gordon...heres a challenge. one of the problems with diy mic pres useing op amps is need for + - supplies for the op amps as you know. see if you can come up with a easy to build mic pre useing single supply op amp with low noise and high gain with xlr in for mic... plus variable input impedence. ive never seen a schem yet...its all dual rail supplies.
All techie-stuff again, feel free to ignore.
There are various ways to build a single-supply pre-amp, but they still all need at least a DC block(*) (e.g. capacitor) on the output and almost always also similar on the input. Most single-supply Op-Amps go nowhere near the 48V of phantom power. I doubt any of the few are low-noise, but it's possible. The choices for best low-noise, low distortion, OpAmps is surprisingly modest (or was the last time I looked deeply at this). Interestingly, JFETs have a functional advantage here, because, like valves, they can have their input biassed at 0V, which can remove the need for a separate input DC blocker.
I suspect a discrete solution with one of those low-noise JFETs as the input and gain device, with a constant current load for linearity and a bipolar output buffer would actually perform pretty well in comparison with pretty much any OpAmp solution and would not want a split supply. Condenser mics use an arrangement like that, though usually have a higher voltage signal out from the diaphragm to the FET than a dynamic has, but that diaphragm signal is at far too high an impedance to send down the cable unbuffered.
Addendum... Interestingly, having written that, I had a quick look for more information on the FETHead and found a "what's inside", that shows four FETs (probably Toshiba 2SK209-GR or 2SK880-GR)(***), three resistors and a couple of other devices that look like either diodes or capacitors, though initially I can't see why they would fit either of those ... static protection, maybe?(**) With so few resistors, that suggests to me very limited negative feedback, so not the lowest of distortions, but maybe that's an acceptable trade-off. It looks like it's probably a very simple pair of feedback pairs in a bridge arrangement. I'm intrigued enough that I may try simulating what I think it looks like. If it works as well as people say it's an excellent example of form-follows-function minimalism. Respect.
(*) Apparently not ... the FETHead doesn't seem to have any, though as I guess the pre-amp must have DC blocks against the phantom power, they can get away without them in their module. That also supports my "bridge" thought.
(**) Edit: They'll be diodes or VDRs, primarily to protect the FET's gates from the 48V power at switch-on/plug-in.
(***) Hmm ... despite the package marking suggesting those parts, they're actually MOSFETs, not JFETs! Curious; Toshiba list them under MOSFETs then describe them as JFETs.
Last edited by Gordon Scott; 12/29/2304:58 AM.
Jazz relative beginner, starting at a much older age than was helpful. AVL:MXE Linux; Windows 11 BIAB2026 Audiophile, a bunch of other software. Kawai MP6, Ui24R, Focusrite Saffire Pro40 and Scarletts .
obviously i dont have your depth of knowledge in electronics. but if you ever come up with a minimum parts schem for a mic pre with xlr diff in...it would a fun little thing for me to try as a winter project...whether it uses jfets or bipolar transistors or single supply op amp. ...or even better if an option would be a variable input impedence..resistor array ?
as far as i understand the fethead is very low noise. yep i checked on google ein is -129. and tracks ive recorded with it seem to bear that out and sound good. i like it and it doesnt give me any hassle....lol.
ps for gearheads out there i just transferred pg old ultrapak to a new m2 hooked up to mini pc via usb 3. im ecstatic and never had such fast response from bb. im amazed. i used a m2 thats capable of 5000 mb per sec the blurb says.
happy new year.
om
Last edited by justanoldmuso; 12/28/2301:34 PM.
my songs....mixed for good earbuds...(fyi..my vocs on all songs..) https://soundcloud.com/alfsongs (90 songs created useing bb/rb) (lots of tips of mine in pg tips forum.)
thanks. i actually have tried those schems cos i have databooks here. never could get them to work over the years. guess im a dummie...lol....
i need a how to build a single supply xlr input mic pre with variable input impedence for dummies....lol. i might try the 5 buck micpre again that uses the ina op amp.
thanks again. happy new year.
om
Last edited by justanoldmuso; 12/28/2303:37 PM.
my songs....mixed for good earbuds...(fyi..my vocs on all songs..) https://soundcloud.com/alfsongs (90 songs created useing bb/rb) (lots of tips of mine in pg tips forum.)
