Main

M-Audio DMP3 Dual Mic Pre and Direct Box

Any professional recording engineer will tell you that quality microphone/instrument preamps are just as important as the microphones themselves. Unfortunately, the preamps found in most affordable mixers don't do justice to the rest of your geará and most high-quality preamps cost more than your computer. That's why M-Audio made the affordable new DMP3. Learn More...

    • New $159.95
    • free ground shipping
Write a Review:

Overall User Ratings

Overall:
* * * * * . . . . . 5 out of 10
Features:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Quality:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Value:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
I Want It:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Sound:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Ease of Use:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Support:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10

Individual User Ratings

Overall:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Features:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Quality:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Value:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
I Want It:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Sound:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Ease of Use:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10

Feature:
Its pretty basic but it has the needed features for using condenser mikes (phantom power is the important one). And its very very quiet. Also it has a low cut, which can cut out low frequencies, but its better just to get rid of the source of them.

Quality:
I haven't used it a lot, but so far I'm able to get more clarity in my recordings, so that on multitrack recordings the individual tracks can be more distinctly heard. Without clarity, sound separation becomes more difficult in my opinion.

Value:
Seems to be good value for the money.

Desirability:
It's a pretty professional looking little piece of gear.

Sound:
This has the clarity that becomes more critical when you have more than 2 or three tracks of instruments in the recording mix, especially when you add bass. Without a more precisely clear sound picture, things start to get muddy. This preamp is able to keep things clear enough. My VTB1 is ok, but from what I can tell so far, this DMP3 is one's a good bit better. Its giving me a more in focus sound picture.

Ease of Use:
Very easy to use. Low learning curve.

Support:
N/A. I have no idea what the support is like because I've not used it.

Overall:
Sounds real nice and works real nice. So far I've just recorded synth, bass guitar and classical guitar on it, but those are sounding real nice. All the tracks are clearer than my Studio Projects VTB1, but especially the bass tracks seem to be coming through in the mix with more pristine sound definition. The VTB1 is a decent preamp, but this DMP3 is better. You'll probably pay a more for the DMP3, but its worth it if you need more clarity.

Do You Agree? Was This Review Helpful to You?

yes

no

Overall:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Features:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Quality:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Value:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
I Want It:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Sound:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Ease of Use:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10

Feature:
its got the low frequency cut, high lo gain boost, phantom power, phase reversal two mic inputs the little peak meter ends up not really helping at all though

Quality:
seems pretty well made im more worried about dropping it or stepping on it rather than it breaking down

Value:
from what i hear its a ten and i agree

Desirability:
i could use another one i guess

Sound:
i havent used any other preamps but for the money you pay this is supposed to be a 10 for the under 200 bucks category it sounds pretty clean to me

Ease of Use:
just plug it in

Support:
havent dealt with support

Overall:
it does the job. gets your mic pumped up with phantom power with very low noise distortion and retains the original feel and sound pretty well. it doesnt add to much of its own tone like with some other mic preamps

Do You Agree? Was This Review Helpful to You?

yes

no

Overall:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Features:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Value:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
I Want It:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Sound:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Ease of Use:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Support:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10

Feature:
It has 2 mic ins out. with 1/4 and xrl. I only wish it had more channels but for the price you can always buy another one!

Value:
Great item. it does the job however you may want something with more channels. If it is what you need, then go for it.

Desirability:
This box is very sexy!! It has that vintage look with the needles, very sexy!

Sound:
This amp provides a very nice sound with low noise. It is great for vocals, I love it to death.

Ease of Use:
Very simple to use I was recording within an hour of set up.

Support:
never had any problems that merrited support

Overall:
Great item, great price, great sound!

Do You Agree? Was This Review Helpful to You?

yes

no

Overall:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Features:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Quality:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Value:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
I Want It:
* * * * * . . . . . 5 out of 10
Sound:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10

Feature:
Lo cut, Hi/Lo gain range, Phase reverse, Phantom power are just about adequate for a preamp. I didnt have to buy an additional DI box.

Quality:
Its a neatly built device.. But the preamp is really small compared to the packaging. However, it weighs good which probably means the electronics used must be solid.

Value:
I like the value.. its the right price for a preamp of this grade.

Desirability:
its so small.. not even half the width of a rack space!

Sound:
I havent used it much yet.. I'm just about building my studio!

Overall:
The title says " DMP3 ". My friends who aint sound professionals thought its an MP3 player at first.

Do You Agree? Was This Review Helpful to You?

yes

no

Overall:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Features:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Value:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
I Want It:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Sound:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Support:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10

Feature:
Its got everything I need in a small desktop package that doesn't piss my wife off because it takes up too much space! Plus its so damn cheap (the price, not the sound!).

Quality:
Very solid. Someone here mentioned the VU meters barely moving, but mine give me a good representation of the signal. Connectors are all solid and tight. Seems like it will hold up well over time.

Value:
For this price, two good clean preamp channels, simple and efficient...I'm gonna buy more of these if I ever need more than two preamps!

Desirability:
My wife even thinks the VU meters are cool looking, but the sexiest thing about this unit is the way it sounds!

Sound:
I recorded some vocals with this little guy and a Groove Tube G-1 LDC mic. Man! Didn't have to touch EQ once in my system. Very clean and natural sound. Can't wait to track some bass through this!

Support:
They're the best because I haven't dealt with them!

Overall:
Yeah, I might have to pick up some more of these babies if I start recording bands instead of just recording my own stuff. Can you rack mount it? Gotta check on that!

Do You Agree? Was This Review Helpful to You?

yes

no

Overall:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Features:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Quality:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Value:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
I Want It:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Sound:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Support:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10

Feature:
plug/play...with a warm analog feel. stereo/dual mono too!

Quality:
Built well- no issues.

Value:
Recommended by numerous home recordists. Great piece.

Desirability:
Sweet.

Sound:
This piece was recommended as best in its cost class (performance way above cost). Its a great piece for my home studio mics, guitars. Unbelieveable what it does to a home porta-studio set-up. A noticeable upgrade....and it looks cool!

Support:
not needed.

Overall:
Wish I had owned a DMP3 earlier on.

Do You Agree? Was This Review Helpful to You?

yes

no

Overall:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Features:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Quality:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Value:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
I Want It:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Sound:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Support:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10

Feature:
The VU meters on my machine hardly move, but I monitor from other equipment, anyway.

Quality:
Sounds Damn good!

Value:
Would give it an 11, if possible.

Sound:
I picked up this very affordable dual mic pre based on reviews from this site. I was not dissappointed! I had used MAudio's Firewire series and enjoyed the clean quality of the channel 1&2 built in mike pre's. I was totally surprised when I experienced an even warmer and yet still transparent sound on live recordings using a 2nd Rode NT4 at a further distance to capture room ambience, and routing the outputs of the DMP3 into channels 3&4 of my firewire 810. I hardly had to turn the gain (without boost) beyond the 11 O'Clock position, and I was getting even more input and luxurious sound than from Channels 1&2 which were at the 3 O'Clock position. All the artists I record as well as myself really like this thing! Although I could upgrade to the MAudio Octane (8 mike pre's which I hear are even better than the DMP3), its compact size ensures I will always have a use for the DMP3, especially for field recordings, and for use with portable DAT equipment as well.

Support:
Haven't needed it.

Do You Agree? Was This Review Helpful to You?

yes

no