Shop Keyboard Deals, Financing, and More

Maag Audio PREQ4 500 Series Microphone Preamp

500 Series Microphone Preamplifier
8 Write review Item ID: PREQ4-500
$162 Price Drop!
Lowest price in 90 days
$749.00
Save $162.00 (17%) Was: $911.00

Or pay $124.83 for 6 months with Easy Pay

See all payment options
Find it used on Sweetwater's Gear Exchange
listed for
$650.00

Free
Shipping
Tech Support

Free Sweetwater
Support

Free 2-year
Warranty
In Stock!

Only 1 left in stock! Order Soon!
Add to Cart
Notify me about deals

Ask An Expert

Our expertly trained Sales Engineers are ready to help!

(800) 222-4700
What is a Sales Engineer?

Most Popular Accessories & Related Items

Maag Audio PREQ4 500 Series Microphone Preamp
In Stock!
$749.00
Add to Cart
Add to list
Back to navigation

Written By

Our Product Research Team

Get to know them!

Premium Signal Path

The PREQ4 mic pre from Maag Audio gives 500 Series users a pristine, transparent signal path through which they endowed with the Air Band control. What does that do for you? It gives a shelf boost variable from 2.5kHz to 40kHz, perfect for dialing in the right amount of presence for anything you're tracking. Acoustic guitars and vocals shine through the PREQ4, and with 65dB of gain available, ribbon mics are an easy fit into any session, with the PREQ4. But the PREQ4 also performs admirably on other sources, too. The PREQ4 is a fantastic addition to the 500 Series VPR Alliance.

Related Videos: PREQ4 500 Series Microphone Preamp

Maag Audio PREQ4 Microphone Preamplifier Features at a Glance:
  • 500 Series Microphone Preamplifier
  • Air Band shelf boost from 2.5 to 40kHz
  • Max Gain: 65dB
  • Frequency Response:-3dB points, 10Hz & 75kHz
  • Nominal Input Impedance XLR): mic, 150 Ohms, balanced
  • Nominal Output Impedance (XLR): 4 actively balanced
  • Equivalent Input Noise: -128 dBu (-96 dBu Actual Metered Noise)
  • Headroom: +27 dBu
  • Maximum Phase Shift: 25 degrees
  • THD + Noise:< 0.0009%
Tap into sonic transparency with the Maag Audio PREQ4!

Additional Media

500 Series Buying Guide
PREQ4 User Manual
Signal Processing Buying Guide

Warranty Info

Sweetwater's FREE 2-Year Total Confidence Coverage Warranty

Extra peace of mind at no extra cost.

  • Save money with FREE parts and labor
  • Get back to making music with the industry's fastest turnaround time
  • Fix it the first time with our award-winning, factory-certified Service Department
Learn More about Total Confidence Coverage
2 Year Total Confidence Coverage
$99.00
FREE!

Free 2-year Warranty

Sweetwater's 2-year Total Confidence Coverage™ Warranty gives you extra peace of mind at no extra cost.

Learn More about Total Confidence Coverage
Tools Icon

Save money with free parts & labor!

Fast Icon

Get back to making music with the industry's fastest turnaround time.

Award Icon

Fix it the first time with our award-winning, factory-certified Service Department.

Back to navigation

Tech Specs

  • Preamp Type: Solid State
  • Number of Channels: 1
  • Frequency Response: 10Hz-75kHz
  • Phantom Power: Yes
  • Pads: -20dB
  • Polarity Switch: Yes
  • EQ: Air Band EQ
  • Module Slot Size: Single
  • Power Usage: ±16V DC
  • Manufacturer Part Number: PREQ4-500

What Makes Our Sales Engineers Great?

Sweetwater Sales Engineers are a world-class team of experts dedicated to you. Hand selected from across the globe, each brings a wealth of experience and expertise in the world of music gear to provide you with unparalleled service completely free of charge. Friendly relationships, real trust, and the right gear are only a call or a click away!

(800) 222-4700
Contact Your Sales Engineer
Back to navigation

Customer Reviews

4.9 out of 5

Customer Added Media

This product doesn't have any review media yet!

Write your review

Beautiful

This pre amp is great for clean "airy" vocals. Goes great with ribbon mics too.
by Comanche Sound from El Paso, TX on
Music background: Producer/Mixer

Maag - nificent!

If you are looking at this preamp for the first time, you probably already know it is not considered a colored "character" pre like a 1073 or even an API. While it definitely falls into the "clean" camp, this little wonder brings tons of excitement on its own. What you get with the Maag PreQ4 is a great, clean amplifier with tons of lively gain on top of a vanishingly low noise floor, an onboard custom transformer, stepped pots (on each section) for easy recall, and of course....that EQ. Oh that EQ. Placed smack in the middle of this delightful preamp is the Maag Air Band EQ....and what it does is really something to hear. Engage the Air Band and your source sounds just a little clearer....not bright....not harsh....just seductively clear - all without inducing phase issues, or becoming strident. And the best part is, you can really crank the Air Band if you want. I have not had a situation where it sounded bad, only that one setting or another enhanced the track in a more complimentary way. There are quite a few mix engineers that use the Maag 2 channel EQ across the master bus...and once you hear what it does, it is pretty easy to understand why. If you need a "name recognition pre" for your studio, go ahead and get a 1073 or an API, or SSL, or Avalon or whatever so you can check the box for clientele; but make sure you pick a couple of these up as well...you know...as 'fillers' for your lunchbox. Those other brands are great too - they are well known and respected as industry standards for good reason. But if you are willing to give Maag a go, I think you will find it more than capable of holding its own in any crowd. The first time you patch it in during a tracking session and the client's eyes light up during playback, you will know you found the secret sauce. OK...well, this is the part of the review where I stop typing, and you press the "Add to Cart" button. Easiest 5-star rating I've ever given.
by Rich Green from Lincolnton, NC on

So clean!

I've been using these mostly on acoustic guitar and vocals lately, and they're amazing. So clean and transparent, but still warm - the air band is what really makes these special. Great company and fantastic product.
by Luke from Portland OR on
Music background: guitar, synth, post production, sound design

The best

It's funny to see Reid in the video for this pre, cause his is the one I've used. I borrowed it for a tracking session, and HOLY COW. Huge, clear, clean, but not "sterile" or boring. Just awesome. The pre is great by itself, but having the Air Band is just killer. It can really open up a track, without the typical artifacts of an eq. I turn to these more than API lately.
by Brandon from Nashville, TN on
Music background: Recording Engineer / Producer

Brilliant

We've used it on everything so far and between this and the shadow hills mono gama, we haven't had much need of anything else.
by Jas Patrick on
See also: 500 Series Pre, Maag Audio, Maag Audio 500 Series Preamps
Close Close $2,000 Pick Your PRS Giveaway -- input your email address below to enter or click here to learn more.

See giveaway details & rules or check out our past winners!

Enter Now

Success!

Your email, has been entered to win this giveaway. Good Luck!