Mic Pad/Inline Pad/Preamp Pad Differences

[Keith Moore]

Sorry if this is a stupid question.

What are the differences between using the following:

A) Pad built into a microphone.

B) Inline microphone pad.

C) Pad on a microphone preamp.

[nosebleedaudio]

Originally Posted by Keith Moore

Sorry if this is a stupid question.

What are the differences between using the following:

A) Pad built into a microphone.

B) Inline microphone pad.

C) Pad on a microphone preamp.

Depends..
Which mic?
How much pad?
Where Inline is used, before pre or after pre.
Sorry no quick answer.
The only thing for sure IMHO is to use the least pad amount, so you don't loose more S/N ratio than you have to.

[namsabnek]

depends where things are too hot, doesn't it? Mic pad if the mic is distorting. inline pad if the signal is arriving too hot to the pre from the mic and the pad in the pre if the inline pad isn't neccesary.

[Keith Moore]

Originally Posted by namsabnek

depends where things are too hot, doesn't it? Mic pad if the mic is distorting. inline pad if the signal is arriving too hot to the pre from the mic and the pad in the pre if the inline pad isn't neccesary.

I guess my real question was: Does the pad built into the mic pad the mics SPL limit or the mics output. Then I decided to get more specific with the general function of the different pads that appear through out the gain staging process.

[Tomer1]

In solidstate mics its usually the electronics who distort not the capsule hense a pad is placed before the electronics (generally speaking), reducing the sensitivity of the microphone allowing for higher SPL.

Putting a pad on the mic output is just like putting it on the pre input...
Better to leave the cost of the parts to the preamp manufacturer fuuck

Regarding preamp,
sometimes a microphone can generate such "hot" signal it distorts the mic pre input even with minimal gain and remember that most mics do not have Pads.
This is not "warm" distortion type of sound but more of a nasty cliping,this is evident especially in a transformless front end designs.

An output pad is usualy placed in order to allow driving of an output transformer.

[Keith Moore]

Originally Posted by Tomer1

In solidstate mics its usually the electronics who distort not the capsule hense a pad is placed before the electronics (generally speaking), reducing the sensitivity of the microphone allowing for higher SPL.

Putting a pad on the mic output is just like putting it on the pre input...
Better to leave the cost of the parts to the preamp manufacturer fuuck

Regarding preamp,
sometimes a microphone can generate such "hot" signal it distorts the mic pre input even with minimal gain and remember that most mics do not have Pads.
This is not "warm" distortion type of sound but more of a nasty cliping,this is evident especially in a transformless front end designs.

An output pad is usualy placed in order to allow driving of an output transformer.

Thanks so much for your insight