With four mic pre-amps in a single unit, the Focusrite RED 1 Four Channel Microphone Preamplifier is ideal for upgrading the inputs of an existing studio console, or for multiple microphone location recordings. Each channel offers switchable phantom power and phase reverse, selected by illuminated push-button switches activating relays, an easy to read illuminated VU meter, and a handy scribble disc. Microphone gain is switched in 6dB steps over a 66dB range, for accurate and precise channel matching.
Some of the features of the Red 1 preamp are superb common-mode rejection, a good overload margin, and with its shared gain structure (20dB from transformer and up to 40dB from the amplifier,) a very low noise floor with high gain bandwidth. It also maintains this level of performance with a very wide range of impedance across the inputs. In practice, this makes the four preamps revealing yet forgiving.
The output stages of the Red 1, with custom transformers, will easily drive very long cable runs - up to several kilometers - without significant loss of quality, making it ideal for remote recordings. The unit, when used with high quality ribbon, valve and condenser microphones, obtains outstanding results with all sound sources, but especially with voice, piano and string instruments.