THE BEST PODCASTING SECRET WEAPON - Triton Audio FetHead - Review & Demo 

Thank you for the positive feedback on my review!

I just bought it. I checked it by SM57 mic, and Babyface as audio interface. The result: I got a continuous low frequency noise.

Thank you so much for the kind words, I'm glad my review was helpful to you. I'll be sure and upload more in the future.

+Som Vinter Thanks so much for the feedback!

roland1313 Thank you so much for the kind words. I'll be uploading some more reviews in the near future. I'd also like to invest in a new camera this summer, it's on my list! :) Thanks for watching!

***** Thank you so much! I'm really happy to hear you enjoyed my video. I have just finished a handful of new review videos that show some of my favorite plugins and studio gear. Coming soon!

Secret_Armor What do you mean by “nice impedance”? What makes one impedance nicer than another?

This is simple: Cables on high impedance signal add noise. So have the booster in front of the cable gets rid of this sensitivity to noise. So you get rid of 2 problems at once.

+AntAskew the FetHead works great with the PR40 wait until you hear the difference! Glad my review helped you! Thanks for watching!

Glad I could help :)

Thanks Rodger, that helps!

+Rob Liano I have not noticed any "stress" from using the FetHead "hanging" on a lot of different mics over the years, especially considering that I only connect it directly to the mic itself, as shown at around the ~4:50 mark in the video. Just speaking from my personal experience here...

Cody Clarke Thanks for watching! You're welcome, glad to help!

Awesome!! Some people prefer the Lifter for that very reason :) Thanks for watching!

I am ordering the sE Electronics DM1 so I'll be able to compare them. I'm curious too! Thanks for watching.

@@SoundsFromSound subscribing, I cant wait, thank you

Definitely always a good choice to make sure you have the best interface that you can afford. But I've tested the FetHead and there is no measurable noise added from using it. I'd be happy to share my screenshots if you're interested but whatever noise is technically generated by the FetHead certainly is not audible by any means. I've stacked almost a hundred tracks with zero added noise from my FetHeads in real world / testing projects. Thanks for watching!

SoundsFromSound hey thx for your reply. What I wanted to point out is that of course the FedHead generates noise. The EIN of a FedHead is around -129 dBu(A). If your preamp is in the same league a FedHead does not reduce any noise, but introduces a new „sound“ to the existing noise. If your preamp is better, you will make your signal worse, only if your preamp has significantly worse EIN performance a FedHead makes sense (and even then only for low sens microphones). All that said -129 dBu(A) is a good value, the FedHead is not a bad pre-preamp, but it is better to invest the money in a better preamp if you have noise issues than to stack up amps which amplify each other’s noise.

Absolutely you are correct. I always get the best results plugging the FetHead into my mic directly. The Shure really benefits from the inline boost for sure, rock on!

SoundsFromSound I have an early 60s RCA 77DX which has about 6ft of XLR cable hardwired into it. Do you think it's worth the risk to buy a Fethead if I'm unable to plug directly into my mic for maximum gain?

Hi Casey. A few things...first, WOW. I'm wicked jealous you have one of those RCAs laying around. You're a lucky duck. Second, what preamp are you using currently for it? That may be worth considering. In general, ribbon mics are "safe" to use with any sort of inline preamp that uses phantom power for it's function (i.e. phantom power won't make it through and hurt the mic itself) - so gear like the FetHead or Cloudlifter 'should' work for what you need yes...and it's a huge boost in clean gain if that's what you're after...

