Build The Four-Channel SSM2019 Phantom Powered Mic Preamp - 9 Steps (With Pictures) - Instructables

3/3/23, 11:13 PM Build the Four-Channel SSM2019 Phantom Powered Mic Preamp : 9 Steps (with Pictures) - Instructables
Build the Four-Channel SSM2019 Phantom Powered

Mic Preamp
By DJJules in CircuitsAudio 20,276 78 22 Featured
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By DJJules
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About: I started taking things apart when I was 6 started putting them back together at 8 and they actually
worked again when I was 10 or 11... More About DJJules »
As you may have noticed from some of my other Instructables, I have a

passion for audio. I am also a DIY guy going way back. When I needed four
more channels of microphone preamplifiers to expand my USB audio interface,
I knew it was a DIY project.
Several years ago, I bought a Focusrite USB audio interface. It has four mic
preamps and four-line level inputs along with some digital inputs. It is a great
piece of hardware and met my needs. That was until I built a bunch of
microphones. So, I set out to resolve this discrepancy. Thus, the SSM2019
Four Channel Mic Preamp was born!
I had a few design goals for this project.
It would be as simple as possible and use a minimum of components.
It would have phantom power to allow me to use all the Pimped

Alice microphones I have built.
It would have a high impedance (Hi-Z) input on each channel for piezo
transducers, a future project of mine. This would be an easy add if the case
and power supply were already part of the main project.
It would have pro audio specs: clean, low distortion and low noise. As good
or better than the existing preamps in my Focusrite interface.
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Step 1: The Design
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I started studying what was already out there. I am very familiar with analog
design and had my eye on the SSM2019, having previously used its older
cousin, the now obsolete SSM2017. The SSM2019 is available in an 8 pin DIP
package, which means it can be easily bread boarded. I came across some
fantastic information on microphone preamplifier design from That Corp. (See
the reference section) Unfortunately, all of their specific preamplifier chips are
small surface mount packages. And, the specs are only marginally better than
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the SSM2019. I do applaud them for their knowledge sharing and design
information. The specs on the SSM2019 are fantastic and like most audio
operational amplifiers these days, will exceed the rest of the signal chain for
performance. I used two fixed gain stages with a potentiometer allowing
adjustment of the signal between them. This keeps the design simple and
eliminates the need for challenging to find parts; such as antilog
potentiometers and multi contact switches with unique resistor values. It also
keeps THD + noise well below .01%
During my design process, I had an epiphany on phantom power. Most people

