A versatile preamp with impressive dynamic range and detail.
Compact and affordable, the ever-popular TubePre V2 professional tube preamplifier employs our popular XMAX Class A solid-state preamp, followed in the signal path by a 12AX7 vacuum-tube stage. A dual-servo (no capacitors) gain stage lets you boost the signal to smoking hot levels without significantly increasing noise. Discrete components and high-voltage operation offer dynamic range and detail not found in other single-channel tube preamps in its class. Built tough enough for serious gigging, the TubePre V2 is a great choice for guitars and microphones alike.
From gentle warmth to total fuzz with the twist of a knob.
XMAX microphone preamps deliver incredibly high headroom, deep lows, smooth highs, and a rich overall sound garnering them rave reviews from users and the media alike. The 12AX7 vacuum tube that follows the XMAX in the TubePre V2 was hand-selected and carefully tested for electrical conformity and freedom from microphonics. Twist the Drive saturation control to add the “color” that only a hand-selected 12AX7 can deliver — from gentle warmth to total fuzz.
We start with a great microphone preamplifier. The job of a microphone preamplifier in a digital mixer is to boost a microphone-level signal to line level before conversion to the digital domain. A good preamp boosts the level to almost 400 times that of the original signal, making the preamp one of the most important stages in an interface. A cheap, off-the-shelf, op-amp-type mic preamp delivers thin, noisy, harsh results. But with XMAX preamps, the sonic quality is limited only by the microphone you plug into it.
XMAX preamplifiers are built with three key elements:
- Class A. Class A circuits have no crossover distortion and deliver purer, clearer, and more musical results than the Class AB designs that are found in many preamps.
- High voltage. The XMAX preamplifier runs on power rails of 30V. Most off-the-shelf, op-amp-based designs run on power rails of 10V to 18V. Higher-voltage power rails deliver more headroom, deeper lows, smoother highs, and a richer overall sound.
- Discrete components—not op-amps. We only use genuine transistors, resistors, and capacitors. Op-amps add noise, coloration, and harshness to a signal. Our discrete design delivers ultra-low noise and transparency.
The net result of the XMAX preamp design is high headroom, low noise, wide dynamic range, extended frequency response, and—most important—musicality and transparency.
A versatile tool that’s built to travel.
Housed in a rugged case that is built to travel, the TubePre V2 rear panel sports separate unbalanced, ¼-inch instrument and balanced, XLR mic inputs and unbalanced ¼-inch and balanced XLR line outputs. Use it as a straight-up tube preamp or a dynamite direct box (DI) for guitars and basses. We’ve provided all of the extras you need, including a highpass filter, phantom power, polarity reverse, and a backlit VU meter. Yet with all its features, it’s small enough to carry almost anywhere—or simply screw-mount it to a standard rack tray.
Great sound, live or in the studio.
Live or in the studio, the TubePre V2 is a great-sounding tool you’ll use on a variety of sources. Add just the right amount of tube distortion to guitars, basses, and mic signals. Go lightly for gentle warmth or go all-out for solid crunch—it’s up to you. So give your ears a treat and test the TubePreV2 at your favorite PreSonus® dealer. Then check out the price— and prepare to be amazed. Because with PreSonus, big sound does not have to cost big money.