If you’re doing any serious work with microphones, you’ll typically find yourself in want of a dedicated preamp. [ojg] needed just such a thing for acoustic measurement duties, and set about working up a cheap DIY design by the name of ThatMicPre.

The design is based around the THAT1510 preamp IC, known for its good frequency response and low harmonic distortion and noise. The design is also compatible with THAT1512, SSM2019, and INA217 chips as well. [ojg] gave the design switch-controlled gain levels, providing greater accuracy than a potentiometer adjustment, and the ability to supply phantom power for mics that require it. The PCB is designed to rely on through-hole parts and common connectors for easy assembly.

The design is open source, and has already been built by others on the DIYAudio forums. Built into a simple case, it looks like a handsome and well-built piece of audio equipment. We’ve featured quite a few unique preamps over the years, and if you’ve been building your own, we’d love to see those too!