Tritonaudio FetHead - Studio Preamplifier

Product Information

For live broadcasters, the compact design of this mic activator can make all the difference. By providing a clean boost without complicating it, FetHead allows you to keep things simple while still achieving the most accurate audio possible. The aim of the FetHead is to boost the signal cleanly by up to 20dB before hitting the mic-pre so you can use less gain and have a cleaner recording. It does this by using double jFET configured as a double class-A amplifier which is super clean and is conveniently powered by the phantom power from your pre. Phantom power is not passed through the FetHead and so you can use it safely with ribbon microphones (a phantom version is available if you want to use a FetHead with a condenser) You could use an outboard preamp instead of a mic activator but unless you can find a used bargain, it’s likely that a mic activator will be more cost effective (and are more portable).

Do not fear however, for TritonAudio have released the "Broadcast" FetHead which has a fixed gain, no matter what the input impedance. It's nearly double the price however, so those like myself hoping to save a much loved but underpowered preamp may feel the investment would be better spent toward a mic pre upgrade.It doesn’t add any color and the gain boost on dynamic or ribbon microphones doesn’t have any noticeable noise. The transparent gain and improved impedance loading are ideal for studio use or podcasting with low-output microphones. Verdict It also features a dedicated buffer amp to give you a consistent +28 dB gain boost regardless of the connected load. Moreover, it does a great job at rejecting RF and electrical interference, which makes it desirable for on-location use. Verdict FetHead Filter is a Fethead version with a built-in 6dB/octave high pass filter with a corner frequency of 220Hz (other cutoff frequencies available on request). It is specially designed for microphones which exhibit an excessive proximity effect / low frequency response, like long motor ribbon microphones. The components which make up the filter are not directly in the signal path but are applied to the components which set the gain of FetHead Filters amplifier, thus making it frequency dependant. This way the sonic character which makes a FetHead attractive to the ear is preserved.

El sonido es transparente y no se vé coloreado en ningún aspecto, lo único que hace que sea distinto es que no necesitamos subir la ganancia de forma que no meta ruido (no te lleves a engaños, hablamos de ruido de preamplificador, NUNCA de ruido de fondo en el ambiente).Inspired by the positive results of the BigAmp we wondered if a phantom powered, high quality preamp preceding the microphone cable could improve the sound quality of a ribbon or dynamic microphone. the results were more then convincing. Enter FetHead, our latest innovation in phantom powered preamp design. While testing FetHead we noticed an overall increase of sound quality and a change of tonal character of the attached dynamic microphone towards a more open, controlled sound. If you have read our previous articles, you will know a bunch about the Cloudlifter already, however with a product this popular, its specs bear repeating. I've seen the question asked on GS forums "why not use two pre-amps in series". It's important to understand that although described as a pre-amp the FetHead keeps the signal at a microphone level suitable for the input of your mic pre. A mic preamp of course changes the signal from microphone level to a line level, these are two very different kinds of pre-amp. Simply putting two mic preamps in series would not have the same effect as using a FetHead and would introduce noise, hence why the FetHead is such a innovative and useful piece of kit. EIN is used for specifying noise levels in pre-amps. It’s quoted as a negative value in units of dBu, and the lower the EIN, the better.

By using the phantom power voltage of an audio interface or mixer, the Cloudlifter provides +25db of clean gain which boosts the level of classic podcasting microphones such as the Shure SM7B. This means that you can avoid having to crank up the preamps of your interface which risks introducing excessive noise. Like the FetHead, this is a simple plug ‘n play device. Audio-wise, the performance is top-notch and the device does not add any noise or coloration. If you are looking for a unit to drive long cable runs, the DM-1 outperforms the competition with the ‘lowest in class’ output impedance. Made of high-quality steel, it can also help protect older ribbon microphone styles that can be damaged by phantom power. Its portability makes it the perfect choice for the artist on the go. Performance Cloudlifter alternatives include the Triton Audio FetHead, the Cathedral Pipes Durham, the Radial McBoost and the sE Electronics Dynamite DM-1. All are inline mic activators which provide a similar amount of gain for low sensitivity dynamic and ribbon microphones.

Customer Reviews

The load switching option adds to this flexibility and allows you to change the input impedance to see how your mic reacts to each one. Choose the one which works the best with your microphone. They're also great on Ribbon microphones as they provide an enhanced impedance match, taking the weight off of the microphone which results in a sharper transient response. This will prove particularly useful for adding definition when capturing soft sources. Ribbon protection Some microphones need a lot more gain than others. Think ribbon mics and broadcast dynamics such as the GearSlut's favourite SM7B and RE20. I’ve referenced the regular FetHead for this post. However, Triton Audio also offers FetHead Filter that has an extra HPF feature and FetHead Phantom for condenser microphones. 2. sE Electronics Dynamite DM-1 (Highest Gain) The FetHead is a popular Cloudlifter alternative because it provides a similar amount of additional gain a lower price point and it does so without needing an additional XLR cable. With the Cloudlifter, you need to plug your mic into it and then run another XLR cable from the output port into your mixer or audio interface. It’s still inline but perhaps less convenient than something like the FetHead which plugs directly into your microphone.

The frequency response range of the FetHead is larger than the CL-1. The FetHead is also, by and large, the flatter of the two responses, meaning that although this additional gain does bring up the noise floor somewhat, the gain is more transparent overall. FetHead Phantom is a FetHead version which allows phantom power to reach the microphone. It was developed after several requests from different audio engineers to build a FetHead for condenser microphones with low output. We tested FetHead Phantom on a broad range of condenser microphones and are very happy with the results. It works well with electret microphones like the countryman or an AKG C1000. These are microphones which consume very little power, FetHead Phantom also works great on “real” condenser microphones like a U87 or even with an Oktava MK319 which consumes a hefty 8mA!FetHead Phantom can be distinguished by a red dot below the TritonAudio label. FetHead is an ultra-low noise, high quality, in-line microphone preamplifier. It provides improved sound for ribbon and dynamic microphones. Small, compact, but, powerful, Fethead utilizes tried and true FET technology to deliver up to 27dB of clean boost. No more cranking your mic preamp and adding unwanted noise to get your microphone to an acceptable volume.Boost your microphone!Inoltre, il FetHead ha dimostrato di essere estremamente silenzioso. Non ho riscontrato alcun rumore di fondo aggiuntivo o distorsioni durante le mie sessioni di registrazione. La trasparenza del suono è stata mantenuta e ho potuto sfruttare appieno il potenziale dell'SM7B senza preoccuparmi di artefatti indesiderati. Some of this mics need upwards of 60dB and for many pre-amps this is just outside of the quieter part of the gain stage.