... you don't have a high-end preamp/audio interface.
TL;DR:
- This preamp deliver a solid 29dB gain with low noise.
- You should buy it if you have a low-end preamp/audio interface and you want to reduce the amount of noise you get in your audio signal.
- You should not buy it if you have high-end preamps, except if you want its "muffled" sound, especially good on ribbon microphones IMHO.
Let me explain how I tested it. For each microphone, I tested the two following processing chains:
- Microphone -> FetHead -> UA Apollo 8p (default preamp)
- Microphone -> UA Apollo 8p (default preamp with 29dB of additional gain relative to the gain I applied on the first processing chain)
I tested it on a dynamic microphone (SM 7 B) and a ribbon one (sE X1R). I always had a higher noise level when using the FetHead.
This is completly acceptable considering the very different nature and pricing of those 2 products, but it's something worth to know.
The FetHead (and probably the Cloudlifter too) will give you less noise if you use a low/mid-end preamp/audio interface, this is why so many people review this thing as a "magical" device to put between the 7B and your preamp. But it's not better than a high quality preamp 😉
That being said, this preamp also gives a color to your sound.
When using the FetHead you end up with a warmer and a bit "muffled" sound. The high frequencies are attenuated, and I think it's a perfect match for a ribbon microphone (very subjectively, I loved how it sounded on my sE X1R) as it's already something you expect from such a microphone.
Also, if you like to have a little "retro" analog sound, rather than "pristine crystal clear", this should help you in your journey to get that sound.
Even if I won't use it for it's "gain" purpose, this is definitely a nice tool to have. But don't listen to the YouTube reviews: it's not a magical device that makes your sound unbelievable. It's a great device, but nothing magical.
