Most any audio interface has a few microphone preamps loaded in, but they're a pretty spartan affair, not doing much more than boosting signals to forgivable levels for passage to the interface's converters. But a preamplifier can be so much more. Take, for instance, the Studio Projects VTB1. With so much beyond mere signal boosting, the VTB1 does what a microphone preamplifier is supposed to and provides the first level of sound-sculpting in your recording chain.

Owen takes you through the multifarious functionality of the Studio Projects VTB1 — which includes a helpful insert jack and microphone input impedance switching — and then serves up a few sound sample of the VTB1 in action.