Welcome to FiveFish Studios! We provide high quality, professional mic preamp kits, power supply kits and other audio-related kits to the recording professional.
All PCBs, electronic parts and schematics are completely provided in the kit package. In addition, well-written Assembly guides in PDF format, complete with numerous photos, diagrams and detailed instructions can be downloaded from our website to help and guide you through the build process.
SAVE more by getting our Package Deals! Get discounts & lower shipping!
X-12mk500 Mic Preamp X-12 Mic preamp in the API 500 Series Lunchbox format. Big and beefy with lots of transformer mojo goodness. $ 395
SC-1mk500 Mic Preamp API 500 Series Lunchbox compatible Available with or without Input Transformers $299 / $369
SC-1mk2 Rack Case - (4) channels Available for DIY project, will fit 4 SC-1mk2 pre kits Note: We also sell ready-made 2 and 4-channel racked preamps $190
X-12 Rack Case - (2) channels Available for DIY project, will fit 2 X-12 preamp kits Note: We also sell ready-made 2 racked preamps $190
SC-1mk2 Mic Preamp Available with or without Input Transformers 2nd Generation of our popular SC-1 Mic Preamp $ 295 - 2channels + PSU
X-12 Mic Preamp Kit Inspired by a classic design, that 70s L.A. sound Input and Output transformers are standard $299
More products can be found here... Power Supplies, VU Meters, Rack Cases, Knobs, etc...
Our mic preamps and kits are used in professional and home recording studios around the world. You can count on excellent sound quality, high quality parts and components with our DIY kits.
Feel free to email us if you have any further questions! Or explore around our site!
FiveFish Studios is a member of the Audio Engineering Society.
I wanted to say that I'm cutting bass gtr with the one you sent back, and I love this preamp. You did a great job with the design and sound of this pre. I had tried it on other stuff, but this sounds amazing, whether DI in or DI-box in. Thanks for a great product.
BTW your X-12 ROCKS. I really like the sound of this pre. I did some experiments with acoustic piano and condenser mics this past weekend... it is REALLY sweet! - Steve K., USA
Received the rack case and second SC-1mk2 Saturday. Your case made the job very neat and easy, very well made and the front panel is beautiful! Both preamps working very well and sound great. Decided to add the other two SC-1mk2 preamps but these will not have the transformers. Will buy the next two SC-1mk2 middle of July. Again, I am very happy with your product, outstanding!
I opted for a second SC-1mk500 hand-built by FiveFish Studios and had a first chance to test it today. I own an Auora gtq, a Sebatron vmp and an A Designs p1. And as I wrote earlier I had a Forsell smp and a DAV here for testing not too long ago. I tested the SC-1mk500 on my voice with my Pearlman and my SM7 and I have to say I'm very impressed. Your pre sounds fantastic especially the SM7 really sounds like a condenser with it. None of the other pres did that (Forsell was also good with it). You can hear the transformer (at least this is what I believe, I don't have the transformerless version to compare) but it's color is really great and makes the SC-1mk500 more exciting on voice than the Forsell and the Dav. I think it's sound is (close to) perfect. I also think i like it better than my other pres... Just wanted to say thanks for that! - Istvan, Germany
I must say that the preamp has more than met my expectations. I wanted to get a 3124, but didn't because I didn't have $2400. I simply wanted one channel of *that sound* or something similar enough to give me an overhead mic that was punchy on drums, or could act as a second mic on other acoustic instruments for a different flavor that could be mixed in. Well as it stands after hearing it, the X-12 has now taken a front seat with everything I'll record from now on! I will probably get a second one eventually. Great job! I'm very pleased with it.
SC-1mk500 Feedback: Your preamp is amazing...I received the preamp yesterday but didn’t have the chance to try it out until tonight. Amazing!!! I don’t understand how you get such a fat sound with no input transfo.
I tried the SC-1 pres up against the Axi and the Uxxxxxxxl Axxxo with great results. They really open up the ribbon mics I have made. We were kinda shocked (big improvement) but your pres sounded much better than the Axxs!
The Pre's are DOPE! I though I would be able to hear a big difference between my Gxxxx Rxxxx 500xx and the Five Fish [SC-1mk500]. I was wrong. It is damn close! I mean really close. The bass stays tight and big and the highs clear and open. I am extremely happy with them. I am sure they will remain in my lunchbox for the long haul.
The SC-1 is capturing much more of the frequency spectrum. The lows are fuller and beefier, the highs are airier, and they are allowing the mics to "speak" with their full capabilities. I am finding I will really be doing less as far as eqing, and the sound that is being captured is more professional.
Just bought one of these 500 series pres from the Five Fish Ebay listing. The one I ordered was pre assembled and has the optional Nickel Input Transformer. First impressions are WOW! The unit came very professionally packed and the build quality and components are top notch.
Man this thing is hot!! The pre has no sibilance yet it was very clean. It has a wonderfully silky sound, the lows are not boomy the mids are warm and the highs as afore mentioned are very precise without fatiguing the listener. It also is very airy on vocals as well. Big ups to the guys at Five Fish.
The high-end is better than some very exclusive pre-amps I use in my studio. Especially on female vocals recorded with a microphone with very high-end response your pre-amp really shines musically. I had never expected such a result from your preamp... Great work!
The pre-amps both worked perfectly from the first time and sound very good. I've already had questions about buying more of these kits 'wholesale' in numbers. It's a solid product and I had fun building it.
The SC-1 to me sounded warmer, fuller and in general more musical than others. The guy who runs the lab was pretty blown away that 4 channels of that quality only cost $700 (plus build time) and was definitly interested in a prebuilt unit.
The project was a lot of fun and I must say that your directions and packaging are as close to perfect as anyone can imagine. Please keep me posted about your emerging products.
By Eddie Ciletti. With the state of today's economy, it's hard to predict (or have confidence in) the days ahead. Looking into my silicon crystal ball, your passion for knowledge and the declining value of a dollar tell me there might be a D.I.Y. kit on your holiday gift list this year. And there are a lot of reasons to love these kits: They teach us almost as much about our retail gear as they do about D.I.Y.
fivefishstudios: @auralhistories Maybe time to buy a new FW external case/controller and move the HD to the new case?
fivefishstudios: finally working on a photoshop website mockup for a client. So far, so good. I like it. 25% done though... still working on homepage.
fivefishstudios: Reordered LOTS of Input and Output transformers for our preamps. Also reordered Front Panels for lunchbox and 1u Rack cases. I'm now broke.
fivefishstudios: Just arrived... 5 ft. tall of flo-pak peanuts, bubble wrap, and shipping boxes delivered by UPS. I'm out of storage room. Use the bathroom?
