Magnetic and Piezo Buffer – MPB2

The MPB2-918 is a dual channel buffer preamp. One channel has a high impedance input for use with a piezo or microphonic transducer. The other channel provides isolation and boost for magnetic pickups and features adjustable gain allowing you to boost the input signal up to 12dB (4X) while maintaining flat frequency response. It is less than ½ the size of a 9-volt battery making it ideal for instruments with limited cavity space. The MPB2-918 provides a strong output signal and isolation from external equipment that may otherwise adversely affect pickup tone.
The kit includes a blend pot for mixing the magnetic and piezo signals into a common output for connection to an EQ preamp or direct to the jack. The MPB2-918 is ideal for providing excellent tone from an instrument with 2 magnetic pickups and a piezo bridge pickup. Both channels deliver clear and transparent sound with extremely low distortion.
Like all of our preamps, the MPB2-918 is internally shielded to reject electromagnetic noise and includes internal filters to block AM and FM radio on the inputs. Bartolini set the standard of fully sealing the sensitive electronics. We use professional double tin plated pure copper wire with durable semi-rigid insulation. This ensures the 4” pre-stripped wires don’t flop around in the cavity and the wires don’t cut through the insulation over time.
It can be used with either a single 9-volt battery (9-volt operation) or two 9-volt batteries wired in series (18-volt operation) for double the (6dB extra) headroom with no tonal change.