Preamp Gain

How much an interface can amplify a mic signal — the range that decides your mic options.

Microphone outputs are tiny and need 20–60dB+ of clean amplification. Quiet dynamic mics on quiet sources demand the top of that range: an SM7B-class broadcast dynamic wants ~60dB of clean gain before the signal sits at a healthy level. An interface with 50dB of gain plus a noisy top end quietly limits which microphones you can actually use.