Topic: Let's build a pre-amp!

[peterbilt]

Seriously! With the vast knowledge contained in the craniums of all the folks here, why not?
Several folks have dissected their's and checked out the particulars of op amps and capacitors and whatnot. Is it really difficult to get ahold of these particular pieces?
There are schematics for battery boxes and such, why not an AC or DC powered device?
Have any of you built any of the pre amp kits that are available?

I dunno, I'm just rambling....

[Church-Audio]

To late I already did

Chris Church

I want to build a neve based preamp that will run on batteries next. 60to70db of gain no noise great specs transfomer inputs and outs with a basic Neve design. thats my personal goal let me know if you need some help with your design.

Seriously! With the vast knowledge contained in the craniums of all the folks here, why not?
Several folks have dissected their's and checked out the particulars of op amps and capacitors and whatnot. Is it really difficult to get ahold of these particular pieces?
There are schematics for battery boxes and such, why not an AC or DC powered device?
Have any of you built any of the pre amp kits that are available?

I dunno, I'm just rambling....

[udovdh]

Seriously! With the vast knowledge contained in the craniums of all the folks here, why not?
Several folks have dissected their's and checked out the particulars of op amps and capacitors and whatnot. Is it really difficult to get ahold of these particular pieces?
There are schematics for battery boxes and such, why not an AC or DC powered device?
Have any of you built any of the pre amp kits that are available?

I dunno, I'm just rambling....

Sounds interesting.
You'll find out everyone wants something different.
E.g. I just need a simple buffer, maybe slight gain (6-10 dB?). Single 9V battery, clean 16-bit audio...
Others want balanced connections, better specs, etc.

[RebelRebel]

Too bad there are 3 million neve clones out there already.  The neve portico runs on batteries.

To late I already did

Chris Church

I want to build a neve based preamp that will run on batteries next. 60to70db of gain no noise great specs transfomer inputs and outs with a basic Neve design. thats my personal goal let me know if you need some help with your design.

Seriously! With the vast knowledge contained in the craniums of all the folks here, why not?
Several folks have dissected their's and checked out the particulars of op amps and capacitors and whatnot. Is it really difficult to get ahold of these particular pieces?
There are schematics for battery boxes and such, why not an AC or DC powered device?
Have any of you built any of the pre amp kits that are available?

I dunno, I'm just rambling....

[Church-Audio]

I know lots of Neve clones. Maybe I should just try to build a good Balanaced mic pre with good meters? hummm something that runs on batteries and is very small (stereo) how much gain should it have? for this type of work 40-50db with a really good pad for close micing?

Too bad there are 3 million neve clones out there already.  The neve portico runs on batteries.

To late I already did

Chris Church

I want to build a neve based preamp that will run on batteries next. 60to70db of gain no noise great specs transfomer inputs and outs with a basic Neve design. thats my personal goal let me know if you need some help with your design.

Seriously! With the vast knowledge contained in the craniums of all the folks here, why not?
Several folks have dissected their's and checked out the particulars of op amps and capacitors and whatnot. Is it really difficult to get ahold of these particular pieces?
There are schematics for battery boxes and such, why not an AC or DC powered device?
Have any of you built any of the pre amp kits that are available?

I dunno, I'm just rambling....

[RebelRebel]

Something to replace the m148 im sure would please a lot of tapers..

I know lots of Neve clones. Maybe I should just try to build a good Balanaced mic pre with good meters? hummm something that runs on batteries and is very small (stereo) how much gain should it have? for this type of work 40-50db with a really good pad for close micing?

Too bad there are 3 million neve clones out there already.  The neve portico runs on batteries.

To late I already did

Chris Church

I want to build a neve based preamp that will run on batteries next. 60to70db of gain no noise great specs transfomer inputs and outs with a basic Neve design. thats my personal goal let me know if you need some help with your design.

Seriously! With the vast knowledge contained in the craniums of all the folks here, why not?
Several folks have dissected their's and checked out the particulars of op amps and capacitors and whatnot. Is it really difficult to get ahold of these particular pieces?
There are schematics for battery boxes and such, why not an AC or DC powered device?
Have any of you built any of the pre amp kits that are available?

I dunno, I'm just rambling....

[Javier Cinakowski]

My Dream Preamp:

- 48/9v switchable phantom power
- 0-40dB gain range (with knob adjustor)
- 3 LED level lights
- 20bit ADC
- xlr inputs
- 1/8" input
- RCA output (analog)
- 1/8" output (analog and optical)
- tos-link digital output
- runs on 9v or 12v standard batteries or external power supply

oops, i am describing the core2496.  

If someone makes a better preamp, I will buy it.

[RebelRebel]

transformer balanced, variable gain...high gain for ribbons, switchable phantom power

[Church-Audio]

I don't want to get into digital persoanally because it limits the life of the productm, a good preamp without digital is a good preamp and will last and be usefull for many years we all think 192 k and 98k are the best right now and they are, but wait 10 years and see where sample rates are

My Dream Preamp:

- 48/9v switchable phantom power
- 0-40dB gain range (with knob adjustor)
- 3 LED level lights
- 20bit ADC
- xlr inputs
- 1/8" input
- RCA output (analog)
- 1/8" output (analog and optical)
- tos-link digital output
- runs on 9v or 12v standard batteries or external power supply

oops, i am describing the core2496.  

If someone makes a better preamp, I will buy it.

