#186: Do You Need An External Mic Preamp?

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Episode Show Notes:
This week, we're looking at external mic preamps and helping you decide if you actually need one or if the answer you're looking for lies elsewhere in your recording setup and process.
External mic preamps are no doubt a useful tool and can sometimes be the component that lifts your recording from sounding good to great.

Specific models of external mic preamps can offer a unique coloration to your recordings and help squeeze an extra 10% of quality into your recordings. However, preamp choice will likely never be the single factor that miraculously saves a recording.
Wanna record some gentle acoustic guitar with some soft, intimate vocals but the noise floor is making it a pain in the ass? Then maybe an external mic preamp is the answer.
There's one thing however, that always trumps gear choice, and that is performance. Nail your performance, and a phone recording could beat even the most expensive recording chains.
Microphone choice is always an important factor too, and do you know what you're doing with your audio interface when putting that external mic preamp into it?
Also covered is whether it's worth splurging on an expensive external mic preamp or simply hiring one. Not many of us are recording frequently enough to justify the cost, so hiring might be your best bet if you only do this a couple of times a year.
Malcom & Benedikt discuss how using one high-end preamp in one killer-sounding chain can ultimately be a game changer. It's better to have one exceptional-quality chain than several average-sounding chains, right?

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For full show notes go to: https://theselfrecordingband.com/186
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1. #186: Do You Need An External Mic Preamp? (00:00:00)

2. Mic Preamps in Home Recording (00:00:01)

3. Mic Preamps in Recording (00:08:37)

4. Considerations When Choosing a Preamp (00:20:43)

5. Buying an External Mic Pre Considerations (00:27:24)