Topic: Church transformer based pre

[Todd R]

a cheap 148 is what this crowd wants.  everything else is already available.

Yeah, I've been thinking that as well.  The 2 main needs I see is good price/performance level in a stealth level preamp, or a lower cost/higher availability transformer pre (m148).

On the transformer pre side you've got the Neve portico ($$$), or you've got the m148/PSP2/Aerco MP2, none of which are too easy to come by.  Then you've got the SD MP2/mixpre which isn't the best sounding transformer pre around.  So the transformer realm seems like a market.

If you start to go into full size/full functionality, you've either got to top or compete with the high-end pres -- V2/V3, portico, MMP, etc.  Or you need to provide more value and price/performance capabilities than the mod UA5's, and for that matter the ACM 671 and ACM HDP2.

Which seems to leave room for a modUA5 type of preamp that is in a stealth size, not full size, ie, good performance and value in a small size package.  What's there now -- Sonosax, SD MP2, Aerco MP2, Nbox, JKLabs DVC, PSP2/PSP3, what else?  Seems like these are either hard to come by or not meeting expectations.

[Church-Audio]

a cheap 148 is what this crowd wants.  everything else is already available.

Yeah, I've been thinking that as well.  The 2 main needs I see is good price/performance level in a stealth level preamp, or a lower cost/higher availability transformer pre (m148).

On the transformer pre side you've got the Neve portico ($$$), or you've got the m148/PSP2/Aerco MP2, none of which are too easy to come by.  Then you've got the SD MP2/mixpre which isn't the best sounding transformer pre around.  So the transformer realm seems like a market.

If you start to go into full size/full functionality, you've either got to top or compete with the high-end pres -- V2/V3, portico, MMP, etc.  Or you need to provide more value and price/performance capabilities than the mod UA5's, and for that matter the ACM 671 and ACM HDP2.

Which seems to leave room for a modUA5 type of preamp that is in a stealth size, not full size, ie, good performance and value in a small size package.  What's there now -- Sonosax, SD MP2, Aerco MP2, Nbox, JKLabs DVC, PSP2/PSP3, what else?  Seems like these are either hard to come by or not meeting expectations.

I am using the same company as Aerco, They are very easy to come by and I have used them in the past..I just found out that they actually made transformers for Jensen who actually do not make there own transformers they just stamp there name on them.. Very interesting.. Its not hard to source transformers but they take a huge chunk out of the circuit costs.

[marc0789]

Personally, I think the demand is largelyfor a lower cost, easier to come by fixed gain small internally powered transformer based preamp, no bells and whistles needed. No hpf, meters, just on/off and maybe a battery meter...maybe not. Basically, an eaa that you can actually get without flammable battery cage . I run a 148, and I'd only be interested in this thing if stealthable

[baustin]

4 Channels! 

Boy would I love to be able to afford the SD 442 ( http://www.sounddevices.com/products/442master.htm ). I think if it sounded nice enough there are quite a few who may have an interest is this.

Regardless, I think this (the 2 channel) sounds like a great idea.

Specs that would appeal to me:
-XLR input
-Mini-XLR or RCA out
-Variable gain via knobs, not switches
-Clipping indicator with maybe a bit of leeway (3db or so)
-External Power with locking ability and a range of voltages
-48v phantom power (why not always on? save room for an on/off switch)

Wish I knew how to do this stuff!

-ba

[Nick's Picks]

ahhh...
(for concert taping), you guys will eventually come to the conclusion that 4chan AUD recordings suck...especially when its all getting "mudded down" to two to begin with.
I did a lot of 4 channel stuff in the past.  my absolute best doestn' touch the good two channel recordings i've made/heard from others.

[Chuck]

ahhh...
(for concert taping), you guys will eventually come to the conclusion that 4chan AUD recordings suck...especially when its all getting "mudded down" to two to begin with.
I did a lot of 4 channel stuff in the past.  my absolute best doestn' touch the good two channel recordings i've made/heard from others.

I tend to agree on the four microphones, but I have heard some very nice SBD/ microphone recordings that where done with four channels. Doug Oade made a four microphone mix for a GD Greek Theatre or was it in Kansas City show? Folks used to rav over it, as being the best recording ever... Anyway, I always wondered what the fuss was about. That one doesn't touch his two channel recordings.

[Todd R]

Maybe you're just no good at it, Nick.

j/k.  I may well come to the same conclusion, but I've got a lot more experimenting before I'm ready to commit to that.  So far, most of with most of my attempts, I've liked the 2 channel version better.  But I'm set up to get both my usual 2ch, plus a 4ch mix, so I'm out nothing but the effort for trying.  I've done one Trey show where I much prefer my 4ch mix to the 2ch of the same show.  And I'm really hoping I can get an outdoor 4mic mix of center cards + split omnis I like.  I've just never been completely happy with the loss of soundstage detail of omni recordings, but I love the spaciousness of them.  Hoping I can dial in that perfect mix of detail from the card pair and spaciousness from the split omnis.

Who knows, it may never happen, but just throwing up a DIN card pair and hitting record is getting a bit boring.  Have to shake things up a bit!

[Nick's Picks]

that thought crossed my mind.
then again, I was never able to do it right.  IMO, that would be a very FOB stereo pair, and a pair of flanking omni's farther back.
but ... not worth the trouble for me.

[Brian Skalinder]

you guys will eventually come to the conclusion that 4chan AUD recordings suck...especially when its all getting "mudded down" to two to begin with.
I did a lot of 4 channel stuff in the past.  my absolute best doestn' touch the good two channel recordings i've made/heard from others.

So far, I've enjoyed most of my 4-ch recordings better than either 2-ch source alone.  I've found its absolutely key to run the center pair coincident, as this seems to cut down on phasing issues.  Also far prefer LDs as the center with SDs near-coincident or split;  really don't care for the results the other way around.

[Lil Kim Jong-Il]

I am using the same company as Aerco

does Reichenbach have a web page yet?

edit: Is it now CineMag?  I think that is his kids company.  The aerco I have is ancient and the cans are labeled Reichenbach.

[Church-Audio]

I am using the same company as Aerco

does Reichenbach have a web page yet?

edit: Is it now CineMag?  I think that is his kids company.  The aerco I have is ancient and the cans are labeled Reichenbach.

Cinemag is Reichenbach same company......Tom Reichenbach is the owner of Cinemag.......

[Jamos]

Chris, I think you should stick with the 2-ch idea.  If it is affordable enough, and you want 4-ch, then buy 2 of 'em!

Personally, I like standard panel-mount xlr inputs, but wouldn't object to a breakout cable if it meant you could make all the other things fit in a small footprint.  I think a signal led and a clip led for each ch would be nice...and one for power, one for low batt.  Output w/TRS or RCA would be fine.  As long as there is variable gain via some pots, it would be all good. 

Very simple, but that seems to be what everyone wants.

 

[Nick's Picks]

gawd...I wanna bite her ass!

[OOK]

gawd...I wanna bite her ass!

Hey nick you are so easily side tracked...I am gonna find that poster and send it to you...LOL LOL LOL.

I can't wait to see this preamp....

[Church-Audio]

gawd...I wanna bite her ass!

Hey nick you are so easily side tracked...I am gonna find that poster and send it to you...LOL LOL LOL.

I can't wait to see this preamp....

Yes this tread is not about ass, although I do think we should start one about ass.