think of 48 Volts as the “standard”. This goes way back and was important
when the phantom power voltage was used to bias the capsule for condenser
microphones. Currently, most condenser microphones use phantom power to
make a stable lower voltage source. They use a Zener internally to generate 6-
12VDC. That voltage is used to run the internal electronics and to generate a
higher voltage to polarize the capsule. This is actually the best way to do this.
You get a nice stable capsule voltage which can be higher than 48V if needed.
The phantom power spec for microphones call out 48V, 24V and 12V. Each
uses different values of coupling resistors. 48V uses 6.81K, 24V with 1.2K and
12V uses 680 Ohm. In essence, phantom power is needed to get a certain
amount of power to the microphone. My epiphany was this: The voltage needs
to be high enough for the internal 12V Zener to function. If I used the +15V
available in my project and the appropriate coupling resistor value, it should
work just fine. This actually solves two other problems. First is not needing a
separate power supply just for phantom power. Second, and more important to
my design is simplicity. By keeping the phantom power voltage at or less than
the supply voltage for the SSM2019, we eliminate a lot of extra circuitry that is
needed for protection. The guys at That Corp presented two papers at AES
entitled “The Phantom Menace” and “The 48V Phantom Menace Returns”.
These specifically deal with the challenges of having a 47-100uF capacitor
charged to 48V in a circuit. Shorting that out accidentally can cause a lot of
issues. Energy stored in the capacitor is function of voltage squared so just by
going from 48V to 15V we lower the stored energy by a factor of 10. We also5/27
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prevent a voltage above the supply voltage on any of the signal input pins of
the SSM2019. Read That Corps design guide for examples of what is needed
to make a preamp bullet proof.
Just to be transparent, I started this project thinking I was going to use 24VDC
phantom power and then in the process of troubleshooting the power supply,
came up with the idea of using the +15 already available. Initially I put the
power supply inside the preamp case. This caused multiple hum and buzzing
problems. I ended up with the bulk of the power supply in an external case with
just the voltage regulators in the case. The end result is a very quiet preamp
that is on par if not better than the internal ones in my Focusrite interface.
Design goal #4 achieved!
Let’s look at the circuit and see what is happening. The SSM2019 block in the
blue rectangle is main circuit. The two 820 Ohm resistors couple in the
phantom power from the light green area where the toggle switch applies +15
to the 47uF capacitor via a 47 Ohm resistor. Both 820 Ohm resistors are on the
“+” side of 47uF coupling capacitors that bring in the microphone signal. On the
other side of the coupling capacitors are two 2.2K resistors that tie the other
side of the capacitors to ground and keep the inputs to the SSM2019 at a DC
ground potential. The data sheet shows 10K but mentions they should be as
low as possible to minimize noise. I picked 2.2K to be lower but not greatly
affect the input impedance of the whole circuit. The 330 Ohm resistor sets the
gain of the SSM2019 to +30db. I picked this value as it provides the minimum
gain that I would need. With this gain and +/-15V supply rails clipping should
not be an issue. The 200pf Capacitor across the input pins are for EMI/RF
protection for the SSM2019. This is right off the data sheet for RF protection.
There are also two 470pf capacitors at the XLR jack for RF protection. On the
signal input side, we have a DPDT toggle switch acting as our phase select
switch. I wanted to be able to use a piezo contact pickup on a guitar (or other
acoustic instruments) while simultaneously using a microphone. This allows for
phase reversal of the microphone if needed. If it weren’t for that, I would have
eliminated it as most recording programs allows you to invert phase post

