Empirical Labs EL-9 Mike-E

The EL-9 Mike-E is a high performance transformer-coupled mic preamp with a noise floor far below any microphone’s self noise, combined with a one-of-a-kind compressor/saturator circuit that delivers classic knee compression as well as versatile tonal ‘coloring’ that can replicate many of the best characteristics of vintage analog recording equipment.

Key features:

• Microphone preamp - super low noise transformer input amplifier section with the gain under precise digital control
  he CompSat's unique circuitry sets the Mike-E apart from all other mic preamps.
• CompSat: 
  Saturator - multi stage soft-clipping circuit
  Compressor - based on ELI’s Distressor, but with other characteristics (including a much longer attack time)
  Emphasis - two-stage circuit that boosts and soft clips high frequencies before the CompSat circuit, and then cuts the frequencies after it
  Mix - provides “parallel compression” technique achieved by mixing between the compressed and the dry (or uncompressed) signal
• Front panel instrument input that allows the unit to function as an ultra-clean Direct Box and stereo-linking capabilities