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Module 03
Microphone Preamplifiers
In this module you will learn about the design and operation of microphone preamplifiers, including
their objective and subjective sound qualities.
Learning outcomes
To understand the function of the microphone preamplifiers.
To understand why in some applications a near-perfect preamplifier is desirable.
To understand why in some applications an imperfect but subjectively pleasing preamplifier is
desirable.
To to have a basic knowledge and understanding of how a microphone preamplifier is designed
To know how to operate a microphone preamplifier.
Assessment
Formative assessment is achieved through the short-answer check questions at the end of this
module.
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Audio Masterclass Music Production and Sound Engineering Course
Module 03: Microphone Preamplifiers
Module Contents
Learning outcomes 1
Assessment 1
Microphone preamplifiers 3
A piece of wire with gain 4
How can you tell if your microphone preamplifier is less than near-perfect? 7
Are expensive preamplifiers better than perfect? 8
Microphone preamplifier active components 9
Input and output impedance 13
Transformers 15
Summary so far... 17
But... 17
Microphone preamplifier features 18
Phantom power 18
Gain control 18
Pad 18
Filter 19
Phase invert 19
Operation of the microphone preamplifier 20
Appendix 22
Single-ended design 23
Class A 25
Check questions 27
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Module 03: Microphone Preamplifiers
Microphone Preamplifiers
The microphone preamplifier is perhaps the most
difficult to design component of the entire audio signal
chain. A microphone could, for instance, be used to
pick up the deafening sound of a snare drum from
extremely close range. Or it could be used to pick up
the ticking of a clock for a film soundtrack. So the
range of gain the preamplifier should provide ranges
from no gain at all (0 dB), all the way up to around
30,000 times the input level (70 dB). More than 70 dB
would not be useful as more noise than useful signal
would be amplified.
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Vacuum tube
Transistor
Integrated circuit
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Module 03: Microphone Preamplifiers
Transformers
Setting the input impedance of a microphone
preamplifier is not a trivial issue. Transistors mostly
inherently provide quite a high input impedance,
depending on circuit configuration. Vacuum tubes
provide a much higher input impedance. So to bring
the input impedance down to around 2000 ohms,
an additional device is necessary, and that is the
transformer.
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cause distortion.
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Summary so far...
It is possible to design and build highly accurate
microphone preamplifiers using inexpensive
transistors or integrated circuits that are ideally suited
to that purpose. Such a preamplifier will display an
excellent frequency response, distortion and noise
performance. Other than in the case of incompetent
design or deliberate degradation, this performance
should be maintained at all gain settings.
But...
It is often thought desirable that a microphone
preamplifier should have a particular sound in
other words it changes the signal rather than amplifies
it accurately. To judge the sound quality of such a
preamplifier is entirely subjective and measurements,
in this context, are virtually meaningless.
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Microphone preamplifier
features
Phantom power
Capacitor microphones have to be powered and most
use a system of power known as phantom power.
In this system +48 volts are applied to both of the
signal-carrying conductors of the microphone cable.
The earth connection, naturally, is at zero volts.
Where the microphone output and preamplifier
input are transformer balanced, the transformers
shield the internal amplifier of the microphone and
the microphone preamplifier from this DC (i.e. non-
alternating) voltage. Where transformers are not
used, capacitors perform the same function.
Gain control
The gain control sets the amount of boost given to
the signal by the preamplifier. Some preamplifiers
cover the full range of gain from 0 dB to 70 dB. Others
bottom-out at 20 dB gain, although there will be a
pad see below to cover this possibility.
Pad
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Filter
Some microphone preamplifiers offer the convenience
of a high-pass filter that cuts very low frequencies. It
is not at all uncommon to come across low frequency
signal components that are nothing but a problem.
Footfall noise coming up the microphone stand, or
extremely low frequency components caused by
convection currents in the air in large auditoria, for
example.
