Topic: Preamp

[hippiebob]

I'm looking at buying my entire rig at one time...just getting started here.

Here's what I have picked out so far:
Sony PCM-M10
Superlux CM H8K Mic Set
Stand/Cables

What else do I need? Some kind of preamp?

[F.O.Bean]

Naiant LittleBox

[hippiebob]

ouch...anything a little more economical?

[gkatz]

the littlebox would probably be the best choice in the long run, once you want to upgrade your mics, and probably the best bang for your buck. There are cheaper alternatives, such as the ones made by ART and Rolls etc. The opinions you find here will generally be geared toward the higher end of things, so most people will not recommend getting a 50 dollar ART preamp. Here's a link for the 80 dollar one with a usb option and 9 volt battery powering.   something like this should get the job done, although possibly with more noise than the littlebox.

You could also look into getting a modded edirol UA-5. they pop up in the yardsale for fairly cheap pretty frequently. actually, there is one in there now for 200

[rjp]

ouch...anything a little more economical?

Welcome to taperssection - please kiss your wallet goodbye. 

Actually, the Littlebox is one of the best deals out there in price vs. quality. Plus, the Littlebox can be kept in play as you upgrade other equipment.

[SmokinJoe]

Most experienced tapers will tell you the quality of your tape is a result of
- mics (most important)
- preamp (2nd most important)
- recorder/AtoD (3rd most important)

It's natural to focus on the recorder because that's the piece you interact with, but skimping on the mics and preamp to buy a nice recorder probably isn't a great strategy.  The mics do the hardest part... converting sound energy in the air into voltage.. the preamp preserves it, and the recorder logs it away.  If you don't get a good capture at the mics, the finest preamp and recorder in the world can't improve it.  Accordingly, it's generally considered wise to spend the biggest chunk of budget on mics, then on preamp, and the least amount on the recorder.    I've heard really nice recordings made analog in to a D8, H120, and JB3, and while those aren't the best A/D in the world, they work, because it's all about having a good signal coming into it.  Everyone tends to get hung up on bitrate, and there is some truth to it, but it only matters once you get a good analog signal.

The other thing to consider is that some mic and preamp combos go great together, and some don't, and it's sometimes hard to predict what will be a great combo and what won't.
One moderately priced combo that goes pretty well together is a pair of Studio Project C4's and Edirol UA-5.   There are hundreds on the LMA http://www.archive.org/search.php?query=C4%20and%20UA5%20AND%20collection%3Aetree  Listen to some and see what you think.
I did a similar search for "H8K and Littlebox" and got nothing.  There are quite a few H8K and UA-5 however.   My advice to a newbie is to shoot for a known combo that works well, rather than gamble on the unknown.  If you happen to pick a combo that doesn't go well together, it's a bummer.

Just my 2 cents worth.

[rastasean]

I think if you spend a few minutes browsing in the yard sale you will find a much better pair than the superlux. Don't get discouraged by used gear since its well taken care of by nearly all tapers.

So I would say:
-sony m10
-littlebox
-mics in yard sale
-stand
-cables
-batteries

Just remember this:

Welcome to taperssection - please kiss your wallet goodbye. 

[stevetoney]

If you say ouch about the Littlebox, that tells me that your budget might not support a full sized open rig.  Go for the best quality you can in a modest budget and go with Church Audio (CA-14 > 9100 or 9200 preamp) gear until you can swing a higher end full-size rig.  This provides the best bang for buck and you'll be recording very nice quality recordings into your M10 for a total of right around $500.  Some people have commented about your 'ouch' response, but don't take offense.  It's just that as you spend more time around here, you'll come to realize that the Littlebox is a great value for what Jon charges and almost every other preamp you can find is more expensive.  Good luck and I'm not sure if anyone has mentioned this yet, but check your wallet at the door.   

[hi and lo]

If you're sold on the superlux but on a budget, you could run a  Denecke PS2 and line transformers. The little box would be an exponentially better solution.. a home-run, in fact. You'll be upgrading those mics long before you consider upgrading the little box, if ever.

If neither of these options seem great, then I agree with tonedeaf; consider a CA setup or comparable. Stick to the world of microphone that don't require balanced connections with phantom powering. You're initial investment will be lower and you'll save on the accessories required.

Keep the M10 on your list whatever you do.

[Rodester]

Hey, folks, another newcomer here.

I have a modest home studio, so I am generally familiar with the recording world, but not too savvy about field recording.
I'm just starting to figure out what I need, so any help would be appreciated.

Equipment I already have:
- Sony D-50
- Apogee MiniMe (FW version)

Mics I'd like:
- MK 41's (with or w/o the CMC6 bodies)

Other things ?:
- preamps (nbox, littlebox, v3, usbPre)
- specialized cabling (seems like lots of options here)
- batteries

Thanks for your help!

[ArchivalAudio]

Naiant LittleBox

X2
Ideal!

[johnw]

Hey, folks, another newcomer here.

I have a modest home studio, so I am generally familiar with the recording world, but not too savvy about field recording.
I'm just starting to figure out what I need, so any help would be appreciated.

Equipment I already have:
- Sony D-50
- Apogee MiniMe (FW version)

Mics I'd like:
- MK 41's (with or w/o the CMC6 bodies)

Other things ?:
- preamps (nbox, littlebox, v3, usbPre)
- specialized cabling (seems like lots of options here)
- batteries

Thanks for your help!

MK41>Nbox>D50 sounds great. If you have a AES>optical converter or a laptop, you could run the MiniMe behind an Nbox. If you don't need a low profile option, you could go MK41/CMC6>MiniMe and use the pre on the MiniMe. All depends on if you like the pre on the MiniMe.