recording. The output of the SSM2019 goes to a 10K potentiometer for level
adjustment to the next stage.
Now on to the high impedance side. In the red rectangle, we have a classic
non-inverting buffer based on one section of an OPA2134 dual op amp. This is
my favorite op amp for audio. Very low noise and distortion. Similar to the
SSM2019, it won’t be the weakest link in the signal chain. The .01uF capacitor
couples the signal in from the ¼” input jack. The 1M resistor provided a ground
reference. Interestingly, the noise of the 1M resistor can be heard by turning
the level of the high Z input all the way up. However, when a Piezo pick up is
connected, the capacitance of the piezo pickup forms an RC filter with the 1M
resistor. That knocks the noise way down (and it’s not bad in the first place.)
From the output of the op amp, we go to a 10K potentiometer for final level
adjustment.
The final section of the circuit is the final gain stage summing amplifier built
around the second section of the OPA2134 op amp. See the green rectangle in
the illustrations. This is an inverting stage with the gain set by the ratio of the
22K resistor and the 2.2K resistor(s) giving us a gain of 10 or +20dB. The 47pf
capacitor across the 22K resistor is for stability and RF protection. The 10K
potentiometers are linear. Which means that when the wiper moves across the
range of rotation, the resistance from the starting point varies linearly with
change in rotation. In the middle, you get 5K to either end. However, we hear
differently. We hear logarithmically. Which is why decibels (dB) are used to
measure sound levels. By using a 10K linear potentiometer feeding a 2.2K
resistor, we achieve a level change that sounds way more natural. The op amp
keeps the inverting input at a virtual ground. For AC signals, the 2.2K resistor is
tied to the virtual ground. The halfway point of rotation is about -12dB
attenuation with the last eighth of rotation only 1.2db of difference. This feels
much smoother than a lot of other preamplifiers where the pot is changing the
gain of the preamp. It works better than pre-amps that have a gain adjust
potentiometer. Usually the last bit of increase causes a quick bump in the final
gain and a bit of noticeable noise. The Focusrite responds this way. Mine does
not. The signal is coupled out of the op amp via a 47 Ohm resistor. This
protects the op amp and keeps it stable when driving a long cable run should
you need to do that. One final thing for the two IC chips. These are both high
bandwidth high gain devices. They must have good power supply bypassing
with .1uF capacitors mounted close to the supply pins. This prevents weird
things from happening and keeps them nice and stable.
To sum it all up, there are two fixed gain stages, a 30dB and 20dB for a total
gain of 50dB. The level adjustment is made by varying the signal level between
the two gain stages. There is also a high impedance input available on each
channel that is perfect for piezo pickups and other instruments (guitar and
bass) that need a bit of level adjustment prior to recording. All with very low
distortion and noise. Phantom power is 15VDC which should work with most
modern condenser microphones. One notable exception is the Neumann U87
Ai. That microphone is my pride and joy. Internally it has a 33V Zener for an
intermediary power supply. For me that is not as issue as my Focusrite has
48V phantom power. All the rest of mine work just fine.
The Power Supply:
The power supply is an old school classic design. It uses a center tapped
transformer, a bridge rectifier and two large filter capacitors. The transformer is
24VAC center tapped. Meaning we can ground the center tap and get 12VAC
from each leg. Wait – aren’t we using +/- 15VDC? How does this work? There
are two things happening: First the 12VAC is an RMS value. For a sine wave,
the peak voltage is 1.4X higher (technically the square root of two) so that
gives a peak of 17volts. Second the transformer is rated to supply 12VAC at
full load. Which means at light load (and this circuit is not using a lot of power)
we have an even higher voltage. All this results in about 18VDC available to
the voltage rectifiers. We are using 7815 and 7915 linear voltage regulators
and I picked ones from National Japan Radio that are plastic cased. This
means you don’t need an insulator between the regulator and the case when
mounting them. Initially I built the power supply internal to the mic pre-amp
case. That didn’t work out too well as I had some hum and buzzing, all related
to how close my transformer was to the internal microphone wiring. I ended up
putting the transformer, rectifier, and large filter caps in a separate box. I used
a 4 terminal XLR connector I had in the parts bin to bring the unregulated DC
into the main case where the regulators are mounted close to the main circuit
board. As mentioned earlier, initially I was going to use 24VDC for Phantom
power and ended up not doing that thus simplifying my circuit and getting rid of
the 24V regulator (and a higher voltage transformer!)
MicPreSSM2019JulesRyckebusch2018.pdf
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Step 2: Construction: the Case
The Case:
If you haven’t noticed yet, my paint scheme and labeling are pretty funky. My
kid was doing a school project and we had the three colors of spray paint
available so on a whim I used all three. Then I got the idea to just hand paint
the labeling with yellow enamel and a small brush. Pretty much the only one in
the world that looks like this! I got my case from Tanner Electronics in Dallas, a
surplus store. I found it on line at Mouser and other places. It is Hammond P/N
1456PL3. You may want to label it and paint it differently, that is up to you!
Step 3: Construction: Circuit Board
PC Board:
I built the circuit on a prototyping breadboard. First building one channel to

