Midas 501 Ultra High Performance Microphone Preamplifier

In response to the many customer requests received over the years, the award-winning MIDAS Microphone Preamp is now available as an add-on to any mobile or recording system. When used in conjunction with the LEGEND L10 or L6 500 Series Rackmount Chassis, the MICROPHONE PREAMPLIFIER 501 provides the ideal solution for users seeking the legendary MIDAS sound in a highly-flexible, modular format that boasts significantly-upgraded, premium-quality performance.

Additionally, the 501 features a separate robust DI input (through secondary rack connector) with a convenient front panel switch that lets you change effortlessly between mic and instrument inputs.

Award-Winning Mic Preamp
The MIDAS Microphone Preamplifier is considered by leading live sound and recording engineers as the very essence of the famous MIDAS sound. Decades of design experience paired with premium grade components is the foundation of that acclaimed warmth and depth, which brings out subtle ambience, maintains spatial positioning and more effectively captures a precise sound image. That warm and organic MIDAS sound has been heard by millions of concert goers - and recorded for posterity on countless live albums.

The award-winning mic preamplifier in the 501 module has been upgraded via implementation of ultra-low noise octal discrete input transistors, which provide incredible sonic flexibility, exceptional dynamic control - and an even more transparent sonic performance.

Sweet Forgiveness
Over the years, many mix engineers have found this robust and overload-tolerant preamp design takes on a whole new dimension when driven hard. The 501 module's input stage allows up to +24 dBu signal levels with no pad requirement, while featuring the much loved soft clipping characteristic that provides crystal-clear audiophile reproduction - with just the right amount of harmonics.

More Warmth
The 501's input is electronically balanced, which provides a very clean signal - even at extremely high signal levels. However, engaging the Warm toggle switch inserts a premium-quality balanced input transformer in front of the preamp. This not only adds the benefits of galvanic isolation to the mic input, but also lowers the input impedance from 10 kOhms to 1.5 kOhms for a more vintage setup and sound. A switchable DI (Direct Injection) input is also provided for connecting instrument level signals without requiring any additional hardware.

Dual Balanced Outputs
The default output of the 501 module is its discrete transistor-driven premium transformer output and provides all the benefits of galvanic isolation. Output 2 utilizes an enhanced version of the electronically balanced output drivers found in most MIDAS mixing consoles. This output is ideal for connecting to other modules in your rack, such as an EQ or compressor or directly to the line-level inputs of recording equipment, power amplifiers or powered loudspeakers - plus both outputs can be used simultaneously.

Precision LED I/O Metering
A mic preamp of this calibre requires equally impressive I/O metering - and the 501 delivers in a big way. The high precision 31-segment rotary LED meter reads the signal post amplifier/pre filter, providing input metering from -20 dBu to + 20 dBu in 1 and 2 dB steps. A similar meter is provided for output trim adjustment from -20 dBu to + 20 dBu in 1 and 2 dB steps.

High Accuracy I/O Rotary Controls
Gain control is provided by a large precision 12-position rotary switch with gain settings from 0 (unity gain) to +60 dB in 5 dB increments, while a fully variable potentiometer is provided for the output trim across a +/-20 dB range. When used in combination, total maximum gain is an impressive +80 dB, more than enough to accommodate even low level ribbon microphones. Additionally, the output trim control can be: used to control colouration; set high to allow output transformer saturation; turned down to prevent the output level from running too high when taking advantage of the overload tolerant amplifier.

Readily Accessible Switches
All of the 501 module's toggle switches are conveniently located on the front panel. Switches include: the low pass filter switch, which inserts the low pass filter into the signal path; the high pass filter switch, which inserts the high pass filter (both post input-gain/pre output-trim); the phase reverse, which inverts signal phase 180 deg. ; the 48V, which supplies +48 Volts phantom power via the 500 Series Rackmount Chassis; the Mic/DI; the input transformer (Warm) selector; and the Mute switch. All of this adds up to the ultimate 500 series mic preamp/DI for the road or the studio - the MICROPHONE PREAMPLIFIER 501.