M-Audio Audio Buddy 2-Channel Preamp 

Comments about M-Audio Audio Buddy 2-Channel Preamp:

I've been using this for years for home recording. I'm reviewing now because I recently bought the Behringer Mic-200 tube preamp just for fun, and for home recording I will definitely stick with the Audio Buddy. The Behringer tube preamp is too noisy for recording. I picked up the Audio Buddy at least 5 years ago for over 80 dollars, so now that it's even cheaper there's no reason not to go with this if you need something to power your condensor mics for home recording, or if you need a preamp for an acoustic guitar pickup or any other live need. One tip, you can even use this for stereo recording if you plug a mic into each channel and use a stereo 1/4" inch cable adapter from each output into your stereo audio input (of your laptop or soundcard, assuming you're using a basic setup for digital recording.)

Comments about M-Audio Audio Buddy 2-Channel Preamp:

I have made many clean recordings with this device. However, I think it's worth noting that I don't use the signal/clip lights to set my gain, as the signal is much too strong that way. Plug your guitar, bass or mic into the device. Plug the device into your interface, then open your Recording Program (I use Cubase5). Set the gain while monitoring from your program and you'll get a nice, clean recording.For some reason, the sig/clip lights are too sensitive. Normally on a device, you turn the gain up until the signal light is solid, and the hardest (or loudest) note you hit just barely triggers the clip light. That would give you a distorted recording with this device. On this guy the signal light is more like a clip light. I set my gain so the signal light only turns on solidly on the louder notes.Again, just use your recording program (and your ears!!)to set your gain. You will be very happy with this simple, effective device.

Comments about M-Audio Audio Buddy 2-Channel Preamp:

i have been using this for recording and for live sound, its pretty well balanced and i love the fact that you can use phantom power with it if you know anything about phantom you know its worth it, we use it for are pa system for live vocals because of the extra gain and we barely have to turn it up to give us the boost we need and and it runs soundless no feed back threw the monitors or anything its a great investment if your own a budget

Comments about M-Audio Audio Buddy 2-Channel Preamp:

I've used mine for a few years now and get nice clean recordings to my computer. I use a fully balanced signal chain and the EMu 1212M is a pretty nice card, so that probably helps a lot. I really like the AudioBuddy in my setup because it's very small, I can leave two mic cables hooked up and out of the way all the time, it has balanced outputs, phantom power for my condenser mics, and I can always plug a guitar in the front jack (it overrides the mic input) and record direct at night. However, I would recommend buying an audio interface with decent mic preamps to begin with or getting one of the cheap Behringer mixers for about the same price. That's why I rate it low on value these days. I think anyone getting uncontrollable distortion out of this is probably not using it correctly. The gain knobs are pretty touchy, but I have always been able to match up my signals for XY stereo mic'ing without much trouble.

Comments about M-Audio Audio Buddy 2-Channel Preamp:

I've had my M-Audio Buddy for about two years now. I bought it because I was looking for something simple and preferably clean sounding. It's been great so far. I have it hooked up to my M-Audio Revolution 5.1 sound card via 1/4" to 3.5mm cable. I've used both condenser and dynamic mics with it. Not one bad recording yet. Also, I have never had to turn the levels any higher then 2/5 of the way. As for features, well there's not a lot there. Just plug in your mic and adjust the level. Oh, I must add that I've only used this on vocals. Mainly for animation work. So I don't know how this would do with drums or anything like that.

Comments about M-Audio Audio Buddy 2-Channel Preamp:

I have used both dynamic and condenser mics with this preamp. All of them distort the Audio Buddy's inputs, even when the gain controls are set to minimum. These are not 'high output' mics either. I had to open the unit and install resistors on the inputs to allow it to handle my mics. The phantom power suffers as a result.If you buy the Audio Buddy, immediately test it to see if it can handle the output level of the source you intend to use.

Comments about M-Audio Audio Buddy 2-Channel Preamp:

The good news:It's really cheap! Decent build on the box. Reasonably quiet, and the sound is quiet clean. It's works...The bad news:Firstly, it doesn't supply full 48v, which limits it's use to dynamic and back-elect. mics. It's not well built - the box is fine, but the pots wobble, and feel fragile from the start. Same with switches. Also, the pots are definately not linear! Very sensitive, very erratic. Last thing; wall wart :( To be expected at this price, but still annoying.

Comments about M-Audio Audio Buddy 2-Channel Preamp:

I needed 4 more boosted signals so I bought 2 of these to record drums with. I used 2)sm57s, a Neumann U87a, and a Shure KSM 44. Unbelievably, these units were quieter and had a bigger sound than my UA6176 pre/comp (a $2000.00 unit) Maybe it's because I'm using better gear but I love these things. I'm going back to buy 2 more tomorrow! It is slightly difficult to dial in the right volume but it only took about 12 seconds.

Comments about M-Audio Audio Buddy 2-Channel Preamp:

I'm a ProTools guy and the Digi002 has four line inputs that need preamplification to be used. I looked online and bought 2 of these guys so I could have the 4 pres I needed. Before going to my gig with them I tested them out at the studio and they noiselessly amplified my mic signal so I figured they'd work well. Stupid me. I looked like a dork at my gig when we found out that the SPL's from drums clip the Audio Buddy's inputs. No careful setting of input matters on these things, they cannot handle loud sounds. Even with the gain on 0, no amplification, the red clipping light went off every snare an tom hit. Strangely though, one of the 4 channels did just fine with the levels... I used all mogami cabling and MD421's on the 3 toms, but only one of them didn't distort on the input. This product is not loud noises.

Comments about M-Audio Audio Buddy 2-Channel Preamp:

I couldn't get these to sound good with phantom-powered mics or dynamic mics. They sound grainy, unnatural and distorted (distorted as in unclear). I did a side by side comparison of these preamps with a really cheap mixer. The preamps on the cheap mixer blew the audio cruddy away in both fidelity and signal clarity. If a mixer company put preamps like these on their mixers, they'd probably go out of business in a week. Save yourself from the disappointment and don't buy these. Yes, they're that bad.