Single supply voltage, hi-gain op amps have been a mainstay in surveillance circuits since the 70's/80's. Here's an example.
They have and many are very good performers, but they would need to be used with 48V phantom feed, which does add a hurdle. It can most certainly be done, but they need a voltage regulator. Quite a few will go a below rail on the input and rail-to-rail on the output, so input biassing can be a minimal issue. I think one can draw up to 5mA milliamps, which is likely more than enough as many such OpAmps draw only microAmps. A simple low-quiescent regulator is probably OK, though again 48V might be a bit of a challenge. Driving a 2k2 load might also prove a bit of a challenge. These things should all be do-able enough, though. Whether it's the best way in another matter.
Originally Posted by justanoldmuso
i like it and it doesnt give me any hassle....lol.
Which is what matters.
Jazz relative beginner, starting at a much older age than was helpful. AVL:MXE Linux; Windows 11 BIAB2026 Audiophile, a bunch of other software. Kawai MP6, Ui24R, Focusrite Saffire Pro40 and Scarletts .
Using a cloud lifter or other inline boost is doable but it's rare to find an interface these days that doesn't have sufficient preamp gain.
Another nonsense armchair expert video. I am not going to write a page pointing out all the ways it is crap.
I have tested 43 current USB and TB interfaces for a company that, unfortunately, I cannot name (it can be guessed but I cannot confirm). None of them have adequate gain for dynamic mics except M•Audio — and they actually do recommend using a Cloudlifter with dynamics.
The Mackie FxPro()v3 series is ok but theirs will choke on an SM7B. Interestingly, the current M•Audio AIR does not but only when used up close on a voice over goosed to 9.7 or so.
You'd be surprised what I find under the hood. Only Native Instruments and SSL admit to using the Cirrus Logic chip sets but nearly all the others do, too.
I'm hoping that I find a new generation of interfaces being announced when I go to Winter NAMM next month. Decent preamp gain and 32 bit float is what I want to see in the next generation. The current gen using the CL chips was introduced in 3rd Q 2019 though few shipped before 2020.
BIAB 2026 Audiophile Mac 24Core/60CoreGPU M2 MacStudioUltra/8TB/192GB Sequoia/Tahoe, M1 & M5 MBAir, 2012 MBP Digital Performer11, Logic, Finale27/Dorico/Encore/SmartScore/Notion/Overture
Mike and Gordon, thanks for all that reading about speaker cables. I really did have the conversation about faster electrons in Monster Cables, in a little audio store in Maine at my son's college. Great fun, the new physics.
I ran an electronics store fifty years ago. At that time, I wired two adjacent rooms in my house with 16 gauge wire (just fat lamp wire) and haven't touched it since. I still have the original Kenwood amp and tuner, AR turntable, and Pioneer speakers and they all still work great.
I did note that the article mentioned connecting points can become a problem over time, so I just finished disconnecting the speaker wires, stripping the cables a bit, and making new connections on each end. When I am 123, I will do this process again.
BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Fender Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
Another nonsense armchair expert video. I am not going to write a page pointing out all the ways it is crap.
I have tested 43 current USB and TB interfaces for a company that, unfortunately, I cannot name (it can be guessed but I cannot confirm). None of them have adequate gain for dynamic mics except M•Audio — and they actually do recommend using a Cloudlifter with dynamics.
The videos are definitely slightly simplified and take a few liberties, perhaps not 'his fault', but are discussing the noise floor of the pre-amps not the gain of the pre-amps. He says "if your Ein is below -129 dBu you likely don't need a pre-amp". Bearing in mind that the Johnson noise at room temperature of the 150R source most use is -130.9 dBu, I'm inclined to agree with him. It would be better if the specifications given by manufacturers were consistent, though, for example on the weighting used for the measurements, otherwise one makers -129 dBu may not equal another's -129 dBu, which is not too helpful.
Of course this thread is headed "If your audio interface doesnt have enough gain...read on." and the videos don't address that.
The videos were aimed at "ordinary people" to give a guide about how and when to consider parting with their money in the search for a better noise performance. I think they do that well.