Thanks to the reply! I apologize about not mentioning the preamp I'm using. I am indeed trying to get more clean gain. I'm using the preamps in my Focusrite Clarett 8PreX. On Focusrite's website it mentions when you use the "Air" feature on the preamps in the 8PreX it "switches the impedance of the preamp to that of the original ISA". I looked up the ISA and found "ISA110 = 1400 Ohms". I'm not sure how that all factors in except that my 77DX doesn't sound right unless I use the "Air" feature. It's a nice sound with the "Air" on but there is not very much gain even with the preamp knob at 10. Dan Magoo's and your comment about having the best luck with the Triton plugged directly in the mic concerned me since that's not possible with my 77DX. I don't understand how Triton and Cloudlifter differ on the connection proximity to the mic itself. Maybe with ribbon and dynamic mics differ in this situation ? Also I've been thinking about the Cathedral Pipes Durham Ribbon/Dynamic Mic Buffer Amp. It seems similar to the Cloudlifter CL-1 and costs about half as much. I've used the 77DX in several professional studios through really nice mic preamps and it's amazing, but I just don't have the budget right now for something that nice. Trust me, I do realize how lucky I am to have the 77DX. Every studio owner wants to buy it off me even if their mic locker is full of amazing mics. :) Thanks again, I really appreciate your help!

Hi Casey. It's important to always be aware of what ohms / impedance settings you are using in your chain (especially with ribbon mics like that)...so I am not surprised that certain configurations would sound better to your ears than others. That makes perfect sense. So, good news - it's really up to you as far as how to proceed from here. How much did you want to invest in your quest for the purist sound? Here is what I could find for documentation on the 77DX (www.coutant.org/rca77dx/77dxinst.pdf) - it shows that you indeed can apparently change the output impedance from 30 to 150ohms. That is a critical setting to choose. Here is my advice, since you are in a rather unique (i.e. awesome) situation with being able to use such a vintage creamy good mic :) -- 1) The FetHead could in some way work for you in your chain, regardless of the side being plugged into. It won't hurt your ribbon mics as long as you don't accidentally buy the FetHead PHANTOM version - so worst case you just return the FetHead for a full refund. 2) I suggest checking out a Cloudlifter for this specific mic. They have a wicked cool version called CLZ and, get this, the CL-Z lets you set the load from 150ohms to 15kohms - BUT also to any setting in between! - so that gives you a LOT of control over the sound you are hearing. That's my #1 choice for this task, if you can swing $300 or so, it should work magic for that mic. 3) Final Thought: The original FetHead I believe has a fixed impedance of 22k ohms, which 'probably' won't be ideal for you in this scenario, but it won't hurt your mic if you want to try that way first (for budget-reasons). Hope this helps you. Let me know if you need anything else and also let me know what you end up getting for that sweet mic!

SolidCake Thank you! I'm glad it was helpful.

Thank you for the feedback! I hope to review more podcast gear soon! :) Thanks for watching!

You're welcome!

Hello. That's very unusual. See if you can determine whether or not the noise is coming from elsewhere in your signal chain and if not, you should definitely exchange for a new unit. There's no significantly measurable noise introduced by using these inline products. 👍

@@SoundsFromSound Thank you for reply. I`ve got no noise without Fethead. The low frequency noise comes when I use Fethead. Now it is late for checking, but tomorrow I will check and find out exactly what frequency it is.

+MagnumDB Hi there. Actually, you were correct. The website has changed since I created this product review. The FetHead now claims a 27dB boost. I cannot confirm this, but I believe it's possible they could have upgraded the preamp to get more gain. I replied to a comment earlier from "t103Ninja" a few months ago about this very question. It's not just you who had some confusion. Check out that comment if you want. Thanks for watching! Keep an eye out for a bunch of new product reviews coming up soon on this channel. :) Have a good day.

I use the FetHead with my RE20 for years without issues. It's an amazing combination. I say go for it. :)

Hi Mutaz. If the MV7 is a dynamic mic with XLR connectivity, I see no reason why the FetHead would not work wonderfully for your needs. It boosts any dynamic mic with no added noise that I've detected in any real-world situations. Good luck friend.

+Avery Bright Thank you for leaving a comment. I really appreciate the feedback. Thanks for watching!

