i know nothing about pre-amps, is this a score?

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older Altec Lansing 1699-A mono mixer/pre-amp from the 80's $40

is that a good score?

[øøøøøøø]

It's about right.

These Altec preamps are the ones that were in every elementary school or high school auditorium, and other public places and government offices where public address was needed and fidelity wasn't a priority.

They can be cool for certain 'character' applications, like if you want a really gnarly snare drum sound.  Is yours one of the green-face ones?  Those are the 'textbook' Altec preamps.

They have a sound.  It is not what you would want as your only, or main microphone preamp.  But to have one in the rack to put on just the right source one day out of the month or whatever isn't bad.  Worth 40 bucks anyway.

[panoramic]

good to know, I am trying to build a set up that is more appropriate for actual recordings.

[panoramic]

sounds like a solid plan, I need to get the hum out of my recordings asap