Edit: One other thing Mike may imply is that that 'standard' 150R source is not a microphone, and a microphone can be a fairly significantly different source of noise within the signal chain. 150R is "representative" but not "actual".
Last edited by Gordon Scott; 12/30/2305:03 AM.
Jazz relative beginner, starting at a much older age than was helpful. AVL:MXE Linux; Windows 11 BIAB2026 Audiophile, a bunch of other software. Kawai MP6, Ui24R, Focusrite Saffire Pro40 and Scarletts .
... adding more electronics to the signal chain is not necessarily better.
I thought precisely the same, though the subject line is about lack of gain.
Gain can be added "in the box". Digital gain adds precisely zero noise (though it does of course amplify whatever noise is already there).
I've personally found that some of these inline boosters add more noise than simply adding a gain plugin - for example, a few of the ones I tested provided 20db of gain, but also provided more than 20db of noise.
Originally Posted by Gordon Scott
FWIW, I once had a Hi-Fi store demonstration have me doubting my assertion that cables cannot be directional, until I realised that their own bias was causing them to turn the volume slightly higher for the "correct direction".
Directional cables exist and can be beneficial. Consider ground loops - lifting ground at one end of the cable can remove the ground loop, but in some cases there can be a measurable reduction in noise having the lifted end at one end vs the other end.
Originally Posted by Mike Halloran
Canare Star-quad
Canare star quad is fantastic cable, and star quad in general is one of the few ways one cable can be "better" than another.
Originally Posted by rayc
If you REALLY love the sound of your low sensitivity microphone then I can understand the desire to add the inline but why not address the real problem by getting a better interface? Naturally people's experience, equipment, understanding, taste, objectivity and hearing will vary.
This is what I almost always recommend. I use an SM7B directly into my Scarlett mk3 without any sort of booster, and it sounds fantastic. On the very rare occasion that I'm recording something too quiet for an SM7B, I simply use a more sensitive microphone - but that's typically under circumstances where an SM7B wouldn't be appropriate, even with a booster.
Originally Posted by justanoldmuso
i might try the 5 buck micpre again that uses the ina op amp.
I suggest this one. Have built a few myself over the years, including some more "deluxe" ones with phantom power, pad, high pass, and balanced output. We compared them against high end preamps from API, Avalon, SSL, and UAD - and the INA217 preamp held its ground easily in a double blind comparison with a dozen audio engineers and students participating. Most people felt the "character" was closest to the Avalon, and it was quieter than all of them.
Pad, phantom power, and high pass are easy to figure out. For balanced output I used a DRV134PA chip which requires very minimal components to provide balanced output (and is tolerant of shorting one output to ground in the case of unbalanced output).
FWIW I also tried using some of the other single-chip preamps like the SSM2017 and SSM2019, but I've had every single one of those chips eventually fry.
Originally Posted by Gordon Scott
They have and many are very good performers, but they would need to be used with 48V phantom feed
48v isn't a big issue here, since typically the 48v is run through a pair of 6k8 resistors which drop a chunk of that voltage and also limit to a maximum of ~14ma. If the circuit is drawing more than a few milliamps, that can easily drop the voltage to ~30v which I'd say most decent op-amps can handle - and if not, add some resistance to pull the voltage down a bit more (or a zener, but that can add noise).
I'd imagine that having signal on the power rail could be more of an issue for op-amps than for discrete JFETs or BJTs - perhaps this is why they're not widely used in 48v inline preamps.
Directional cables exist and can be beneficial. Consider ground loops - lifting ground at one end of the cable can remove the ground loop, but in some cases there can be a measurable reduction in noise having the lifted end at one end vs the other end.
The observation is sound, but "directional cables" are not implicated. You could reverse a "directional cable" end-for-end, repeat that test, and the outcome would be the same, all other things equal.
Originally Posted by Simon - PG Music
48v isn't a big issue here, since typically the 48v is run through a pair of 6k8 resistors which drop a chunk of that voltage and also limit to a maximum of ~14ma. If the circuit is drawing more than a few milliamps, that can easily drop the voltage to ~30v which I'd say most decent op-amps can handle - and if not, add some resistance to pull the voltage down a bit more (or a zener, but that can add noise).