+Marc Richter Hi Marc. Turning up many interfaces that high usually adds unwanted noise or hiss to the signal. Using a FetHead allows you to keep your interface gain in its sweet spot, way lower, and so it helps to give you a cleaner signal. Hope that helps. Thanks for watching!

Thanks for clarifying ! :)

No problem!

Hi Howard! I believe I used the PR40 for the video. Thanks for watching :)

Hmm, interesting. I've used both the Cloudlifter/Fethead and have run several audio analysis tests in multiple scenarios - there is certainly no muddy additive element when using a FetHead in my experience at all. If you're hearing a muddy sound then perhaps you got a damaged unit or there is noise in your chain elsewhere. Thanks for watching!

Nah, it's not a huge difference, it's just a low-mid coloration, but it was most definitely there. A sound I often associate to certain cheaper transformers, which kinda makes sense. The equipment I ran through was a Prism Titan with its own totally transparent pre-amps, and nothing else. There were no noise or things like hat, only a mild harmonic low-mid distorsion.

Hi Harry! The main difference between those products is that the FetHead Filter has a built-in 6dB/octave high pass filter with a corner frequency of 220Hz. It is specially designed for microphones which exhibit an excessive proximity effect / low frequency response, like long motor ribbon microphones

There is a FetHead that is for condenser microphones however this one uses phantom power for the dB boost. So no, it cannot be used with condenser mics, nothing would work correctly in that setup. Check out the FetHead phantom if you want that boost.

+Bob Bloyer Excellent question. Although I can't speak from personal experience in that situation, I would assume you'd be all set with no problems. The FetHead only requires Phantom power and does not kill any other power that I've noticed. I have an H4n too, maybe I could find an old lav mic and check this for you...hmm, have you purchased the FetHead yet or just shopping around? I'm 99.9% sure you'd be just fine with it in your signal chain. Can you tell me your exact chain at the moment? Lav -------> ? ---------> ? ------> FetHead --------> ? ----> H4n?

+SoundsFromSound. You got it, I'm still shopping to put together a system. Pretty sure I want the OST TL-40 & H4N, & belt the system to myself. Thinking: Lav----->FetHead---->H4N (using XLR input) and syc to GoPro in FCPX. Difficult finding info specs on OST: www.oscarsoundtech.com. A forum reply from (personal-view) stated the TL-40 sensitivity is about -56 dB.Trying to make choices in anticipation of upgrades to video etc. in future. Project in the style of "Survivorman-Les Stroud". What type of jack would be needed on the TL-40 to plug into the FetHead? OST installs a variety including Zoom.

Hello, thanks for checking out my review! So, I am pretty sure you won't be able to use the FetHead directly with the Xenyx 302USB due to it's lack of sufficient phantom power specs. However, if you need to use that USB interface with the FetHead you do have an option (according to Behringer): "A simple and cost effective solution should you require full phantom power with the Xenyx 302 is to use a Behringer PS400 supply box, simply plug into the PS400 using an XLR cable connected to the microphone, then use another XLR cable from the PS400 into the mic input of the Xenyx mixer." So, it seems that the interface cannot be used with the FetHead unless you give it more power. Hope this helps you. Let me know how it goes!

SoundsFromSound thank you very much for the information. So if I give my behringer 302 more power like u told me, could i even use microfones which needs 48v phantom power?

Yes. If it had proper phantom power (48V+) the 302 would work just fine with the FetHead - quite well actually. I have a few PS400's around the studio here and they work great. Rock solid. Very versatile. Happy to help. Good luck!

Hi, this is only for dynamic microphones and will block the phantom power to your condenser mic. Buy the FetHead Phantom, which will both amplify and provide pass through phantom power.