Phase invert
It is not at all uncommon for a microphone cable to be
accidentally wired with the signal-carrying conductors
reversed, thus inverting the signal. When an inverted
signal is mixed with other signals, this can often
cause an out-of-phase effect, or phase cancellations.
The cure is of course to replace or rewire the cable.
However, in many situations there may not be time
to do this, or it may disrupt the flow of a session. So
the quick fix is to press the phase button to invert
the signal back again to how it should have been. The
cable can be dealt with later.
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Appendix
This module has made it very clear that you should
either select a microphone preamplifier for accuracy,
based on its published specifications, or you should
assess a preamplifier subjectively according to the
sound quality you perceive. However there are some
details of design that are commonly mentioned in
marketing and informational materials. If a microphone
preamplifier is designed to be accurate, and it does
indeed measure well in terms of its specification,
then it is of no practical concern to the user how that
accuracy is achieved. If a microphone preamplifier
is designed to be subjectively pleasing rather than
accurate, then it may be of considerable interest to
know how that effect was achieved.
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Single-ended design
Transistors are available in two forms npn and
pnp. In the output stage of a preamplifier, an npn
transistor handles the positive-going half of the
waveform; a pnp transistor handles the negative-
going half. This configuration is sometimes known
as a complementary or push-pull output stage. It
is a very common design and works well. One of its
advantages is that it cancels out so-called second
order harmonic distortion. This is a type of distortion
that creates even-numbered integer multiples of the
input frequency. Odd-numbered integer multiples are
not cancelled out.
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Class A
A single-ended amplifier is inherently Class A.
Sufficient current has to go through the transistor or
vacuum tube to meet the signals needs at all times.
In a power amplifier this is inefficient and wasteful,
but in a small-signal amplifier the amount of current
required is small, so it is no real problem to provide
it.
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harmonics.
Where a circuit is designed to allow a certain
amount of distortion to remain for subjective
reasons, Class A is preferable because there
may be insufficient negative feedback to
compensate for the crossover distortion
produced by Class AB.
Most power amplifiers are complementary
Class AB. Its far less to worry about than
many people think.
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Check Questions
What is the maximum gain a microphone preamplifier should be able to provide?
What is the minimum gain a microphone preamplifier should be able to provide?
Why are the sounds of less-than-perfect microphone preamplifiers still popular?
What is meant by a piece of wire with gain?
According to the text, is a 2 dB variation in frequency response considered acceptable?
According to the text, is a 2 dB variation in frequency response audible?
Is it possible to detect a 0.1 dB variation in frequency response, for most people?
What happens when the shape of a waveform is altered, other than by making it bigger?
What is the typical distortion present on an analogue tape recording?
How closely does a well-designed microphone preamplifier approach the theoretical minimum
noise level?
According to the text, if it is possible to design a near-perfect microphone preamplifier, why do
manufacturers sometimes incorporate preamplifiers that are less than perfect?
Describe a simple test, that is mentioned in the text, to tell whether a microphone preamplifier
is imperfect.
Briefly describe the difference between objectivism and subjectivism in audio.
List the three active circuit components commonly used in microphone preamplifiers.
Briefly describe how negative feedback is implemented.
List the two benefits of negative feedback, according to the text.
What is meant by open loop gain?
Why is it better to have higher open loop gain?
Why is it likely that a transistor preamplifier will have less distortion than a vacuum tube
preamplifier?
Why have integrated circuits traditionally had a bad reputation in professional audio?
What is slew-induced distortion?
According to the text, are integrated circuits now available that are fully suitable for
professional audio, including use as microphone preamplifiers?
Briefly describe output impedance.
Briefly describe input impedance.
Why is the ideal input of a microphone preamplifier higher than the output impedance of a
microphone, even though matching the impedances would give lower noise?
What is the benefit of a balanced signal?
Why is it now possible to design a transistor microphone preamplifier that does not require a
transformer, when previously they did require a transformer for low-noise performance?
What is phantom power?
Should phantom power be switched off when dynamic microphones are used?
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Although trick questions are generally not employed in this course, one of the above
combinations is impossible. Which one?
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