DM2 TNT

The DM2 TNT is an inline preamp for dynamic and passive ribbon microphones with two gain settings and eight selectable input loads. A switch picks between a moderate +15 dB and an explosive +30 dB, so one unit covers a mic that needs a small push and a mic that needs a lot.

The load selector is what sets it apart. Input load runs from 50 Ohms up to 10 megohms across eight positions, and the setting you pick changes how a passive mic behaves: higher loads open up the top end and tighten transient response on ribbons, lower loads round them off. That gives you a tone control acting on the microphone itself rather than a plugin after the fact.

Gain stays clean at both settings, with 1 uV of output noise at +15 dB and 6.6 uV at +30 dB, a 10 Hz to 120 kHz frequency range, and Class-A circuitry built around hand-selected FETs. Maximum output is 9.5 dBV, and the low 135 Ohm output impedance holds the signal steady over long runs. Everything runs on 48 V phantom power at 3.1 mA, so it drops into any console or interface channel with no batteries or external supply.

Typical work includes ribbon mics on guitar cabinets, brass, and drum overheads, older dynamics on vocals, and broadcast booths where a low-output mic needs level before it reaches the desk. The all-metal housing weighs 80 g and uses gold-plated XLR connectors for nightly patching.