+Paul Slater Hi Paul. Here is a link to purchase the FetHead in-line preamp at the company website: bit.ly/1IoWmZQ. If you are deciding between which to buy, consider this -- The FetHead 'Filter' model is a version of the original Fethead that simply has a built-in 1-pole (or 6dB) high pass filter (@220Hz). It is primarily aimed at mics that have huge proximity effects, like certain ribbons. I personally haven't used the Filter, so I cannot vouch for the components or quality of sound/noise added, but I would assume it is up to the standard Triton quality - which in my experience is very, very good. Hope this helps. Thanks for watching my review!

Hello! For this video I used the Quad Capture from Roland.

@@SoundsFromSound thanks

+hochochomyname Hi there. Excellent question and a simple answer indeed. Your situation is exactly where the FetHead excels: yes, by using a FetHead - along with the Procaster - you will no longer need to max out your gain knob. It also will reduce background noise for you. The FetHead is what you need. Hope that helps! Thanks for watching! New reviews coming right up!

Oboemasesetokoe Hi there! Thanks for watching my review of the FetHead! I understand what you're requesting, and perhaps I could do a follow-up video in the future to show what you're asking, but I will say this for now: using the FetHead and keeping your levels lower will allow you to have far superior sound quality (vs. cranking up the gain on interface preamps to achieve those same levels as without the FetHead). Strongly recommend the Fet. Hope that helps!

Hi Cristhian. What microphone are you using? The FetHead works great on dynamic and ribbon mics, which most likely will benefit from a boost of clean gain in your signal chain. This includes live sound or studio work.

Hi! No, not really. If You incerase the level in Your DAW, thrn You also incerase Your basic noise what is already recorded together with the sound. So the snr will be worst. All recording has to be done with a safe level region and with the highest snr what You can produce. And dont forget, in the digital level manipulation You also loose details if You incerase the level. So less bit for higher output. The fethead is a great product. Everybody need's a fethead :)

Hi friend. My old studio partner had one, I've used it for several projects yes. But I'd personally choose the X73i or a Chameleon Labs 7603 for my own recordings. Why do you ask? 🙂

@@SoundsFromSound was just wondering if the fet head germanium would be decent for recording vocals with a mic like the sm7b

1000% it would work wonders for the sm7b yes (or any dynamic mic). Some people will likely jump up and say "hey, you don't need a FetHead with a high end preamp with 80dB of gain!" but not everyone has the budget to buy a preamp for $1,000 - $2,000. So, it's nice to have more affordable options that still add some rich, full harmonics into your sound. Enter, the FetHead. In all of my measurements, there is simply no 'real' amount of noise added to your signal where it actually gets in the way of the audio quality. That's just not true. You can't go wrong in my opinion with either FetHead. (I have zero connection to the company) Thanks for watching! Let me know which one you decide to get!

@@SoundsFromSound iv ordered the germanium I'm actually using the rode procaster I prefer it over the sm7b but it's gain hungry so I hope this helps me out

@@ambitionofficial2159 Oh! that's awesome. I sold one of my Heil PR40s to get a Procaster I loved the sound of it so much. But the sm7b + FetHead = a winning combination. The difference is massive. Good luck! :)

+peter clark Absolutely! The FetHead works great with the SM7. Total game changer. Good luck!

Thanks man, I appreciate it. I'm snagging one ASAP.

Hello. The TLM 103 is a fantastic, gorgeous-sounding microphone. However, it's a condenser mic and would not benefit from using this version of the FetHead (as it's geared toward dynamic and ribbon mics). But there is a FetHead "Phantom" version that does work with your Neumann. Link here: tritonaudio.com/fethead-phantom.html --> You should always aim to have high quality, consistent phantom power for the mics that need it. Cheaper units sometimes don't offer appropriate real-world phantom power, even though their specs may claim it - but whether or not this affects you personally depends of course on each situation and what your needs are. Hope this helps!

Side note: that Neumann microphone deserves a better preamp than the MicPort :) You should consider a substantial upgrade. It will sound even more stunning than it already does right out of the box! Do you do voiceovers or podcasting with it? Singing? It's one of my favorite mics!

