A
Good leveling preamp if...
... you don't have a high-end preamp/audio interface.
TL;DR:
- This preamp deliver a solid 29dB gain with low noise.
- You should buy it if you have a low-end preamp/audio interface and you want to reduce the amount of noise you get in your audio signal.
- You should not buy it if you have high-end preamps, except if you want its "muffled" sound, especially good on ribbon microphones IMHO.
Let me explain how I tested it. For each microphone, I tested the two following processing chains:
- Microphone -> FetHead -> UA Apollo 8p (default preamp)
- Microphone -> UA Apollo 8p (default preamp with 29dB of additional gain relative to the gain I applied on the first processing chain)
I tested it on a dynamic microphone (SM 7 B) and a ribbon one (sE X1R). I always had a higher noise level when using the FetHead.
This is completly acceptable considering the very different nature and pricing of those 2 products, but it's something worth to know.
The FetHead (and probably the Cloudlifter too) will give you less noise if you use a low/mid-end preamp/audio interface, this is why so many people review this thing as a "magical" device to put between the 7B and your preamp. But it's not better than a high quality preamp 😉
That being said, this preamp also gives a color to your sound.
When using the FetHead you end up with a warmer and a bit "muffled" sound. The high frequencies are attenuated, and I think it's a perfect match for a ribbon microphone (very subjectively, I loved how it sounded on my sE X1R) as it's already something you expect from such a microphone.
Also, if you like to have a little "retro" analog sound, rather than "pristine crystal clear", this should help you in your journey to get that sound.
Even if I won't use it for it's "gain" purpose, this is definitely a nice tool to have. But don't listen to the YouTube reviews: it's not a magical device that makes your sound unbelievable. It's a great device, but nothing magical.
TL;DR:
- This preamp deliver a solid 29dB gain with low noise.
- You should buy it if you have a low-end preamp/audio interface and you want to reduce the amount of noise you get in your audio signal.
- You should not buy it if you have high-end preamps, except if you want its "muffled" sound, especially good on ribbon microphones IMHO.
Let me explain how I tested it. For each microphone, I tested the two following processing chains:
- Microphone -> FetHead -> UA Apollo 8p (default preamp)
- Microphone -> UA Apollo 8p (default preamp with 29dB of additional gain relative to the gain I applied on the first processing chain)
I tested it on a dynamic microphone (SM 7 B) and a ribbon one (sE X1R). I always had a higher noise level when using the FetHead.
This is completly acceptable considering the very different nature and pricing of those 2 products, but it's something worth to know.
The FetHead (and probably the Cloudlifter too) will give you less noise if you use a low/mid-end preamp/audio interface, this is why so many people review this thing as a "magical" device to put between the 7B and your preamp. But it's not better than a high quality preamp 😉
That being said, this preamp also gives a color to your sound.
When using the FetHead you end up with a warmer and a bit "muffled" sound. The high frequencies are attenuated, and I think it's a perfect match for a ribbon microphone (very subjectively, I loved how it sounded on my sE X1R) as it's already something you expect from such a microphone.
Also, if you like to have a little "retro" analog sound, rather than "pristine crystal clear", this should help you in your journey to get that sound.
Even if I won't use it for it's "gain" purpose, this is definitely a nice tool to have. But don't listen to the YouTube reviews: it's not a magical device that makes your sound unbelievable. It's a great device, but nothing magical.
14
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S
Attention à la coloration !
Acheté à la base pour booster un micro ruban, la coloration du germanium s'est révélée trop présente et dénature trop le timbre du micro. Par contre je l'ai utilisé sur mon micro de grosse caisse (AKG D112) et là c'est un régal ! Des basses profondes, et la sensation d'avoir les qualités d'un micro dynamique et d'un statique avec un seul micro !
Testé également sur micro chant, et voix parlée, le germanium rajoute de la chaleur sans être baveux dans le bas du spectre.
Testé également sur micro chant, et voix parlée, le germanium rajoute de la chaleur sans être baveux dans le bas du spectre.
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B
Vintage touch
Je signale que la bague en plas'toc c'est décollée dès la première utilisation...je ne pense pas la renvoyer, je vais la recollé ça sera plus simple...mais c'est tout de même un peu abusé.
Car le son en revanche répond tout à fait à mes attentes :
Fan de Fuzz au Germanium, j'attendais de voir le résultat...et la petite compression, ecrétage calcaire est bien présente...et donne un rendu un peu vintage très musicale et agréable.
Il reste qu'il faut bien dose...car le gain est aussi énorme, pas besoin de dsp en amont, mais en revanche, un petit compresseur en avale ravise un peu la saturation pour la rendre subtile et douce.
Tout cela selon les micros utilisés...ce qui rend l'expérimentation d'enfer pour le studio.
Très satisfait malgré le défaut cosmétique.
Car le son en revanche répond tout à fait à mes attentes :
Fan de Fuzz au Germanium, j'attendais de voir le résultat...et la petite compression, ecrétage calcaire est bien présente...et donne un rendu un peu vintage très musicale et agréable.
Il reste qu'il faut bien dose...car le gain est aussi énorme, pas besoin de dsp en amont, mais en revanche, un petit compresseur en avale ravise un peu la saturation pour la rendre subtile et douce.
Tout cela selon les micros utilisés...ce qui rend l'expérimentation d'enfer pour le studio.
Très satisfait malgré le défaut cosmétique.
0
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