Using a Mic Preamp as a Boost, a huge boost, is this safe?

[SonexReducer]

I'm pretty sure it wont damage anything but I want to make sure. I used a cheap mic preamp on these demos I did and it sounded amazing, thought I'd try it with my tube amp, and it sounded amazing.

It's a pretty hard boost, just wanted to make sure I'm in the clear. Thanks.

 

[Silent Sound]

I should think so. Mic preamps don't output that much signal. Like something around 70dB and 10 volts at the upper end of the scale. I should think that's safe for guitar amp. The inputs on those expensive AD converters you'll find in studios are probably more delicate than the inputs on guitar amps, so if they can take it, I should think a guitar amp should be able to as well.

All that being said, I don't know for sure. Preamp manufacturers don't publish the same type of information as guitar amp manufacturers, so they're a little hard to compare.

 

[krusty1053]

I sometimes run my guitar into a direct box, then into a Rupert Neve Portico pre/eq, then into a Portico tape emulator for warmth, then into the front end of my Polytone amp. It gives me the most beautiful jazz tone imaginable. I just set the preamp and tape emulator outputs accordingly. All you can do is overload your input a bit, but you'll know it immediately if you do. Readjust accordingly.

 

[pbmw]

Uh Oh
Secret's out...
Been doing just this for a while now.

 

[drbob1]

Short of sending the output of a tube amp into another tube amp, there's nothing in the studio that gives a high enough level to damage the first stage of a tube amp. In fact, the way it's designed, there's so little current (a Fender amp is sending the signal thru either one or 2 one meg resistors, which is going to reduce any signal down to microamps of current) you're good until you overload those input resistors. Have fun!

 

[SonexReducer]

thanks everyone. i've never had a pedal i've liked until now, and it isn't a pedal. theres sonething magical about this cheap chinese mic preamp, dont know what it is but it sounds amazing.

thanks drbob, and pmbw: dont worry, this is the only thread i'll post about this, ive got stickers covering it so its hard to identify at gigs, and krusty: very imaginative! i'd love to hear a sample,

BTW: used it at practice last night and it seems to really let my amp shine. at loud volumes pedals just muck up the sound and my amp just takes over anyway, mids roaring, this cheap chinese box is a keeper in my rig.