I scored some Universal Audio Solo 110 preamps on the used market, but couldn't turn the input gain low enough to avoid clipping when mic'ing loud guitar cabinets with a condenser and phantom driven ribbon mic...This immediately solved the problem, I got two of them and dialed them into the -20db setting and everything was good to go. I can't claim that it's 100% transparent because I can't get a decent sound (that doesn't clip like crazy) without it, but the sound is very very good regardless. One of the mics I'm running is an Audio Technica as well, they make incredible products!