Solid State Microphone Preamp

Silicon is the Octa / 500 module version of the much loved Microphone Preamplifier of the Ark console
This preamp will amplify the signal coming from your microphone incredibly well - transparent, pristine, clear - without colouration or distortion.
It brings out the best from your microphones.

For pure sonic clarity, Silicon’s transformerless, universal, solid-state amp can accept signals from any type of microphone whatsoever.
Even older Ribbon microphones, synths or guitars can be directly connected without a problem (so yes, you can also use this mic input as a line or DI input).
With an extraordinarily low Equivalent Input Noise of -138dBu, Silicon will not add any noise over and above that coming from the microphone itself. Really!

The Mic input trim pot has a gain range of 40 dB to allow fine level control.
For higher input levels, we added a 20dB [Range] switch, which lowers the input level but keeps the same fine level control of the input signal.

The [Range] switch is not a “Pad”, but changes the gain range of the microphone amplifier by modifying the following parameters:
- the value of the gain pot
- the quiescent current of the input stage
- the amount of feedback used to stabilise the circuit accordingly
All of these are necessary to preserve the exemplary noise, distortion and headroom performance at all gains.
In short: While a “pad” and our “range” have a similar effect, a “pad” adds noise to the signal, our [Range] switch does not.

Silicon also features our reference bargraph meter and the Lo-Cut-Filter (also called High-Pass-Filter) from the EQ section of the Ark console.

Silicon is available as Octa or 500 module, with “Silver” or “Black” faceplate
To find out more about the difference between Octa and 500 modules, check our Octa page

Silicon - Solid State Mic Pre

Get yours from our order / buy page