DACS MicAmp User's Comments

What journalists and customers have said about the DACS MicAmp:

Hugh Robjohns in his November 1997 review of the MicAmp in SOS:

"The MicAmp is very easy to set up and use..", on the performance "In the specifications for the unit, under ‘Noise’ it says ‘negligible’ - and it really is!", "..the eerily silent background, and the astonishing level of detail" and "a remarkable degree of ‘openness’ in the sound.." mean that "given a good microphone, every nuance of the original sound source is faithfully captured and amplified", and "gain matching across the two channels was remarkably accurate…" and "it’s an easy matter to reset a channel’s gain to a logged position with remarkable accuracy" and on the metering "..this arrangement of LEDs is most unusual, attractive, and very effective" so "If you are on the lookout for a very high-quality dual mic preamp, you have to try this one.."

To sum up, Hugh Robjohns said:

"It’s simply stunning!" 

Dave Foister in his October 1997 review of the MicAmp in Studio Sound:

"Everything else... [inspires confidence] ...from the choice of facilities to the thoughtful ideas, all of which show a single-mindedness towards sheer sonic quality with little time for fripperies." the metering "ties in so well with what the meters elsewhere in the system are showing that you start to wonder why you need anything more." "In every sonic respect this is surely on a par with the best preamps I have heard: open and complete, with an integrity that inspires confidence..." "...even more surprising in view of the asking price, which ... is less than half what I would have expected given the unit’s quality."

To sum up Dave Foister said:

"...makes the DACS MicAmp an extraordinarily attractive buy." 

A user from Norway posted this message on a well know music technology message board: "I just bought a DACS Micpre and I haven't been so satisfied with a purchase since I got my first car!!! This unit is so quite and dynamic it makes all of my other micpreamps sound like they are going through a dozen pairs of panty hose. This is a unit I could recommend to one and all. The price is very affordable also. They do not advertise it seems so it keeps the cost down. I am going to buy as many units as I can now because I know that shear demand will up the price. These units are all handmade in England... Sorry for drooling all over this topic but I cannot help myself... Check it out...
Leifski"

Calum Malcolm, Castlesound Studios, on the MicAmp: "...great detail, depth and clarity in the sound with a wonderful easy quality to it; the metering is superb...the best I've used...". On the HeadLite: "It's ideal."

Marco Migliari, Real World Studios, on the MicAmp: "We used it on two long sessions with an AKG 12 VR valve mic. We got great results; the vocals we recorded just sounded really good. And the metering was brilliant. I loved it. I want to buy one!" (and they did!)

Mick Taylor, Hats Off Studios: "We used it for all the solo instruments and voice on the "Land of the Tiger" soundtrack. It was fantastic, particularly with the voice - it picked up everything."

Philip Hobbs, Linn Records, Hyperion, Gemill, on the MicAmp: "...there's only one of my collection of microphone pre-amplifiers that is on a par with it, and that is no longer manufactured."

Fred Purser, Trinity Heights Studios: "...when I plugged the microphone into the DACS MicAmp the sax just came alive; it had that pure uncoloured sound that you only get with the very best pre-amplifiers..."

Kevin Ridley, freelance engineer and Lartington Hall: "...we immediately preferred the sound of the vocals recorded on the DACS MicAmp over the ones we'd already recorded using another pre-amplifier.." and "...the HeadLite has covered everything we've needed so far, really flexible and really loud; it's hardwired in to the patch bay and routes to the floor boxes in the booths..."

Frankie Gibbon, Wildtrax: "The MicAmp sounds fantastic, it gives such a vivid quality to such a wide variety of things. We use it on virtually everything now. With overheads on drums, it deciphers those complex ambient sounds with incredible clarity."

Jonathan Plowright, international concert pianist: "I really like the sound you’ve got from the piano. The clarity in those dense sections with lots of pedal is really striking."

Andy Carpenter, SAMS: "I used the MicAmp on a pair of overheads for the drums and the clarity I got was brilliant. I didn’t have to put any EQ on to give the cymbals that bite. Loved the meters-just like the rear lights on an old Cortina!"