TheAudioMasterclassMusicProductionandSoundEngineeringCourse

MODULE03AUDIOEXAMPLES

Theaudioexamplesforthismoduleconsistofdemonstrationfilesthatcompareandcontrastseveral
modelsofmicrophonepreamplifier.Thepreamplifiersaretestedwithspeech.Speechisanexcellent
soundsourceforcomparingmicrophonepreamplifiers,forseveralreasons...

1. Wearetotallyaccustomedtothenaturalsoundofspeech.Anydeviationfromanatural
soundisimmediatelynoticeabletotheear.
2. Comparedtomusic,speechisartisticallyneutral.Eliminatingthepossibleeffectofmusical
preferencesallowsamoreobjectiveassessment.
3. Speechhasawidedynamicrange,testingthemicrophonepreamplifieronhighandlowlevel
signals.
4. Speechhasgapswheretheambienceofthesurroundingscanbeheard.Theambienceina
recordingoftengivessignificantinformationonthecharacteristicsoftherecording
equipment.

Twotestsarepresentedhere.ThefirsttestwasconductedinanAudioElectronicslaboratorywith
AudioMasterclassstudents.Thetestcomparesthreepreamplifiers,onealowcosttwochannel
model,anotherthatcostsalmost$1000forasinglechannel,andanotherthatwasconstructedby
thestudentswithacomponentcostofaround$5.

Test1

Firstly,thelowcost,twochannelmodel.ThisistheBehringerUltragainProMIC2200.

Behringerisknownforlowcostproductsthatgenerallyoffergoodvalueformoney.Some
professionalengineersprefernottouseBehringerequipmentbecausetheyperceiveitascheap.
Otherswouldclaimthatagoodsoundengineershouldbeabletodoworkofprofessionalqualityon
anyequipment,aslongasitisofbasicallyadequatequality.

Thispreamplifierincorporatesavacuumtube,howeveritisnotatubepreamplifier.Thetubeis
insertedintoaconventionalcircuitconfigurationasaneffect.Innormaluse,thecontributionofthe
tubeisbarelynoticeable.(Whatisnoticeableisthatthetubeitselfdoesnotglowitisilluminated
frombehindbyLEDs!)

HereistheBehringerUltragainProMIC2200withaShureSM57microphone...

Module03AudioExamplesNotes
Examplefile:behringersm57.wav

Thereislittletocomplainaboutinthequalityofthisfile.Thereisnothingtoidentifythisunitas
anythinglessthanprofessional.Butthecomparisonwiththeotherunitswillbesignificant.

Secondly,agenuinevacuumtubepreamplifier,theUniversalAudioSolo/610.Hereiswhatthe
manufacturerhastosayaboutit...

TheSOLO/610deliverstheclassicPutnam610consolesoundtothesinglechannelformatina
rugged,highlyversatileformfactor,atapriceeveryprojectstudiocanafford.ThealltubeSOLO/610
providesthesilkyvintagewarmthoftheoriginalUA610consoleusedbyartistsrangingfromSinatra
toVanHalen.TheSOLO/610willflatterthecheapesttothemostesotericmicrophonewithits
signaturesound.Unlikestationaryrackgear,theSOLO/610canbeconvenientlyusedinthecontrol
roomorrecordingroom,onstageordesktop,duetoitsportable"goanywhere"design.Functionally
leanbutsonicallymean,theSOLO/610wascarefullycreatedtomaintainallofthecharacterofits
vintagepredecessor,andhasthesamesolidbuildandaudiophilecomponentsprofessionalsexpect
fromitsmoreexpensiveUAsiblingslikethe2610andM610.

TheSOLO/610offersMicandDIinputs,andfeaturesGainandLevelcontrolforawidevarietyof
cleantocoloredtonalshaping.Unlikeitspredecessors,theSOLO/610hascontinuousaGaincontrol
withevengreaterrange,allowingformoreprecisegainstructuringanddoublesasinputsignal
padding.TheSOLO/610hasalltheessentialfeatureslike48vPhantomPower,LoCutfiltering,Phase
Reverse,andforevengreatertonalvariety,maintainsthe610'sflexibledualimpedanceselectionfor
bothMicandDIinputs.TheSOLO/610alsoincludesessentialDIfeatureslikeThruforwhenusedin
conjunctionwithanamplifier,plusGroundLiftandandaversatileMic/Lineleveloutputswitch.The
SOLO/610ishandassembledbyUniversalAudiointheUSA.

Wecanseefromthemanufacturersstatementthatthisisnotintendedtobeanaccurate
microphonepreamplifier,butisdesignedtobenefitfromthecharacteristicaudioqualityofvacuum
tubes.

Module03AudioExamplesNotes
Examplefile:uasm57.wav

ThedifferencesbetweenthisandtheBehringerareclearlyaudible.WheretheBehringerisfairly
accurate,thispreamplifierislessaccurate,butinamannerthatflattersthesoundsourceand
microphone.

