TritonAudio FetHead In-line Amplifier - Anyone Tried?

[ergower]

Hi All -

Has anybody used these to drive their ribbon mics?

OktavaMod - Shop

I know Michael does great work and reps great products, just curious if anyone has given these a test run yet.

I have been using the AEA TRP (which I really like), but would like add at least a couple more ribbons to the locker (found an R92 for pretty cheap).....really just looking for feedback if anybody has used them yet.

Cheers,
Ross

[Corran]

I would like to know as well! I saw these recently and am really considering getting a pair after hearing that the Rode D-Power was noisy.

However, I'd like to know first if it would change the tone of the ribbon mic. I'd also like to know what the noise spec is on it - I couldn't find anything on the OktavaMod or FetHead website.

[JazzPipo]

I tried the FetHead and am using it with delight. The Powerplug is unuseable because of the noise. The fethead give 20dB gain and even betters the signal/noise ratio. The tone isn't radicaly changed but you have to have an pre-amp with a high input impendance. with lower impandance pre's it can dull the highs a bit. But all in all it is a very safe buy and you won't regret it. I know the maker of the FetHead in person and he is a very dedicated person... I tried a first prototype wich didn't meet the expectations but I think he nailed it with this one.

[ergower]

cool - thanks for the info JazzPipo.

I guess I can also get the bonus fun of using a pair of fetheads w/ a pair of fatheads!

Anybody else out there got any info?

[Corran]

Cool, great info.

A question: You said the preamp that the FetHead plugs into should have a high impedance. What impedance do you mean? There is of course a broad spectrum, from 200ohm to much more. Alternatively, would the imput of a DI have a better result from the FH? Due to the very high impedance.

[JazzPipo]

Originally Posted by Corran

Cool, great info.

A question: You said the preamp that the FetHead plugs into should have a high impedance. What impedance do you mean? There is of course a broad spectrum, from 200ohm to much more. Alternatively, would the imput of a DI have a better result from the FH? Due to the very high impedance.

I tested the Fethead with a couple of pre's (Avalon 737SP 850ohm, modded TL Audio C1 1000ohm and Mackie Onyx 800R 2500ohm. The onyx has the highest input impendance and gave the best result with the Fethead opening the spectrum of the ribbon mic. The Avalon made the ribbon a bit duller probably by accentuating the lower freq. Peter-paul has a good explenation for this but i can't recall it so maybe you could try to get in contact if you want more details: tritonaudio - Home

The Fethead can be used as an active DI by the way. Mount a mono jack to XLR male plug and voila....

[ergower]

Thanks for the info guys.
I'm going to go ahead and order a pair...I'll report my thoughts.

Cheers,
Ross

[Obitheincredible]

Any news on this yet?

[Corran]

I just got my pair in Friday and used it tonight for an orchestra concert. It worked very well. The stereo ribbon I used them with sounded very good with them. There was still some hiss from having so much gain with the FetHeads and my cheapish preamp but all in all I'm happy. I'd like to try it more to make more observations though.

I'd definitely recommened it though.

[ergower]

I just got my pair yesterday....going to use them on a project this weekend and I'll give my thoughts...cheers

[getarzan]

Well,.......... the verdict is ???


Someone suggested this product to me on another thread , so I googled it to find more info. The Google search brought me to THIS thread.

[Ol' Betsey]

Originally Posted by ergower

I just got my pair yesterday....going to use them on a project this weekend and I'll give my thoughts...cheers

Originally Posted by getarzan

Well,.......... the verdict is ???

It's only Saturday morning across the pond, right?

Give the guy the weekend to play!

R.

[getarzan]

Ol' Betsey. So I'm a little impatient. , , , . . I'll give them 24 hours.

[ergower]

ok, so a short report....

I haven't had a chance to get the tracks into ProTools back @ the studio and do a solid evaluation yet (we ran late last night and I'm heading down to sound check for tonight shortly)....but, based on just listening off the console as we went to tape I would say that the FetHeads are pretty solid...nothing really sexy about them, but they do work well....nice boost and a clean open sound....definitely a bit noisier than the TRP and on first listen probably don't have quite the depth the TRP does, but certainly a viable alternative at the price point.

signal chain I'm running is FatHead II's > FetHead > Mackie 800r (setting C for 1300ohms) > HD24XR
FatHeads are the room mics...tracking a fairly loud rock band in a small club (The Basement here in Nashville)

I'll give a more thorough breakdown after I can really A/B the tracks in a couple of days....
Should be able to get a good comparison as I tracked in this same venue last week using the FatHeads w/ the AEA TRP.

Hope that helps...I would say go ahead and pick up a pair..well worth the $200.

