OT - which is the more important link? Mic or Preamp?

[GothicV]

I am mainly a guitarist. So I know I can run a squire affinity through my amps [marshall/mesa/fender] and get a great sound even if the guitar is a hunk of junk. Of course I prefer to play my guitars than an affinity strat. But you get the point.

Does the same hold true for other audio gear? If I buy a wicked preamp, will I notice a bigger difference than compared to buying a wicked mic? Explain and discuss.


PS for the record, I got a wicked deal on a MindPrint En-Voice mk II today - only $150 CAD. The guys at the store marked it down because the tube compressor didn't work. I brought it home, swapped the tube and.... well let's just say I dont feel sorry for ripping them off. I rather enjoyed it.

[Finne]

Performance is the most important.

[NickH]

I have been surprised at how usable some cheap mics are through a great pre amp…

Also lets be honest here, most of the time I am using SM57’s on all the toms, snare top & bottom and I always have one on a guitar cab (with a 421) that’s a lot of channels in my mix going through 57’s and they are very cheep mics (£65.00 each or so…) when you think about it…

However IMO a nasty pre can ruin the sound of a great mic faster than just about anything, except of course a bad musician…



N