ensure the design worked as expected. Then built the other three channels.
See photo 1 and 2 for the layout. My OPA2134’s are from Burr Brown, which
was acquired by TI in 2000. I bought 100 of these back in the day and still have
a few. Notice the .1uF bypass caps all mounted on the underside of the board.
These are important for stability of the IC chips.
BOM Mic-Pre.xlsx Download
Step 4: Construction: F
ront Panel Jacks and Controls:
Front Panel Jacks and Controls:
Depending on your case choice your layout may vary. I used Switchcraft panel
mount ¼” jacks that will connect the front panel to ground. To minimize ground
loops, connect the ground of the XLR jack (Pin-1) with the shortest length
possible to the front panel. For my layout, I connected them to the ground lead
of the “Hi Z” input jacks. I prewired the phase reversal switches by cross
connecting the two outer connections of the Double Pole Double Throw
(DPDT) switch. Then the microphone input from the XLR will go to the center
leads and one of the outer connections to the circuit board. This way when the
switch position is changed, the phase reverses. Before mounting the XLR
jacks, solder on the two 470pf capacitors for RF/EMI shielding. This makes it
much easier later! Mount the potentiometers on the front panel. I used a small
sharpie or other marker to label things on the inside panel to help with
connections later. And to remind me which lug of the potentiometers should be
connected to ground. Then connect all the ground connections for the pots
together using a common uninsulated bare wire. Later that connection will run
to the common ground point.
Step 5: Construction: Internal Wiring
Internal Connections:
For the microphone signal wires, I twisted 22gauge wires together and
connected the input XLR jacks to the phase select toggle switches. Twisting
them together minimizes any stray EMI and RF. In theory, internal to the metal
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case we shouldn’t have any, as everything in this project is pure analog
circuitry. Don’t worry about the phase specifically yet. Be consistent in how all
the channels are wired. We will figure out in testing which position of the switch
will be “normal” and which one is reverse.
For the rest of the audio wiring I used single conductor shielded and connected
the shield to ground at one end only. This keeps our signals shielded and
prevents ground loops. I had a roll of 26-gauge shielded Type “E” wire that I
got surplus from Skycraft in Orlando a long time ago. There are vendors that
sell it online or you can use a different single conductor shielded. For each
connection, I prepared a length of it with the shield exposed on one end and
the other just the center conductor. I put some heat shrink over the shield on
the non-connected end to insulate it. See the photo’s. Work methodically and
connect one thing at a time. I then tie wrapped each group of four wires
together to keep things as neat as possible.
Step 6: Construction: Power Supply
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Power Supply:
I built my supply in a smaller project box. There is ONE thing you must do to
make this safe and meet code. You must have a fuse on the primary of the
transformer. I used an in-line fuse holder with a ¼ amp fuse. That will blow if
the transformer draws more than 25W, which it should not. This whole thing
uses at most 2W with four mics connected.
Voltage Regulators:
Prepare the voltage regulators before mounting to the panel by soldering on