Cheers,
Ross

[Corran]

Cool, I look forward to your thoughts compared to the TRP. At 1/4th the cost, making any pre sound almost as good as that is well worth it.

[Ol' Betsey]

Originally Posted by getarzan

I'll give them 24 hours.

R.

[JazzPipo]

Originally Posted by ergower

ok, so a short report....

I haven't had a chance to get the tracks into ProTools back @ the studio and do a solid evaluation yet (we ran late last night and I'm heading down to sound check for tonight shortly)....but, based on just listening off the console as we went to tape I would say that the FetHeads are pretty solid...nothing really sexy about them, but they do work well....nice boost and a clean open sound....definitely a bit noisier than the TRP and on first listen probably don't have quite the depth the TRP does, but certainly a viable alternative at the price point.

signal chain I'm running is FatHead II's > FetHead > Mackie 800r (setting C for 1300ohms) > HD24XR
FatHeads are the room mics...tracking a fairly loud rock band in a small club (The Basement here in Nashville)

I'll give a more thorough breakdown after I can really A/B the tracks in a couple of days....
Should be able to get a good comparison as I tracked in this same venue last week using the FatHeads w/ the AEA TRP.

Hope that helps...I would say go ahead and pick up a pair..well worth the $200.

Cheers,
Ross

Use the higher impedance setting (D) on the mackie, in my experience it makes a further improvement to the sound.

[WKG]

I've got a pair of these on order from Michael at OktavaMod. Another 20db will definitely come in handy for ribbons but I'm also looking forward to trying them on my sm7, 441 etc.

Triton's site says they are great for dynamics, anyone with experience on these yet?

[teleharmonium]

Does anybody know if these things prevent the phantom power from being passed along to the mic ? I have a low output vintage ribbon and might want to try one, but of course I can't send phantom power to the mic.

[JazzPipo]

The phantom power won't affect the mic, it only powers the Fethead pre-amp.

[Tommy-boy]

I might have to give the FetHeads a whirl. I recently tried the Rode D-plugs and was disappointed by the high noise floor they created. They're going to be going back to the retailer because they're unuseable at that noise level.

[WKG]

Got mine in today.

I'll run them through the paces over the next few days.

[trubac]

Originally Posted by Tommy-boy

I might have to give the FetHeads a whirl. I recently tried the Rode D-plugs and was disappointed by the high noise floor they created. They're going to be going back to the retailer because they're unuseable at that noise level.

Yes, the D-plug is completly useless ... curious to ear about the Fethead noise wise.

[audiothings]

nobody has mentioned the sanken had-48. it offers +20 or +40 dB gain.

[Corran]

On very quiet music I have noticed noise from the Fetheads. But that's when I'm using another 50db of gain on top of the 20db it gives. However, using a very low-noise preamp, the noise was higher by cranking the pre to maximum than by using the Fethead with the pre not cranked as far. So that's definitely an improvement.

Never heard of the Sanken - I'd love to hear what people think too.

[MichaelPatrick]

You have to get as much gain as you can --in the first stage-- to have little noise. Designers have told me that's where all the action is.

I think these are too noisy and 20dB just isn't enough. The Sankens running at 40dB may be much better because of the extra gain and because Sanken has a great design reputation. As always, though, isn't the proof in the results?

[Corran]

That does make sense. How much is the Sanken anyway?

Also, I figure the FetHead is some kind of digitally-controlled preamp. Would it be possible to program them with higher gain amounts?

[MichaelPatrick]

Originally Posted by Corran

How much is the Sanken anyway?

$230 USD at FullCompass

Sanken HAD 48 Mic Preamp for Dynamic Mic | Full Compass

The distortion and noise will still be high compared to a real preamp, though a good bit better than other devices of this kind.

Originally Posted by Corran

Also, I figure the FetHead is some kind of digitally-controlled preamp. Would it be possible to program them with higher gain amounts?

I doubt that. It's probably just a low current opamp.

[Corran]

Thanks for the link. An interesting piece of gear but I definitely won't be the guinea pig at that price

[elladoizquierdo]

Originally Posted by Corran

Cool, I look forward to your thoughts compared to the TRP. At 1/4th the cost, making any pre sound almost as good as that is well worth it.

I was planing to buy the TRP when I found this post,...so then, would you recomend the TRP instead of the Fethead?. I allready have nice pres (Neve, Api, Avalon, Audient...) so the fact is that I don´t need an other pre. I would like to use my AEA R84 couple in quiet sources, but when I crank up to 70/80dbs on my pres it is noise.
Do you think the Fethead solution (20dbs) with my Neves on 65dbs plus of gain will be quiet enought or should I definitely go with the TRP?


Thanx
Dany