[hyperplane]

I don't want to get into digital persoanally because it limits the life of the productm, a good preamp without digital is a good preamp and will last and be usefull for many years we all think 192 k and 98k are the best right now and they are, but wait 10 years and see where sample rates are

I see what you mean, Chris, and I agree to an extent. However, look at 24-bit even... it's "taken off" as far as the field taping folks here. But you don't see many portable 24-bit players available as a standard audio player in an automobile, for example. So, in a lot of ways, even a good 16-bit ADC is still "ample" for plenty of people who don't want to bother with resampling their masters so they can listen to them in the car or on their ipod. Point being, it will take *a while* I suspect for 192 kHz to become norm such that it's available in a host of portable players.

[Swanny]

I totally agree a good pre will always be good. An AD is only as good as the current standard. I would be interested in a preamp containing:

transformer based (like my 148)
xlr I/O
48v only
2 gain settings one for hotter mics and another for weaker ones
external power by a walmart 9v...
I don't care much for lights, as long is it won't destort ever
small as possible

[poorlyconditioned]

I know lots of Neve clones. Maybe I should just try to build a good Balanaced mic pre with good meters? hummm something that runs on batteries and is very small (stereo) how much gain should it have? for this type of work 40-50db with a really good pad for close micing?

Too bad there are 3 million neve clones out there already.  The neve portico runs on batteries.

To late I already did

Chris Church

I want to build a neve based preamp that will run on batteries next. 60to70db of gain no noise great specs transfomer inputs and outs with a basic Neve design. thats my personal goal let me know if you need some help with your design.

Seriously! With the vast knowledge contained in the craniums of all the folks here, why not?
Several folks have dissected their's and checked out the particulars of op amps and capacitors and whatnot. Is it really difficult to get ahold of these particular pieces?
There are schematics for battery boxes and such, why not an AC or DC powered device?
Have any of you built any of the pre amp kits that are available?

I dunno, I'm just rambling....

I think something to aim for might be a very simple SSM201x/INA103/217 based design.  No phantom power either, just a good solid design that will run on a single 9V battery.  Many of us use electret type mics and don't need phantom power anyway.

By the way, this is the type used in the V2, and also the DMIC-20.  I haven't seen the V2, it probably has a lot of extra stuff (eg., extra opamps for input compensation/balancing/servo or whatever), but the DMIC-20 has a very simple design: a single pair of SSM2019 chips then MC33079 buffers to provide a balanced input to the ADC.

I've got an old PS2 that is broken.  I'm tempted to use this nice case (with cool battery holder and XLR connectors) and build a preamp into it.  The main requirement is to get a nice balanced (eg., +/-12V, 10mA) power supply from a single 9V battery.  I'm looking at doing that with "charge pump" type chips like LT1054 or similar Maxim parts.

If anyone wants to discuss this, follow up here or by PM.

  Richard

[Church-Audio]

Would you not want a rail splitter like the TLE2426. Also what about insted of using ic's why not use fet's? much less current draw and more bang for the buck what do you think? I think phantom is a must how about building a single preamp that can do your basic two wire or three wire or balanced XLR would be very good. But it would have to be small only because if you were going to run two or three wire you would want a stealth preamp right? I think this is totally something that can be done.

Chris Church

I know lots of Neve clones. Maybe I should just try to build a good Balanaced mic pre with good meters? hummm something that runs on batteries and is very small (stereo) how much gain should it have? for this type of work 40-50db with a really good pad for close micing?

Too bad there are 3 million neve clones out there already.  The neve portico runs on batteries.

To late I already did

Chris Church

I want to build a neve based preamp that will run on batteries next. 60to70db of gain no noise great specs transfomer inputs and outs with a basic Neve design. thats my personal goal let me know if you need some help with your design.

Seriously! With the vast knowledge contained in the craniums of all the folks here, why not?
Several folks have dissected their's and checked out the particulars of op amps and capacitors and whatnot. Is it really difficult to get ahold of these particular pieces?
There are schematics for battery boxes and such, why not an AC or DC powered device?
Have any of you built any of the pre amp kits that are available?

I dunno, I'm just rambling....

I think something to aim for might be a very simple SSM201x/INA103/217 based design.  No phantom power either, just a good solid design that will run on a single 9V battery.  Many of us use electret type mics and don't need phantom power anyway.

By the way, this is the type used in the V2, and also the DMIC-20.  I haven't seen the V2, it probably has a lot of extra stuff (eg., extra opamps for input compensation/balancing/servo or whatever), but the DMIC-20 has a very simple design: a single pair of SSM2019 chips then MC33079 buffers to provide a balanced input to the ADC.

I've got an old PS2 that is broken.  I'm tempted to use this nice case (with cool battery holder and XLR connectors) and build a preamp into it.  The main requirement is to get a nice balanced (eg., +/-12V, 10mA) power supply from a single 9V battery.  I'm looking at doing that with "charge pump" type chips like LT1054 or similar Maxim parts.

If anyone wants to discuss this, follow up here or by PM.

  Richard

[lordbelial]

My dream preamp would be.

- Mini XLR input (if 3-wire bbox is included in the preamp) or 1/8'' input (no bbox function)
- Optical output (ADC stage) or minijack output (no ADC)
- 0-30 db variable gain (knob control)
- IC based (burr brown as Richard and Chris "church audio" said before)
- Small (for stealthing purposes)
- Should have to run with single 9 Volt battery

[(((KB)))]

Nick Z's "V2 Killer" project will be finished soon. I believe I'm doing the field tests to it when it's done. I saw the prototype board to it. Basically, it has the IC's etc. of a  V2 without all the bells & wistles. 6v DC, 2 ch, xlr in-out, 48v phantom, clip LED's. Not sure what else he's planning to add, more ch's, ch pans, headphone/ AUX jacks, an ADC? I have the board pic, but I'd have to ask if I could post it first. If anyone is interested, let me know.

-K