the two filter capacitors, 10uF for the input and .1uF on the output. I also
attached input wires to them to prevent confusion later. Remember: The 7815
and 7915 are wired differently. See the data sheets for pin numbering and
connections. After everything is mounted, it is time to make all the internal
connections.
Power and Ground Connections:
I used color coded wire to connect the DC power leads to the circuit board. All
the ground connections run back to one connection point in the project case.
This is a typical “Star” grounding scheme. Because I had already built the
power supply internally. I still had two large filter capacitors internal to the case.
I kept these and used them for the incoming DC power. I already had a power
switch in the case (DPDT) and I used that to switch the +/- unregulated DC
power to the regulators. I directly connected the ground wire.
Once all the connections are complete, take a break and come back later to
check everything! This is the most critical step.
I recommend that you test the power supply and ensure that the polarities are
right and you have +15VDC and -15VDC from the regulators before connecting
them to the circuit board. I mounted two LEDs on my panel to show that there
was power. You don’t have to do this but it is a nice add. You will need a
current limiting resistor in series with each LED. A 680 Ohm to 1K will work just
fine.
Step 7: Construction: Patch Cables
Patch Cables:
This part could be a separate Instructable. To make this usable, you need to
connect all four channels to the line inputs of the Focusrite interface. I plan on
having them right next to each other so I needed four short patch cables. I
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found some great single conductor cable that was sturdy and not expensive at
Redco. They also have good ¼” plugs. The cable has an outer copper braided
shield and a conductive plastic inner shield. That has to be removed when
making the patch cables. See the photo sequence for my cable assembly
method. I like to take the shield and wrap it around the ground connection of
the ¼” jack then solder it. This makes the cable quite sturdy. Although you
should always unplug a patch cable by holding the connector, accidents
happen sometimes. This method helps.
Step 8: Testing and Use
Testing and use:
The first thing we need to do is determine the polarity of the phase switches. To
do this you will need two identical microphones. Which I am assuming you
have, or you wouldn’t need a four-channel pre-amp! Connect one to a
Focusrite mic pre-amp input and the other to channel one of the four channel
mic-pre. Pan both to center. Hold the microphones close to each other and talk
sing or hum while moving your mouth past the two microphones. Headphones
really help with this part. You should not hear a null or dip in the output if the
mics are in phase with each other. Switch the phase of the mic and repeat. If
they are out of phase, you will hear a null or dip in level. You should be able to
tell really quickly which position is in phase and out of phase.
I noticed with the level pot about half way I get nominal gain for my mics and
that matches roughly where I normally set the Focusrite pre-amp gain knob to
about 1-2 O’clock. Interestingly the spec on the Focusrite is up to 50dB of gain.
When I have it turned all the way up (with no mic connected) I get a slight hiss.
It is just a bit louder than my SSM2019 based preamp. I do not have elaborate
test equipment available. However, I do have lot of experience in both the
studio and live sound and this preamp is a top performer.
For the Hi-Z inputs, I soldered a Piezo Disc to a 1/4" jack and verified that
everything works and the gain range is correct. I plan on testing this on an
acoustic guitar in the near future.
I am excited about having a full eight channels of mic inputs available for
recording. I have a couple MS microphones and 8 of my Pimped Alice
microphones. This will let me experiment with different mic placements at the
same time. It also opens the door for a project I have wanted to try for a long
time – an Ambisonic microphone. One with four internal capsules intended to
capture surround sound and multidirectional sound.
Stay tuned for several more microphone Instructables!

Step 9: References
These are a wealth of information for analog audio, mic preamp design and
proper grounding for audio circuitry.
References:
Data Sheet SSM2019
Data Sheet OPA2134
Phantom Power Wikipedia
That Corp“Phantom Menace”
That Corp Analog Secrets Your Mother Never Told You
That Corp More Analog Secrets Your Mother Never Told You
That Corp Designing Microphone Preamps
Whitlock Audio Grounding, Whitlock
Rane “note 151”: Grounding and Shielding

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3/3/23, 11:13 PM Build the Four-Channel SSM2019 Phantom Powered Mic Preamp : 9 Steps (with Pictures) - Instructables

Build the Four-Channel SSM2019 Phantom Powered

As you may have noticed from some of my other Instructables, I have a

I had a few design goals for this project.

It would be as simple as possible and use a minimum of components.

It would have phantom power to allow me to use all the Pimped

Add Tip Ask Question Comment Download

Step 1: The Design

During my design process, I had an epiphany on phantom power. Most people

eliminated it as most recording programs allows you to invert phase post

The Power Supply:

Add Tip Ask Question Comment Download

Step 2: Construction: the Case

Add Tip Ask Question Comment Download

Step 3: Construction: Circuit Board

I built the circuit on a prototyping breadboard. First building one channel to

BOM Mic-Pre.xlsx Download

Add Tip Ask Question Comment Download

Front Panel Jacks and Controls:

Step 5: Construction: Internal Wiring

Add Tip Ask Question Comment Download

Step 6: Construction: Power Supply

Prepare the voltage regulators before mounting to the panel by soldering on

Power and Ground Connections:

Step 7: Construction: Patch Cables

Add Tip Ask Question Comment Download

Step 8: Testing and Use

Testing and use:

Stay tuned for several more microphone Instructables!

That Corp“Phantom Menace”

That Corp Analog Secrets Your Mother Never Told You

That Corp More Analog Secrets Your Mother Never Told You

That Corp Designing Microphone Preamps

Whitlock Audio Grounding, Whitlock

Rane “note 151”: Grounding and Shielding

Add Tip Ask Question Comment Download

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