6k81 +/- 0.1% is the standard. The value isn't really critical and 6k8 is a very standard value. The +/- 0.1% is important for line balance and hence noise pick-up.
I'm a mostly-retired designer. I'll either use suitably rated components (and margins!) and I'll control the conditions if necessary. For me "most decent op-amps can handle" is not an option. If one makes a mistake and there are 10,000 instances of the product in the field, one has questions to answer! I have made the occasional mistake. They can be very expensive for the manufacturer.
Originally Posted by Simon - PG Music
I'd imagine that having signal on the power rail could be more of an issue for op-amps than for discrete JFETs or BJTs - perhaps this is why they're not widely used in 48v inline preamps.
The 48V is, of course, actually on the signal lines, so unavoidable. It must be taken off in the mic or pre-amp for use and however it's taken off must also not risk feeding noise back into the cable. I suspect the reasons Op-Amps are not more widely used in in-line pre-amps is that they tend to cost more, particularly once one a dealt with the supply issues, and with discrete parts, whilst there may be a little more distortion, it's low enough and typically of the "warm" 2nd harmonic form, that's of very little importance.
BTW, I made a SPICE model of what I believe the FETHead comprises, though using other JFET models with similar characteristics and had the right gain and a nice clean signal as far as I could tell by eye. I didn't try to prove noise levels or distortion. They could have done it with only two FETs, but using the four gives an additional small noise improvement. They do only cost a few cents each, though, so the profit margin is pretty near unaffected. As so often, the mechanicals and assembly are where the costs lie. Edit: Incidentally, my model suggested that the circuit heads into clipping territory at an acoustic level of around 110 dB SPL, depending on the mic(*), but at that sort of level, noise shouldn't really be a concern. (*) Or about 116 with that rather insensitive SM7B
Hmm ... costs etc., That SSM2019 is listed on DigiKey at £2.50 at 2500 off ($3?), whilst 2SK880-GR is listed a 15p at 3000 (20 cents?). And no need for power supply to guarantee that the supply to the chip doesn't go above it's 36V rating.
Last edited by Gordon Scott; 12/30/2306:01 AM.
Jazz relative beginner, starting at a much older age than was helpful. AVL:MXE Linux; Windows 11 BIAB2026 Audiophile, a bunch of other software. Kawai MP6, Ui24R, Focusrite Saffire Pro40 and Scarletts .
excuse my dumb question...i am not at your level.. but curious. my question is...in a in line jfet based preamp would it be easier to build than a op amp based one ? with simpler voltage supply schematic ? i always seem to screw up with op amps.
if you guys ever come up with a easy diy in line preamp with variable input impedence...would make a great learning experience for me. i cant find on the net much info re diy in line jfet circuits.
i'm curious at the next namm if we see new usb interfaces with higher preamp gain so i can experiment with getting distant nature sounds.
happy new year.
om
Last edited by justanoldmuso; 12/30/2306:02 AM.
my songs....mixed for good earbuds...(fyi..my vocs on all songs..) https://soundcloud.com/alfsongs (90 songs created useing bb/rb) (lots of tips of mine in pg tips forum.)
my question is...in a in line jfet based preamp would it be easier to build than a op amp based one ? with simpler voltage supply schematic ?
The short answer is definitely, yes, as Triton have amply demonstrated. Their preamp uses just 9 electronic components and could have used just seven, and it uses the 48V directly as its power source. Extracting, isolating and regulating/stabilising power for OpAmps can be a bit of a faff and relatively much more complex and costly.
FYI, I've just looked very briefly at a Cloudlifter CL-1 teardown and what looks on it like a pair of OpAmps are actually 8-pin packages each containing a pair of discrete JFETs, so the principle is likely similar. Again no real power issues, though the FETs are 40V, so something needs to draw enough to keep the Vds below 40V.
