PreSonus TubePre V2 Single-Channel Tube Preamplifier/DI Box

The masters at PreSonus have been designing preamps for a long time, and they always focus on audio quality first and foremost. Now they’ve upgraded on their most popular single-channel preamp, the PreSonus TubePre V2 is focused on improving an already high-quality sound. Like the original TubePre, the new version is a fully professional tube preamp, with a dual-servo (no capacitors) gain stage that lets you boost the program signal to smoking hot levels without significantly increasing the background noise. Discrete components and high-voltage operation offer dynamic range and detail not found in other single-channel tube preamps in its class.

The TubePre v2 provides an even wider palette of sound options, and a much more focused tube saturation than the original TubePre. It has been upgraded to employ PreSonus’ popular XMAX Class A solid-state preamp, which is followed in the signal path by a 12AX7 vacuum-tube stage. Twist the TubePre v2 Drive saturation control to add the “color” that only a hand-selected 12AX7 vacuum tube can deliver – from gentle warmth to total fuzz.

Housed in a rugged case, the TubePre v2 rear panel sports separate unbalanced 1/4″ instrument and balanced XLR mic inputs and unbalanced 1/4″ and balanced XLR line outputs. Plenty of professional extras including a high-pass filter, phantom power for condenser mics, polarity reverse switch and a backlit VU meter.

The TubePre v2 is more than a mic preamp, though. Thanks to its separate instrument and mic inputs, it also serves as a dynamite direct box (DI) for guitars and basses. And it’s small enough to carry almost anywhere, although you also can screw-mount it to a standard rack tray.

• Mic Input:
• Connector Type: XLR, female, balanced
• EIN: -131 dB, 20 kHz BW, max gain, Rs=40Î, A-wtd -128 dB, 20 kHz BW, max gain, Rs=40Î, unwtd
• Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20kHz, -0.3 dB, +4 dBu, unity gain 5Hz – 120kHz, -3dB, +4dBu, unity gain
• THD+N: 0.01%, -10dBu, 1kHz, unity gain, 20 kHz BW, unwtd
• Dynamic Range: 115dB, 1kHz, unity gain, 20 kHz BW, A-wtd 107 dB, 1kHz, unity gain, 20kHz BW, unwtd
• Input Impedance: 1.3 kÎ
• Phantom Power: +48 VDC, 10 mA
• Instrument Input:
• Connector Type: 1/4″ TS, female, unbalanced
• Input Impedance: 1 MÎ

OUTPUT

• Analog Output:
• Connector Types: XLR, male, balanced 1/4″ TS, female, unbalanced
• Maximum Output: +20 dBu
• Output Impedance: 51Î
• Tube Stage:
• Type: 12AX7
• Power:
• Type: +12 VDC, 1A, center pin positive
• PSU Barrel Dimensions: .5 mm O.D., 2.1 mm I.D., 9.5 mm length