you might ask, if nearly every DAW interface and console has its own mic amps, why use an outboard one? There's usually only one answer: because a dedicated unit sounds a lot better. An outboard mic pre generally provides higher highs and lower lows (meaning it has better frequency response), and it is clearer and cleaner. this sound-quality improvement does come at a price. while the parts of a typical mic amp in a console hover somewhere around $20 a channel (if that), an outboard mic pre can cost anywhere from $100 to several thousand dollars per channel. with the increased cost usually comes a superior design with better-quality components, as well as a larger box to put them in (usually at least 1U high with a standard 19-inch rack mount).