Jazz relative beginner, starting at a much older age than was helpful. AVL:MXE Linux; Windows 11 BIAB2026 Audiophile, a bunch of other software. Kawai MP6, Ui24R, Focusrite Saffire Pro40 and Scarletts .
thanks for the info. its just my technical curiosity. i salute your electronics knowledge...
what is rocking me right now is how speedy 2024 is now ive installed it on m2 hooked to my new ryzen mini pc via usb 3. just so fast. bb boots so crazy fast...bam.
sounds like jfets are the way to go. so for jfet circuits is bipolar power needed ? just curious.
happy new year.
om
Last edited by justanoldmuso; 12/31/2308:12 AM.
my songs....mixed for good earbuds...(fyi..my vocs on all songs..) https://soundcloud.com/alfsongs (90 songs created useing bb/rb) (lots of tips of mine in pg tips forum.)
The considerable improvements in two areas of BIAB 2024 make it hard for me to determine which I like better: the improved program loading speed, or the improved regeneration speed. Both are very welcome.
BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Fender Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
sounds like jfets are the way to go. so for jfet circuits is bipolar power needed ? just curious.
One of the handy things about JFETs is that, like valves, they're essentially self-biassing, because the gate (like grid on a valve/tube) can be at 0V and the source (like cathode on a valve/tube) rises until the voltage on the source causes the 0V on the gate to settle at the point where the gate starts to turn off the device. In both the FETHead and Cloudlifter CL-1 circuits, that's exactly how they bias. They both just use the +48V that already exists on the signal wires and they both use the current-limit resistors at their loads.
No special arrangements for power.
Where the circuits differ markedly is that the FETHead uses 50V parts and just drives the current-limit resistors directly, using two JFETs in parallel to reduce the noise a little more. The Cloudlifter in contrast uses a 40V JFET, so has to control the voltage on the drains, so uses a configuration usually known as cascade, where it stacks one JFET on top of another. That reduces the Voltage on the upper JFET's drain to 36V on a 48V system. Both circuits are therefore with their ratings on phantom power at 48V. One slight concern is that if the phantom is at the (allowed) 52V, both circuits go out of spec., however I rather doubt anyone now uses 52V.
FWIW, the Cloudlifter uses slightly noisier JFETs than the FETHead and whilst the FETHead parallels two to reduce the noise, I suspect((*) that the cascode arrangement does not do that. The cascode arrangement might, though, make the Cloudlifter slightly lower distortion, as it offers some negative feedback.
(*)I'd have to check or test and I'm not sure I could be bothered. I reckon the FETHead is 'typically' about 1dB quieter.
There is allegedly a DIY version of the Cloudlifter out there. I couldn't possibly comment.
Jazz relative beginner, starting at a much older age than was helpful. AVL:MXE Linux; Windows 11 BIAB2026 Audiophile, a bunch of other software. Kawai MP6, Ui24R, Focusrite Saffire Pro40 and Scarletts .
Matt. re speed i agree 100 per cent. loving it. never been as good. Happy new year. om
Gordon. great info. i see the upside of jfets. its a pity one doesnt see more jfet audio schematics while op amps one sees lots. i'm just trying to learn.
thanks once again and happy new year.
om
my songs....mixed for good earbuds...(fyi..my vocs on all songs..) https://soundcloud.com/alfsongs (90 songs created useing bb/rb) (lots of tips of mine in pg tips forum.)
its a pity one doesnt see more jfet audio schematics while op amps one sees lots.
Bipolar transistors are still a little quieter than JFETs, though the best of each are quite close to the limits of physics at room temperature. Bipolar transistors can be a little lower distortion than JFETs, though in the mic pre-amp circuits that's not all that significant. In truth distortion in microphone itself probably dominates. OpAmps can be surprisingly good and are probably easier to manage. For many purposes there's really very little benefit in using discrete parts. 1dB maybe.
Bipolar transistors are best for ribbon mics with no transformer as they can be better matched to the very low impoedance, but tring to do that on phantom feed is probably a lost cause and again we're likely talking only a dB or few.
Cooling the circuit substantially can improve all these things be several dB, but again that's not something one could really do electrically/electronically via phantom power. It might be feasible to chill just the junction of transistors with a tiny Peltier device, but the power management would be crazy, assuming it's even technically possible.
Jazz relative beginner, starting at a much older age than was helpful. AVL:MXE Linux; Windows 11 BIAB2026 Audiophile, a bunch of other software. Kawai MP6, Ui24R, Focusrite Saffire Pro40 and Scarletts .
