Maag PREQ4

A Direct Successor to the PREQ3, Designed for the 500 Series

Designed in the spirit of the PREQ3, the PREQ4 carries forward the sonic philosophy that made Mäag Audio renowned: transparency, presence, and a sense of "air" in the high frequencies, while preserving the natural character of the microphone. Presented in the 500 Series format, it easily integrates into a modern rack or lunchbox setup, creating a high-end, portable, and immediately operational recording channel.

For Which Recordings and Users?

The Mäag Audio PREQ4 is aimed at sound engineers, demanding home studio users, and professional studios seeking a single-channel preamp capable of enhancing a vocal, adding definition to an acoustic guitar, improving clarity on overheads, or creating a sense of space on transient-rich sources. Its "musically transparent" approach is particularly suitable for productions where clarity and presence are desired without altering the microphone's signature or artificially boosting sibilance.

Thanks to its high headroom and essential controls (PAD, high-pass filter, phase), the PREQ4 performs well both in recording and reamping clean signals, or when capturing dynamic sources that require ample margin before saturation.

AIR BAND, Gain Control, and Studio Functions: Efficiency Serving the Sound

AIR BAND and VARI AIR: Opening Without Aggression

The PREQ4's signature is its AIR BAND: a plateau boost covering 2.5 kHz to 40 kHz via the VARI AIR. This approach adds air, brilliance, and a sense of depth while avoiding the "sharp EQ" effect that can be more cutting. On vocals, it helps bring out detail and proximity; on acoustic instruments, it reveals grain and breath; on ambient recordings, it enhances the sense of space.

65 dB Gain, -20 dB PAD, and Level Management

With adjustable gain up to 65 dB, the PREQ4 covers a wide range of uses, from low-output microphones to more moderate sources. The -20 dB PAD allows handling stronger signals while maintaining comfortable headroom, and the design aims for low noise and accurate reproduction. For good studio practice, it is recommended to reduce gain completely before powering on, especially when changing configurations.

Essential Tools: High-Pass Filter, Phase, and 48 V Phantom Power

The 70 Hz high-pass filter helps clean up vibrations, foot noise, excessive proximity effect, or low-end hum, resulting in cleaner recordings from the start. Phase inversion facilitates alignment during multi-mic setups (snare top/bottom, guitar amp pair, overheads), and 48 V phantom power ensures compatibility with most condenser microphones.

Technical specifications

Category

microphone preamp

Number of channels

1

Format	500 Series (500 module)	Nominal input impedance (XLR)	microphone 150 ohms, balanced
Compatibility	API 500-6B lunchbox	Nominal output impedance (XLR)	50 ohms, actively balanced
Status	official member of the VPR Alliance	AIR BAND	plateau boost from 2.5 kHz to 40 kHz via VARI AIR
Maximum gain	65 dB	High-pass filter	70 Hz
Frequency response	10 Hz to 75 kHz (deviation less than -3 dB)	Phase inversion	yes
Equivalent input noise	-128 dBu (actual measured noise: -96 dBu)	Phantom power	48 V
Headroom	+27 dBu	PAD	-20 dB
THD + noise	less than 0.007%	Advice	reduce gain completely before powering on
Maximum phase shift	25 degrees	Note	specifications subject to change without notice