I'm ready to upgrade my preamp! I would love to hear your suggestions. Also, let me know if you think I should consider adding any other tool to this process flow. Thanks so much!!! Is there any way I can email you?

Yes, I do voice overs and podcasting ;-)

What's your budget for the preamp? Would you like a clean, "sterile" preamp or one that has some "color" to the sound?

+Felipe P. Hi Felipe, this is my personal review. Triton Audio did not ask me to post this review, they did not pay me in any way at all for this review. I just wanted to share my thoughts and hopefully help others make an informed decision about how to improve their home recording chain without breaking the bank. Thanks for watching.

Then it's an awesome review. Very well produced. You convinced me to buy one of those.

+Sergeant Icetea the second Yes. The FetHead currently is about 99 USD, or 70 pounds. Well worth it in my opinion!

+SoundsFromSound wow thats awsome, will order one for sure then

+Sergeant Icetea the second I love the FetHead, such a huge improvement in sound quality for a modest price...let me know how it works out for you!

I'm not sure I understand your question; do you mean that you want to try and use the FetHead somehow to add gain to the on-board mixer preamps? Or do you mean just a preference to place it at the end of the XLR cable rather than direct into the base of your mic?

yes want to use it at this end of the cable which goes right into the mixer

I have to admit, I've only ever seen people use a FetHead directly into their mic, and then they run the XLR cable into the interface/mixer. But, technically speaking, yes you can absolutely plug it in on the other end instead of the mic-end of the cable. Just curious though, why don't you want to plug the FetHead directly into your mic? What mic is it you're using? Thanks for watching my review friend, I hope you found it helpful. Have a good day :)

thanks for the answer...was really helpfull...im using a rode procaster and dont want the mic getting even longer to use it between me and my keyboard pointing right towards me

+noopidoop Gotcha 😁

Hi Dan! In theory, yes it's possible to daisy chain. Personally, I wouldn't. I would be concerned about impedance, resonance issues, noise, etc. But there's nothing technically 'wrong' with stacking gain, it must be done correctly and with the right gear (i.e. make sure what you're using ONLY applies makeup gain and not boosting a wicked low level signal.) And even in that case, it's clear your initial preamp needs to be upgraded [ preamp ] --> FetHead ---> Mic. Curious, what is your preamp that you're using? I've never had a situation where a preamp + FetHead was *still* too quiet, especially when factoring in noise and the final product. Thanks for watching! :)

@@SoundsFromSound I'm running a eurorack ub802. The reason i would want to try this is that i'm making a documentory about insects. And to be about to hear them i'd need massive gain. Thanks

Ah ok, gotcha. What mic are you using? I assume the preamps on the mixer are 'decent' enough for everyday projects but for incredibly quiet sources (and demanding a low noise floor in the final delivery) it may give you some frustration. I'd suggest getting an upgrade: either a new mixer / external preamp / field recorder for that level of work. I use Sound Devices when I have a special need in the field. Insects are always fun, and by fun I mean challenging :) Good luck!

@@SoundsFromSound In the studio i use a re20. But i know the re20 is not what you use for my project. A fellow worker offered his AKG SOLIDTUBE condenser. . what would be a good mic for the project? My budget is around $700. Thanks

Wow, I haven't seen a SolidTube for a long time! That's a great piece of vacuum tube gear. So, I have to ask a few questions. 1) What insects do you plan on recording, and how quiet is the source? 2) Is this for sound design or can you 'fake it' later in the studio for impact? 3) Is it for just crickets and bird songs, or are you trying to record the heartbeat of an ant? ;) Of course, I'm half kidding. But seriously, a lot of nature documentaries have SFX added after in the studio, because many insects and wild sounds are simply too quiet to record - even with a fantastic condenser. Just curious what sort of project you're after - but in general, the AKG is a great mic, if you can use it - go for it! Just make sure you have enough gain / phantom power...

