A Matched Pair of High-performance Mike-E Preamp/Compressors!

Empirical Labs’ Mike-E channel strip manages to do many things very well! First and foremost, it’s a modern digitally controlled mic preamp. An extremely low-noise transformer on the input amplifier keeps the signal strong and clean. The input section also features a high-performance DI for direct-input instruments such as guitar and bass. Polarity, highpass filter, and 48V phantom power switches come next, followed by the CompSat section, which is comprised of a Saturator, Compressor, Emphasis, and Mix Control. These four circuits come together in the Empirical Labs Mike-E to enhance your tracks with everything from classic knee compression and limiting to colorful vintage-style saturation. On its rear panel, Mike-E features balanced and unbalanced I/O, as well as sidechain input and stereo link jacks. Empirical Labs’ Mike-E is very well-spec’d and equipped, indeed, and at its quite reasonable price point, an excellent value. 

Empirical Labs EL-9 Mike-E Stereo Matched Pair Features:

• Mic preamplifier with super low noise and stepped gain
• Uses hand-selected mil-spec components, including metal-film and Roederstein resistors in the audio path
• High-performance DI for guitars, bass, and other electric instruments
• 18dB/octave 80Hz highpass filter
• Polarity switch inverts audio signal 180 degrees
• CompSat offers both a musical Compressor/Limiter and a unique tape-like saturation circuit
• Attack range: 0.9mS–100mS; Decay range: 0.15mS–1S
• Emphasis softens high-frequency pile-ups and adds frequency-dependent saturation
• Mix Control allows the blending of the compressed/saturated signal with the unprocessed dry signal
• Frequency Response: 3Hz–200kHz (CompSat out); 3Hz–150kHz (CompSat in)
• Signal to Noise: 130dB (@ 40dB gain)
• Handwired and calibrated in the USA