Directional cables exist and can be beneficial. Consider ground loops - lifting ground at one end of the cable can remove the ground loop, but in some cases there can be a measurable reduction in noise having the lifted end at one end vs the other end.
The observation is sound, but "directional cables" are not implicated. You could reverse a "directional cable" end-for-end, repeat that test, and the outcome would be the same, all other things equal. …
Since Simon didn’t quite explain what a true diretlional cable is, only their use, your answer is incorrect.
Directional cables have nothing to do with the stereo store boutique cables scam where the flow of electrons is somehow important. If it were, your answer would have been right.
Actual directional cables are balanced cables with a shield disconnected at one end and are used for the purpose Simon mentioned—to break up ground loops and reversing the direction renders that function ineffective. They are often spec’d in broadcast and TV studios where their use is necessary to solve problems (I used to have a Class 1 FCC License) as well as other installations. You can even buy instrument cables with that design—the shield is connected at the amp—but I’ve never found a situation where one actually lowered the noise floor. They were a fad in the late 1970s using Belden blue cable that turned out to be way too fragile for use as guitar cables.
BIAB 2026 Audiophile Mac 24Core/60CoreGPU M2 MacStudioUltra/8TB/192GB Sequoia/Tahoe, M1 & M5 MBAir, 2012 MBP Digital Performer11, Logic, Finale27/Dorico/Encore/SmartScore/Notion/Overture
Directional cables exist and can be beneficial. Consider ground loops - lifting ground at one end of the cable can remove the ground loop, but in some cases there can be a measurable reduction in noise having the lifted end at one end vs the other end.
The observation is sound, but "directional cables" are not implicated. You could reverse a "directional cable" end-for-end, repeat that test, and the outcome would be the same, all other things equal. …
Since Simon didn’t quite explain what a true diretlional cable is, only their use, your answer is incorrect.
Directional cables have nothing to do with the stereo store boutique cables scam where the flow of electrons is somehow important. If it were, your answer would have been right.
Actual directional cables are balanced cables with a shield disconnected at one end and are used for the purpose Simon mentioned—to break up ground loops and reversing the direction renders that function ineffective. They are often spec’d in broadcast and TV studios where their use is necessary to solve problems (I used to have a Class 1 FCC License) as well as other installations. You can even buy instrument cables with that design—the shield is connected at the amp—but I’ve never found a situation where one actually lowered the noise floor. They were a fad in the late 1970s using Belden blue cable that turned out to be way too fragile for use as guitar cables.
Curious. I've never heard of that use of the term and couldn't, in a quick look on the Web, find any examples of the use. Is it possible that that's a peculiarly Nort-American term and my geographical location is giving me only the Hi-Fi nonsense? I have to concede that at the moment I don't really understand what makes the cables about which Simon and you speak are "directional", but clearly we seem to be talking about quite different things. I certainly acknowledge that the orientation can be important.
For me, cables with the screen disconnected are just that ... cables with the screen disconnected at one end.
Edit: A longer look around today finds some examples of that use of the term "directional cable". Personally I think it's a bad/confusing term, but that's life. I've always tried hard to avoid disconnecting screens, of course, but have to acknowledge that there are times when one appears to have little other choice, especially when the clock is ticking on, e.g., stage or studio time. I have a couple of baluns with ground-lift for when I'm desperate. I rarely use them, but then my cabling setups are relatively simple.
Last edited by Gordon Scott; 01/02/2404:33 AM.
Jazz relative beginner, starting at a much older age than was helpful. AVL:MXE Linux; Windows 11 BIAB2026 Audiophile, a bunch of other software. Kawai MP6, Ui24R, Focusrite Saffire Pro40 and Scarletts .
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Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac - Special Offers End at 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th, 2026!
Order before 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th and SAVE up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® version 2026 for Mac Upgrade packages... and that's not all! With your version 2026 for Mac purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons FREE! Upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks... that's 222 NEW RealTracks available with version Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac!
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® today for as little as $49! Check out the Band-in-a-Box® packages page for all available purchase options.
Learn more about the Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK here.
If you have any questions about which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We're here to help!
