Microphone preamp
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A microphone preamp (microphone pre-amplifier) is a device used to amplify the voltage taken from a microphone to a higher, more usable level. Most microphones must be used in conjunction with a microphone preamp to function properly.
[edit] The Technical Details
The output voltage on a microphone is very low; a microphone preamp increases that level by up to 70dB to a +4dB level output which is used by other external audio effects, for audio recording, and for live sound. The circuitry inside the microphone preamp has a great effect on the sound of a microphone, from the way the microphone reacts due to impedance changes, to adding coloration from transformers or vacuum tubes (valves), op amps, transistors, and all the other circuitry used.
[edit] In Use
Most audio engineers would assert that a microphone preamp affects the sound quality of a recording just as much as the microphone itself. Different combinations of microphones and preamps can achieve a wide range of tone, character and mood. Microphone preamps come in many shapes and sizes, and vary greatly in price from a few dollars to many thousands of dollars. Many mixing boards or desks have microphone preamps built in. There are also a plethora of external preamps from which to choose, which is great for adding the exact tone and feature set one need for setup.
Some preamps exist as one part of a channel strip, which can include other kinds of audio recording devices such as compressors, equalization (EQ), noise gates, and enhancers.
