502 Microphone Preamp

The award-winning MIDAS microphone preamp is now available to any live or recording environment. The MICROPHONE PREAMPLIFIER 502 provides MIDAS sound in a modular format with premium-quality performance. The 502 module use the same swept low and high pass filters found in the XL4 console.

Award-Winning Mic Preamp
The MIDAS Microphone Preamplifier is the essence of the MIDAS sound. That warm and organic MIDAS sound has been heard by millions of concert goers and recorded for posterity on countless live albums. The award-winning mic preamplifier in the 502 module has been upgraded via the implementation of four discrete ultra-low noise input transistors for even more transparent and ultra-low noise performance.

Many mix engineers have found this robust and overload-tolerant preamp design takes on a whole new dimension when driven hard. The 502 module’s input stage allows up to +24 dBu signal levels with no pad requirement, while featuring the soft clipping characteristic that provides crystal-clear audiophile reproduction with just the right amount of harmonics.

Classic MIDAS XL4 Filters
MIDAS XL4 mixers are legendary for their sonic characteristics, versatility and ease of use. The 502 mic preamp honors that legacy by bringing back the low and high pass filters that helped make the XL4 so popular. The low pass filter control adjusts the filter frequency from 1 kHz to 40 kHz, while the high pass filter control adjusts from 10 Hz to 400 Hz (both -3 dB points).

Selectable Balanced Outputs
The default output of the 502 module is the same electronically balanced output you will find on most MIDAS mixing consoles. This configuration provides an extremely clean signal even when operating at very high signal levels. But you also have the option of selecting a discrete transistor-driven transformer balanced output stage by engaging the TX switch. 502’s transformer provides galvanic isolation and generates a more vintage sound, and becomes saturated at lower frequencies to add colour when driven hard. The output levels of the electronic and transformer outputs are matched to allow true A-B comparisons on the fly.