Hello friend. You need phantom power from either your mixer / interface or some other hardware in order for the FetHead to function with dynamic / ribbon mics. However, there is a version of the FetHead called "FetHead Phantom" which is used for condenser mics (which themselves, need phantom power to work correctly). I am reviewing the "standard" FetHead in this video, so you only would need phantom power in your chain somewhere, you don't need to buy the FetHead Phantom as well. Hope this helps you. Thanks for watching!

thanks

one more question I've been trying to access the Fethead website and I am getting an 404 error, have they gone out of business? thanks

@@superchickensuperchicken7939 Not to my knowledge, no. I believe they are just having some web server issues. Try again later and it should be OK. I would be very surprised if they suddenly closed up shop.

ok thanks

***** Don't be confused. The company simply updated the specs for the FetHead - they likely modified it and in doing so, increased the max gain. If you pause my video review at 5:20 you can see that their website says 20dB so they must have done something to update the product...hope this helps! Thanks for watching!

Benjamin CL thanks for the reply, i have a scarlett 2i2 interface and i have been thinking about getting a shure SM7B for a while wich from what i've been told requires alot of gain i was looking at videos for the cloudlifter and just happened to stumble across this it does seem like the better solution and also cheaper than the cloudlifter

Hi Calvin Brumant --> Yes, it is possible to damage your ribbon microphone by using phantom power. It is true that some ribbon microphones do not tolerate phantom power, however the FetHead's circuit shields it from its input (and the microphone's output), as a result it offers effective protection to the microphone. That's a great thing. So in theory, you should avoid using phantom power with ribbons; that said, I personally have never had an experience where I've damaged a microphone from it. Hope this helps.

I recently purchased a low end ribbon microphone, more of an introductory model. When I plugged it into my audio interface the signal was so low I found myself having to turnup the gain significantly. This created a sound quality I didn't want in my recording. I found this device to be a helpful addition to this problem, but I was worried about damaging the microphone. Thanks for your help

Calvin Brumant You're welcome!

Hello friend. Yes, you are correct. Several other people have commented on this a while back, I should probably update the video description. Since I made this video, the Triton website has changed. The FetHead now claims a "27dB boost". I cannot confirm this in my own testing, but I believe it's possible they could have upgraded the preamp components to accomplish more gain. However, of course it could be just marketing and their new test results or something else altogether. Hope this helps you with your question. Have a good day. Thanks for watching!

The Triton site also shows all Fetheads with a black band around them that says "Fethead" (or "Fethead Phantom"), which I notice yours does not. So I don't know this, but I'm wondering whether Triton has introduced a new model with a bit more gain.

Hi Dan. Good eye :) However, be cautious when ordering and deciding which one to get: The FetHead Phantom serves a different purpose than the regular one. They are not the same. Mine is the "original" one which is why it looks different from others in the line. The Phantom is specifically designed to work WITH condenser mics (rather than using phantom power for a dynamic/ribbon). So, they are different FetHeads in that regard. Aside from that, generally speaking they have the same goal in mind yes. But perhaps Triton is giving them all a facelift and a new make over? :) You're probably right they're revamping the line. For me I've never had a need to augment my signal chain more than 20-25dB+ of inline gain. If I really need more than that for a ribbon or specific situation, I'd much rather buy a dedicated preamp rather than inline. But inline preamps are great for ribbons and low output dynamics, I use 'em pretty much every day. Have a good one!

hey sound its late 2020 and im between cl-1 and fethead to use with Sm7b which one u think i should get

Hi David. The NTG 4 requires 48v phantom to be active. You would not be able to use the regular FetHead with it, however the FetHead Phantom is especially designed for this type of condenser mic. If you are talking about the *NTG4 Pro* then yes, that has an internal battery if I'm not mistaken. That would be OK. If you are using something like an H4N in your chain, you could use that onboard phantom power sure, though it's likely to drain the battery much faster. I don't quite understand your question, sorry David. Can you give a little more clarity?