Don't Buy A Preamp Until You See This Tier List! (2025 Edition)
If you're ready to upgrade your home studio, few investments make a bigger difference than a great mic preamp. In this video, I rank some of the most popular and legendary preamps on the market, from budget-friendly options to high-end legacy studio gear, and explain how each one shapes your recordings. Whether you're after Neve-style color, API punch, or transparent clean gain, this tier list will help you choose the right preamp for your workflow.
Preamps Mentioned In This Video (Affiliate unless otherwise noted)
God Tier Preamps:
BAE 1073 DMP (but any of their 1073s are amazing):
https://sweetwater.sjv.io/Vx17rA
API 512v:
https://sweetwater.sjv.io/Bn47W1
CAPI: (Not Affiliate)
https://capi-gear.com/catalog/
Chandler Germanium 500 Series Mic Pre:
https://sweetwater.sjv.io/N9j7d7
Chandler 500 Series TG2:
https://sweetwater.sjv.io/vPAYLd
A Designs P-1 500 Series Preamp:
http://sweetwater.sjv.io/kO6NWN
A Designs Pacifica 2 Channel Preamp:
https://sweetwater.sjv.io/Vx17nA
Excellent Choice Preamps:
Neve 1073 SPX Single Channel Mic Pre and EQ:
https://sweetwater.sjv.io/qzPPyb
The Great River MP500NV Preamp:
https://sweetwater.sjv.io/554zAj
Vintech Audio X73: (not affiliated)
http://www.vintechaudio.com/
A Designs REDDI:
https://sweetwater.sjv.io/4G44m0
Grace Design M101 (The Disney Pre):
https://sweetwater.sjv.io/qzPPxb
Rupert Neve Designs Newton Channel:
https://www.zzounds.com/a--3993776/it...
Daking Mic Pre:
https://sweetwater.sjv.io/RGeemX
Universal Audio UA710 Twin Finity:
https://www.zzounds.com/a--3993776/it...
That'll Do Mic Preamps:
Warm Audio WA73:
https://www.zzounds.com/a--3993776/it...
Neve 1073lb 500 series Mic Pre:
https://sweetwater.sjv.io/QjkkA6
Heritage Audio HA73 jr II:
https://www.zzounds.com/a--3993776/it...
Heritage Audio HA73 Full rack version:
https://www.zzounds.com/a--3993776/it...
Black Lion Audio B12a:
https://www.zzounds.com/a--3993776/it...
Warm Audio WA12:
https://www.zzounds.com/a--3993776/it...
Black Lion audio Auteur Desktop:
https://www.zzounds.com/a--3993776/it...
Focusrite ISA One:
https://www.zzounds.com/a--3993776/it...
Rupert Neve Designs 511 Portico mic pre:
https://www.zzounds.com/a--3993776/it...
Universal Audio 610 Solo mic Preamp:
https://www.zzounds.com/a--3993776/it...
Do We Have Any Other Options Preamps:
Golden Age Project Pre73:
https://www.zzounds.com/a--3993776/it...
Black Lion Audio B173:
https://www.zzounds.com/a--3993776/it...
SSL Six Channel:
https://www.zzounds.com/a--3993776/it...
#homerecording #Homestudio #audioengineering #microphone #micpre #musicproduction #musicproductiontips #Mixing #Neve #API #WarmAudio #AudioEngineering #TierList #StudioSetup #GearReview
Timestamps:
Intro: 0:00
Defining Terms: 0:15
Neve 1073 SPX: 1:55
Forgot to mention: 2:56
Warm Audio WA73: 3:17
Great River MP500NV: 4:58
BAE 1073: 6:03
Vintech Audio X73: 7:44
Vintage Neve 1073: 8:28
Neve 1073LB: 9:41
Golden Age Project Pre73: 11:17
Black Lion Audio B173: 12:01
Heritage Audio HA73jr: 13:10
AML EZ1073: 14:06
Heritage Audio HA73: 15:50
API 512: 16:41
CAPI: 17:44
Real Quick: 18:48
Black Lion Audio B12a: 19:46
Warm Audio WA12: 20:44
A Designs REDDI: 22:14
Black Lion Audio Auteur: 23:44
Chandler Germanium Preamp: 25:25
Chandler TG2 Abby Road Preamp: 27:08
A Designs 500 Series Preamps: 28:20
Focusrite ISA One: 30:17
Grace Design M101 / M501: 32:21
Rupert Neve Designs 511: 35:20
Rupert Neve Designs Newton Channel: 36:41
Universal Audio 610 Solo: 37:29
A Designs Pacifica: 39:30
Daking Mic Pre: 40:47
SSL Six Channel: 41:35
Universal Audio 710 Twin Finity: 43:19
The Final Board: 45:48
GEAR LINKS:
What I use for Youtube A/V: (affiliated unless noted otherwise)
My Voiceover Mic: (Not Affiliated)
https://www.dachmanaudio.com/products...
Roswell Mini K87:
https://roswellproaudio.com/chapman
My VoiceOver Preamp:
http://sweetwater.sjv.io/kO6NWN
My Interface:
https://www.zzounds.com/a--3993776/it...
My Main Monitors:
https://www.zzounds.com/a--3993776/it...
My Headphones:
https://www.zzounds.com/a--3993776/it...
My LiN76 Compressor:
https://www.zzounds.com/a--3993776/it...
My Camera Gear:
My Main camera: https://sweetwater.sjv.io/RGQarg
My Main Lens: https://sweetwater.sjv.io/554z7L
My Main On Camera Microphone: https://www.zzounds.com/a--3993776/it...
My B Lens: https://sweetwater.sjv.io/qzPo2L
My Softbox: https://amzn.to/3EyfA2Q
My Video Lighting: https://amzn.to/4oISvMC