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FEL MicBooster Preamplifiers - Broadcast Applications The FEL MicBooster microphone preamplifiers are designed for Professional and Broadcast use. They will provide 20 to 40 dB of mic preamplification, and work into the microphone input of mixers and recorders which have 48 volt phantom power. Sound Effects and Ambient Recording Installation, Churches, Stadiums, Concert Halls Outside Broadcast Mics - particularly on the end of long cable runs can so often have hums, buzzes, crosstalk and other noise induced at low level. The answer is to put a preamplifier in the circuit close to the microphone and to give the mic a level boost, so the signal returning to the mixing desk is lifted relative to the noise. This solution has some drawbacks, the preamp will need power either from batteries which will need to be changed once or twice a day or from mains which will have to be maintained, sometimes from an unreliable source, and always with the possibility it could be disconnected. Additionally some mic preamps have very comprehensive facilities, dynamics, matrixing, coarse and fine gain controls and various phantom arrangements, many of which are unnecessary for the simple task of providing a little extra gain. The MicBooster is driven from phantom power consequently it needs no batteries and no mains. It has a single click stop switch to accurately set the gain and nothing else to think about. You are free from relying on battery changes or variable mains supplies, so long as the preamp is receiving phantom it will work. NBC Olympics used MicBoosters at the Athens 2004 Olympics - they thought they were so good they took 120 channels with them. NBC's Olympic Sound Designer Bob Dixon said: "FEL micboosters are phantom-powered, so when power is on in the console the device increases gain by 20 dB, which was enough for this application." "So now at the console those beautiful, expensive mic preamps that we bought can still be used... you're not going to the line level input, you're still going to a mic level input so you can make up the rest of the gain you need right at the console," Dixon said. "The guy in the truck has full control again, and if a wire goes out and you lose phantom power you only lose that mic." The MicBooster MB-1 has transformer balanced input and output, providing further resistance to cable-born interference and is built in a rugged extruded aluminium box. The internal components are assembled on an aluminium chassis. The panel mounted connectors and switch are not PCB mounted for easy servicing and further resistance to heavy handling. The electronic circuitry is epoxy encapsulated providing considerable moisture resistance. Lip Ribbon Mics can produce a signal which is frighteningly low, fine for some situations, but some mixers only just provide enough gain. The MicBooster will lift the level arriving at the mixer so you can work without the fader on maximum. If you can site the MicBooster close to the mic you will also benefit from its transformer balanced input and output and less vulnerability to cable induced noise. Daleks a FEL MicBooster MB-1 was used by Production Sound Mixer Ian Richardson MIBS AMPS on location to record the 'Voice of the Daleks' Nick Bridges for the BBC Doctor Who series. "It certainly did everything that I had been told it would and made the Lip Ribbon totally useable on my SQN, Soundcraft LM1 and my main mixer an Audio Developments AD149." Low gain mixing desks - Some mixers really don't have enough input gain for quieter sources, lip mics, FX mics, or when you just cant get the boom close enough to the quietly spoken performer. The MicBooster gives some comforting gain in hand, so if you need to pull the fader, it has somewhere to go. Sound Effects or Ambient recording - Some recorders don't have enough gain to get a good level onto tape or disk. The best answer will always be to get the microphone closer but when this is just not possible the MicBooster will feed more level into the recorder. It has none of the complex settings present on some preamplifiers and no need for extra batteries or power sources to carry. The Mini MicBooster provides a fixed 20 dB of gain and is extremely light and compact. Installation - Churches, Stadiums, Concert Halls - For distant slung microphones working into mixers with only just enough gain, the MicBooster will sit in circuit working day after day with no reliance on external mains supplies. With transformer balanced input and output it will offer further resistance to any induced electrical hums or buzzes How does it work? - The MicBoosters derive their power from 48 volt phantom power and also pass on phantom to power the microphone. They are designed especially to draw the minimum possible current so the remainder is available for the mic. Various typical current consumptions are shown below and using a MicBooster leaves plenty of current available to supply the microphone. Phantom power (IEC 61938) provides 10.0 mA MicBooster MB-1 draws typically 0.7 mA Supply current of professional microphones: Sennheiser MKH series, 416, 816 - 2 mA | |||||
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