A decade or so ago, Cloud Microphones identified the market for a gizmo that would allow you to get a healthy level out of your vintage ribbon and moving-coil microphones. Essentially, they took the active stage from their own ribbon mics and packaged it up into a stand-alone boosting device, in the process inventing what we think must have been the first phantom-powered in-line preamp.
The Cloudlifter remains an excellent device (and is now available in a range of different versions), but as tends to be the way with good ideas, other companies have come up with their own take on the idea, and you can now get excellent quality in-line preamps from companies like Royer and sE Electronics too.
Until now, though, the format has been used exclusively to provide clean gain. But Spanish audio company Tierra Audio have taken the idea to perhaps its logical conclusion, by offering a range of boosters that don't just add level, but that add a distinctive sound character too.
The synaesthetically named Truffle, Cocoa, Mint, Chilli, Vanilla, Pepper and Salt all provide different sonic flavours, in addition to nourishing your microphone signals with a stodgy 32dB of gain. The first five feature input transformers (all Lundahls, apart from the Cocoa, which sports a Carnhill model), while the Salt and Pepper preamps aim for minimal harmonic distortion (the Pepper distinguishes itself by adding a dash of compression).
Following a successful crowdfunding campaign (in which Tierra raised over 200 percent of their target amount), the new Flavour range of preamps will become available imminently — indeed, at the time of writing, there's still a few days left to take advantage of some of the early-bird deals. To find out more about what kind of flavour each of the new in-line preamps provides, check out the link below.
