a lot more neighbour-friendly to use the load box. I'm really happy with my SE100

asimmd

I'll check out the Palmer I'm a bit fed up with the Weber.