When you really get down to it, microphones and microphone preamps are essential for getting anything done in the recording studio. Over the years, microphone preamplifiers have evolved in numerous ways, making it extremely easy to acquire one with a distinct sound and feature set at a very reasonable price. Just how "reasonable" can the cost be? That's what we're here to explore as we look at some of the best microphone preamps for under $1000. Everyone perceives the concept of budget differently, but for our discussion today, setting a limit of a grand allows us to explore a diverse selection of standalone 500 Series, desktop, and 19-inch rackmount preamps. Continue reading →