mee

In looking at their published specifications (see URLs in OP), it looks like the SP PA has a higher S/N ratio than the Reactive PA. I think a couple of other specs (frequency, etc.) looked better on the SP spec list. I don't know how accurate the specs are, however, and whether they would make an audible difference. Anyone know?

Two mini pre-amps that could be used for portable recording: http://www.soundprofessionals.com/c.../item/SP-PREAMP and http://www.reactivesounds.com/spa2.php About the same price. Some feature comparisons: The SP pre-amp has the size advantage, important for portable, stealth recording. Both small and pocketable, but the Reactive PA is more than an inch longer than the SP. (Other dimensions similar, Reactive even slightly thinner. But significantly longer!) But the Reactive PA ("Boost Box") looks like it has some other advantages. Most notably, the clipping light. Since the H120 (mp3 player that records) has no level meters, setting the gain and level on a pre-amp is normally just guesswork, which I assume would occur with the SP PA. With the Reactive unit, though, the directions say that you set it to lowest gain, then slowly turn up the gain until the clipping light starts to light, then back off a little. Also--simpler controls on the Reactive PA. Besides on/off, just one continuous rotary dial to control gain. The SP PA, on the other hand, has a three position switch for gain (0db, 29db, and 50 db), and a rotary dial for "level". (Could someone please explain the difference between "gain" and "level"? Sorry for the newbie question.) (The 0 db setting gives no pre-amp function at all, I guess then functioning like a battery box, the 50 db setting is probably too high for most uses, so I would guess most users leave the gain setting to 29db, and do fine setting with the rotary level dial. The Reactive web site states that it is much better for the rotary (continuous) dial to control "gain", as theirs does, rather than "level", as the SP does. What do those reading who understand "gain" and "level" think of that statement? True? In any case, it certainly looks simpler to set--just one rotary dial to set, using the clipping light for guidance. With the SP PA you have to set the three way gain switch, and the rotary level dial, and if you have no level meter, those two settings have to be guessed. I guess I'm leaning towards the Reactive Sounds "Boost Box", although I like the smaller size of the SP PA. However, I am not too knowledgeable about this stuff, and perhaps one of you could understand more of the specs of these two units than I can. If someone has actually tried both and could compare them, that would be great! Any comments on comparing those two mini battery pre-amps--Sound Professionals and Reactive Sounds, would be well-appreciated.