The Jensen preamps are similar to the John Hardy’s M1 preamps. (I think John Hardy still builds the Jensens for Jensen.) I remember interviewing John a number of years back for a review of his preamp. He had just received some high praise from Randy Ezratty of Effanel Sound for how good the Hardy mic preamps sounded on some live Clapton recordings. I don't recall which mics were used. Part of that success story was that the preamps were put on stage with relatively short runs of mic cable and the signal was sent back to the truck at line level.

FEATURES

Features are becoming very important, depending how good or how useful they are. The minimalist GML has only a phantom power switch, one detented input trim knob and a peak LED. Not very sexy when you compare it to the fully tricked out, one channel Millennia Origin STT-1 with mic/instrument/line inputs, polarity reverse switch, switchable input transformer, tube or solid state input, four-band parametric EQ, de-esser/compressor, direct out, processed balanced and unbalanced out, master output control and more. Obviously, the Origin STT-1 is much more than just a preamp. It’s a full channel strip, minus gate and adjustable aux sends, and the price reflects that reality.

The Aphex two-channel 1100 preamp, while it lacks the four-band EQ, compressor and transformers, is tricked out with it’s own take on a tube stage, analog inserts, a complex LF roll-off, a simpler optical limiter with the added plus of a 24-bit A/D converter.

Hey, here’s your chance to add to the list I’ve started. What mic/preamp combinations do you use that give you especially good results? Click here for the recording board and post your favorites—and find some recommendations from others.

For a comprehensive list of preamps (with list prices for comparison purposes), click here.

Technique, Inc. Copyright 2001

Ty Ford may be reached at http://www.jagunet.com/~tford

Email this story to a friend