FMR RNP Microphone Preamp

by FMR

Product Features

• Dual Channel / 2 Mic Preamps
• Front Panel: (2) 1/4 inch HI-Z Inputs for Instrument Direct input
• Gain Control Knobs (6dB increments)
• Polarity Invert Switches on each
• 48 Volt Phantom Power Switches

Product Details

• Item Weight: 2 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• ASIN: B0006I934U
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,549 in Musical Instruments (See Top 100 in Musical Instruments)
  • #5 in Musical Instruments > Recording Equipment > Microphones > Preamps

Product Description

Lots o' headroom. These days, the trend is for microphones to increase their output signal levels while reducing their output noise levels. This means either employing a front-end pad and/or increasing the headroom of a mic pre. We decided to do the latter: at unity gain, the RNP 8380 has a clip point of +27.5dBu (almost 25Volts peak-to-peak)! Even with a hefty microphone output, the RNP8380 should take what your mics have to give. Fidelity. When designing a pre-amp, there are many ways to balance the sometimes conflicting operating constraints. Unfortunately, with the proliferation of integrated-circuit (IC) based mic pres in recent years, one of the typical casualties has been fidelity. At this point, I won't bore you with the geeky details, but I want to assure you that fidelity was not sacrificed in the RNP8380. Even though there are many mic pres that are quieter, there are very few that have the spurious-free (i.e., distortion-free) spectrum of the RNP8380. Now, more than ever, what you put into a mic pre is what you'll get out. Ugly box. If you look beyond the RNP8380's utilitarian ugliness, you'll see that we opted to throw the money we saved in cosmetics into the quality of the audio electronics. I like having nice-looking gear as much as the next guy, but given the choice between something that sounds nice versus looks nice, the sound wins out everytime. Really Nice Compressor (RNC) inserts.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best preamp under $500... Ah heck! The best preamp under $1000!, November 14, 2005

By 

Rogue Scout Productions (Southern California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: FMR RNP Microphone Preamp

Don't let the look of this thing fool you. This is pro audio gear done right. No hype, no hoopla, no BS. It just works. Awesome sound. If you are just getting started in recording or you are a seasoned vet looking for something new and special, this is the preamp to get. Match it up with the Really Nice Compressor and/or Really Nice Limiter and you'll have a heavyweight signal chain that will handle anything and make it sound better than ever.

Thanks FMR Audio! I wish there were more companies like this!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars good medium grade preamp, June 12, 2010

By 

James E. Sink "Jimsi777" (Newport News, Virginia 23602) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: FMR RNP Microphone Preamp

Not a bad step up preamp for recording...its not the best, but a good medium grade pre... i use it with my fmr rnc and got some good results, it adds some color to your sound and stacks well on tracks... its a go to preamp for acoustic guitar and the DI's are decent and its pretty good with bass if the attack time is adjusted slow enough and release time slow enough...if you like real quality, buy Great River, Avalon, John Hardy and others, these are built like tanks, the fmr isnt...and that wallwart....

get it if on a budget for decent recordings....my 1.5 cents worth....get it somewhere else for free shipping!!!!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very nice, January 31, 2010

By 

David M. Cochran - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: FMR RNP Microphone Preamp

The RNP is a must for small studios. I've mostly used it for vocals and acoustic instruments. Not only does it have a very pure sound, if allows for relatively low noise at high gain for the price. The only reason this did not get a 5 star rating, is the somewhat annoying pot. Every click is 6dB, which can be aggravating. Other than that, buy this preamp, you won't be disappointed.