202 New RealTracks Released with Band-in-a-Box 2026!
With Band-in-a-Box® 2026, we've released 202 incredible new RealTracks (in sets 468-488) in a variety of genres—featuring your most requested styles!
Jazz, Funk & World (Sets 468-475):
Our new jazz, funk & blues RealTracks include a groovin’ collection of RealTracks and RealDrums! These include more requested “soul jazz” RealTracks featuring artists Neil Swainson (bass), Charles Treadway (organ), Brent Mason (guitar), and Wes Little (drums). There are new “smooth jazz” styles (4), which include a RealTracks first: muted trumpet, as well as slick new smooth jazz brushes options for drums. Blues lovers will be thrilled—there are more “classic acoustic blues” styles, including guitar (5), bass (4), and drums (10) with blues master Colin Linden, featuring understated and tasty background acoustic soloing, plus brushes drums and acoustic bass. There are also new electric blues RealTracks, including electric blues with PG favorite Johnny Hiland (3) and soulful electric slide guitar from Colin Linden (4). If you love funk & gospel, there are great new options this year, including gospel organ (3) from Charles Treadway, as well as new funk, tango, and rock ’n’ roll drums (3) and bass (1). And for big, bold arrangements, we have uptempo soul horns (4) featuring a three-part hip horn section with options for a full mix or stems of each individual horn — plus an accompanying rhythm section (4) of drums, bass, guitar, and electric piano!
Rock & Pop (Sets 476–482):
Our new rock & pop RealTracks bring a powerful mix of requested favorites, fresh genres, and modern chart-inspired styles! We have more of our popular “Producer Layered Acoustic Guitars (15)” featuring Band-in-a-Box favorite Brent Mason. We’ve continued our much-requested disco styles (10), and added new Celtic guitar (5) with a more basic, accessible approach than our previous Drop-D or DADGAD offerings. There are also highly requested yacht rock styles (17), inspired by the smooth, polished soft-rock sound of the late ’70s and early ’80s — laid-back grooves, silky electric pianos, warm textures, elegant harmonic movement, and pristine production aesthetics. Fans of heavier styles will love our new glam metal (13), capturing the flashy, high-energy sound of ’80s arena-ready guitar rock. We also have a set of rootsy modern-folk rock (18), with a warm, organic sound combining contemporary folk textures and driving acoustic strumming. And we’ve added lots of new modern pop styles (16) — the kinds of sounds you’re hearing on the radio today, featuring exciting new drums, synths, and cutting-edge RealTracks arrangements.
Country, & Americana (Sets 483–488):
Our new country & Americana RealTracks deliver a rich collection of acoustic, electric, and roots-inspired styles! We have new country pop (9) with legendary guitarist Brent Mason. There is also a potpourri (14) of bouzouki, guitars, banjo, and more, perfect for adding texture and character to contemporary acoustic arrangements. We’ve added funky country guitar (5) with PG favorite Brent Mason, along with classic pedal steel styles (5) featuring steel great Doug Jernigan. There are more country songwriter styles (8) that provide intimate, rootsy foundations for storytelling and modern Americana writing. Finally, we have “background soloing” acoustic guitar (12) with Brent Mason — simpler, but still very tasty acoustic lines designed to sit beautifully behind vocals or act as a subtle standalone solo part.
And, if you are looking for more, the 2026 49-PAK (for $49) includes an impressive collection of 20 bonus RealTracks, featuring exciting and inspiring additions to add to your RealTracks library. You'll get new country-rhythm guitar styles from PG Music favorites Johnny Hiland and Brent Mason, along with modern-pop grooves that capture today’s radio-ready sound! There are also new indie-folk styles with guitar, bass, 6-string bass used as a high-chording instrument, acoustic guitar, and banjo. Plus, dedicated "cymbal fills" RealDrums provide an added layer that work very well with low-key folky styles with other percussion.
The 2026 49-PAK is loaded with other great new add-ons as well. Learn more about the 2026 49-PAK!
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One of our representatives will be happy to help you on our Live Chat or by email. Our hours of operation are from
6:00AM to 6:00PM PST (GMT -8) Monday thru Friday; 8:00AM to 4:00PM PST (GMT -8) Saturday; Closed Sunday.
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