Finally,the$5studentmodel.ActuallythispreamplifierisbuiltusingtheINA217integratedcircuit,
whichhasbeendesignedtobethebestandmostaccurateintegratedcircuitmicrophone
preamplifiercurrentlyavailable.AlthoughthebasiccostoftheICislow,clearlywhenitisbuiltintoa
completefunctioningunit,packaged,marketedandsold,itwillcostmore.Infactsomevery
expensivepreamplifiersareconstructedaroundthisIC.Andthesoundissurprising...

Examplefile:ina217sm57.wav

Inablindtestofthesethreepreamplifiers,theINA217wasjudgedtobethebestsubjectivelybya
strongmajorityofrespondents.Anditshouldbeitrepresentsthecurrentstateoftheartin
microphonepreamplifierdesign,accordingtoknownandestablishedscience.

So,comparingallthreepreamplifierstogether,iftheINA217isconsideredtobeobjectiveand
neutral,whichitis,thentheBehringercomesclose,butisatinybitcheapsoundingincomparison.
Thereisaveryslightharshnesstothesound.TheUniversalAudioSolo/610howeversoundsvery
smoothandwarm.Soalthoughitislessaccurate,manywouldmarkitastheirpreference.

Wehaveincludedanothersetoftestswiththesamethreepreamplifiers.InthesetestsaNeumann
U87wasthesoundsource.BecausetheINA217preamplifierhadbeenconstructedwithfixedgain,
themicrophonewasplacedalittlefurtherfromthesoundsource.Theseteststhereforecannotbe
comparedwiththetestsdonewiththeShureSM57.However,withinthisgrouptheywillallowafair
comparisonofthethreepreamplifiers.Thetests,remember,wererecordedintheAudioElectronics
laboratory.

So,itsuptoyou.Subjectively,whichisyourpreference?

Examplefile:behringeru87.wav
Examplefile:uau87.wav
Examplefile:ina217u87.wav

Test2

ThistestwasconductedbyastudentofAudioMasterclassandcomparesthreelowcost
preamplifiersthatareincorporatedintootherequipment,oneofthemattwogainsettings.

DigidesignMbox2
Examplefile:jgmbox2.wav

Module03AudioExamplesNotes


MAudioDMP3
Examplefile:jgdmp3.wav

YamahaAW1600(correctgainsetting)
Examplefile:jgaw1600.wav

YamahaAW1600(lowgainsetting,normalized)
Examplefile:jgaw1600lowgain.wav

Let's start with the Yamaha AW1600. Yamaha does know how to make preamplifiers. In fact they
know how to make audio equipment of all types used up to the highest levels in live sound and
broadcasting. But this preamplifier clearly is noisy. Curiously, it is less noisy when used on a low

Module03AudioExamplesNotes
gain setting. When the gain is set to the correct value, the noise suddenly becomes stronger. Of
course, all microphone preamplifiers will pick up more background noise when the gain is higher,
but it will be in proportion to the level of the signal, so the signal-to-noise ratio should be
maintained.

Having said that, many excellent recordings have been made with the Yamaha AW1600 and its
predecessors using the internal preamplifiers. Yes there is some noise, but in the context of a mix
it would be very unlikely for it to be noticeable.

The other two preamplifiers are very similar in performance and it is likely that both have been
designed for accuracy. However, the M-Audio DMP3 has a certain edge that the Mbox 2s
preamplifier lacks. One would be entitled to ask the question whether the DMP3 is adding the
edge, or whether the Mbox 2 is rounding off an edge that exists in the original signal. It is more
likely that the Mbox 2 is the more accurate preamplifier as rounding off any edginess in the sound
would imply a high-frequency rolloff, and the Mbox 2 measures absolutely fine in terms of
frequency response.

Summary

At this point, anyone having listened carefully to all of the examples will be clearly aware that
microphone preamplifiers can sound different. However, these examples have been specifically
chosen because they demonstrate audible differences. In practice the biggest differences in sound
quality are created by musicians, instruments and acoustics. Following that the microphone
configuration and positioning is of major importance. After that it is the particular model of
microphone that is chosen (although bear in mind that the type of microphone is important
dynamic, capacitor, large diaphragm etc). After that, as long as you use a microphone preamplifier
that is of professional quality, and not noisy, the differences are tiny in comparison with everything
else. Yes, microphone preamplifiers are important. But in the whole picture they form just a small
detail.

One more thing...

What if you wanted the vacuum tube sound at full strength? What would it sound like?

Well, here is the Universal Audio Solo/610 at a rather higher gain setting than really ought to be
used. Yes it is distorted, beyond warmth. Yet if you listen to this closely, your ears will become
accustomed to the vacuum tube sound. You will be able to recognize it when you hear it in future,
and eventually be able to use it subtly as an artistic tool in recording.

Example file: ua-u87-gain.wav

End of audio examples notes

Module03AudioExamplesNotes