Super Hotroded Gates Dynamote Microphone Preamp with 48V+,rack ears, DI input, Internal PSU and more - Mic Pre

As you know, our shop specializes in the rarest, coolest gear on Reverb. While most high end sellers here just buy and flip “barn find” condition gear at a premium without even bothering to debug the chassis, we are a true hotrod shop. Combine massive gain & headroom with a quiet noise floor and modern features like phantom power, custom hammertone rack ears, modern grounding and a unique instrument input, this mic pre is head and shoulders above the nicest pres anywhere on earth.

This unit was used on screen, and is pictured, in the last photo on set in the Academy Award Nominated Bob Dylan biopic, "A Complete Unknown" starring Timothee Chalamet.

Once or twice a year I sit down with my tech and design & build something totally over the top and uniquely special for the studio who has it all & looking for something to really set them apart. This feature-laden mic preamp will be the gem in any recording studio, no matter the collection. While some offer rust buckets for thousands of dollars, no one else provides such unique offerings at such high levels of quality and creativity. Past sales have topped $14,000+ from our shop with the same one-off modifications to some of the biggest artists and producers on the planet. Simply put, you cannot get anything like this, anywhere else.

Gates has come to be known as some of the most solid, holy grail recording studio equipment money can buy alongside RCA, Fairchild, Altec, Western Elec and Collins. The Dynamote Series has come to be known as superb preamps, once restored. They turn up on some of the biggest studios on earth, powering some of the nicest mics available.

——————

Completely gutted down to the last screw, sanded, painted and rebuilt from the ground up. Custom power supply, tons of mods such as balanced outputs, balanced Mic and Line inputs added, phantom power added, LED inicator added, DI added, fixed pad added, new rear panel fabricated, new wiring, striped and painted chassis & subchassis, on and on; a modern work of art which still retains its vintage vibe. A true boutique preamp that should now last another 50 years.

The last 5 pics journals some of the detailed disassembly and ground up rebuild.

Massive gain (around 90db+). Incredibly clean sound with a punchy, unique and warm output you’d expect from a converted field mixer preamp. Low noise floor, very little oscillation, sounds like a finished record with a clean modern feel that cuts through a mix and is a breeze to EQ. Can also be made to distort into a wonderful place when cranked, full of tube saturation and vibe. Best DI for bass you’ve ever heard in your life. 48v+ added which has a new LED indicator and separate toggle switch for phantom on back for your fav condenser. Tons of mods, here are the specs:

SPECS & DETAILS:

- These old mixers were originally designed to use an external power supply, however as you can see, there has been a high-end modern 110v Meanwell power supply installed in the chassis so no bulky external supply is needed any longer!
- Left fader is now a mic input attenuator.
- Recapped with all high end components

- The added TRS jack is now an insert/line input.
- Right knob is now the interstage/line input level.
- Small knob near front panel TRS jack now sets level on that output, up to full output.
- The rear apron XLR-M is attenuated by about 12dB with a fixed pad.
- Chassis had some rust so we sanded down to the bare metal, primed, painted and clear coated in by a professional tech in KY and sent back to NYC. Looks like factory finish, near impossible to tell it is not original.
- The bottom panel is hand cut and painted to match perfectly.
- A lot of new wiring has been installed however we kept the primary “spinal cord” of the wiring harness in tact.
- Everything has been addressed, every nut and bolt either replaced or cleaned.
- Output transformer had an internal short and was repaired to like new condition.
- New phantom power module and LED indicator added. Front matching On and off switch added to rear apron and labeled.
- Neutrik pigtails added
- Custom DI input added to front panel via a new unbalanced TS jack (labeled).
- Unit has all new high end ceramic tube sockets, tie strips, resistors, capacitors, power module (which cleverly upgrades the rectifier and choke).
- As a bonus, the heaters are DC powered now and both outputs are regulated (balanced XLR output as well as the new TRS balanced 1/4" output)!
- All new wiring with fresh leaded Kester solder.
- Hand fabricated bottom panel, primed, painted and clear coated to match, felt feet added.
- Tubes have all been upgraded with hand selected NOS vintage vacuum tubes.
- Modern IEC power plug has been installed
- A new upgraded genuine Calrad VU meter has been added, biased and calibrated June 2023 for a precise and accurate DB output reading.

This might possibly be the coolest mic pre on the internet for sale today. One of a kind and probably the best sounding one online too. Here’s how we like to use it:

RECOMMENDED USAGE:

- Start out by setting the right (interstage) gain knob to 2:00 and dial in left knob (input attenuator) for desired amount of gain.
- For high output condenser start at around 9:00. For a low output ribbon about noon to 2.
- Clipping occurs just past full scale on the meter.

* OVERSEAS BUYER NOTICE:
Local US sales are eligible for return within 7 days of receiving the unit. However, due to the nature and risk of global shipping of fragile instrument like this, we cannot be responsible for the barbarians at the post offices around the world. Overseas sales are final, no returns. Sold As-Is. Please ask any and all questions prior to purchasing. Sound recordings available upon request.

Thanks for looking. Open to a trade, just ask. any questions please ask.