Grace Design

collapse expand iconDescription

In 2000, the Grace Design model 101 microphone preamp helped fuel a revolution. When people took professional recording into their own hands, it was there with all of the quality and performance of a high-end mic preamplifier, but with a price that made it available to the masses. Eight years later, and the cause moves forward with the newly redesigned m101 preamp.

Maintaining Grace Design pedigree throughout, the m101 employs balanced, transformerless, transimpedance circuit topology. With incredible bandwidth and headroom, the m101 is natural, musical and detailed, allowing engineers and musicians to consistently record vibrant, amazing tracks.

The m101 is equipped with a redesigned universal switching power supply that's dead quiet and accepts input voltages from 100 to 240V AC. The front panel is a tough black anodized/laser etched black, which ensures legibility and usability in varying light conditions. And all preamp functions have a dedicated indicator LED, including the 48V phantom power and HPF switch.

Built in as standard is Grace's unique Ribbon Mic Mode, which bypasses the input decoupling capacitors, raises the input impedance from 8.1kÎ to 20kÎ, and defeats the 48V phantom power, preventing damage to delicate ribbon mic elements. Ribbon mics, you're welcome.

The gain range is 10-75dB, including the additional +10dB of gain available with the output trim control. This provides ample gain for use of any type of microphone in any recording situation. The gain control is a precision gold-plated, 12-position switch, and the circuit path is built with 0.5% metal film resistors.

Included is a HI-Z input on the front panel. Rear panel I/O options include both balanced TRS and unbalanced TS 1/4" outputs, along with the standard XLR balanced out and XLR microphone in.

Equally at home amplifying a vintage condenser mic or a plugged-in acoustic guitar, the m101 delivers the kind of high fidelity performance previously available only to big budget recording studios and Grammy winning musicians. Add it all up while considering that the price is unmatched and the picture becomes pretty clear - the m101 is one little hot rod piece of pro audio gear for everyone from home recording enthusiast to top professional.

Note: For a truly outstanding sound and value, we suggest using the Grace m1011 with the CAD e300 condenser mic (see (#271261) for amazingly clear and detailed, yet warm-sounding vocals.
Grace Design M101 Microphone Preamp
Grace Design M101 Microphone Preamp

collapse expand iconFeatures

  • Fast and musical transimpedance architecture
  • Updated audio path with 0.5% precision metal film resistors
  • New 12 position gold-plated rotary gain switch
  • High performance output line driver amplifier and HPF amplifier
  • Ribbon mic mode (also great for dynamic mics)- Relay bypass of phantom power decoupling capacitors, increased input impedance, and 48V lockout
  • Wider 10-75dB gain range
  • Enhanced RFI interference suppression
  • Three output connectors: XLR balanced, TRS balanced and 1/4" unbalanced
  • Bombproof laser-etched black anodized front panel
  • Sealed gold contact relay for Hi-Z input switching
  • Built in power supply / no wall-wart
  • Led indicators for +48V, Ribbon mode, and HPF
  • Five year warranty on parts and labor
  • Made in the USA

collapse expand iconSpecs

  • GAIN RANGE (5dB steps)
  • Mic input: 10-65dB
  • Hi-Z input: -10-45dB
  • Output trim control: 0 to +10dB
  • THD+N
  • @ 20dB Gain +20dBu out: <0.00085%
    @ 40dB Gain +20dBu out: <0.0010%
    @ 60dB Gain +20dBu out: <0.0050%
  • INTERMODULATION DISTORTION
  • @ 40dB Gain +20dBu out
  • SMPTE/DIN 4:1 7kHz/50Hz: <0.0020
  • NOISE - REFERRED TO INPUT
  • 50 Ohm source: <-130dB
    150 Ohm source: <-128dB
    600 Ohm source: <-124dB
  • CMRR
  • 100Hz: >68dB
  • 1kHz: >75dB
  • 10kHz: >65dB
  • PHASE DEVIATION (HPF off)
  • 50Hz-25kHz: <6
  • FREQUENCY RESPONSE
  • Mic input @ 40dB Gain -3dB: 4.5Hz-390kHz
  • Mic input @ 40dB Gain -0.5dB: 10.5Hz-140kHz
  • Hi-Z input @ 20dB Gain -3dB: 2.5Hz-195kHz
  • Hi-Z input @ 20dB Gain -0.5dB: 6Hz-74kHz
  • IMPEDANCE
  • Mic input: 8.1kOHM
  • Mic input, Ribbon mode: 20k Ohm
  • Hi-Z input (unbalanced): 1M Ohm
  • Hi-Z input (balanced): 2M Ohm
  • Balanced Output: 300 Ohm
  • Balanced Output: 150 Ohm
  • PEAK LED METER
  • Green threshold: -14dBu
  • Red threshold: +16dBu
  • MAXIMUM OUTPUT LEVEL
  • 100k Ohm load, 0.1% THD: +25dBu
  • WEIGHT and DIMENSIONS
  • 2.4 lb. H1.7" x W8.5" x D9.0"
  • 1.09 kg H4.3cm x W21.6cm x D22.8cm
  • POWER CONSUMPTION
  • 100-240V AC: 5 Watts Max

collapse expand iconWarranty

5 year parts and labor warranty. Customer must mail-in copy of warranty card.

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