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Author Topic: Is a 9V battery-box useful when your recording device only has a mic input ?  (Read 5169 times)

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Offline fandelive

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I'm asking this because I'm trying to help a friend improving the sound quality of his recordings by getting external mics.
So I don't own the mics nor the recording device I'm talking about.

Noobs are usually told to use a battery-box to run small condenser mics line-in to handle more SPL.

Let's say I have a pair of 4.7k modded AT853 cardioids and get distortion when running them directly mic-in without a battery-box.
(I'm not saying 4.7k modded AT853's will distort in high SPL situations, that's just a thought.)

Will the addition of a 9V battery-box in the chain help preventing distortion ? Let's say my recording device is a Tascam DR-07 and it doesn't provide a line input.

Thanks,
-fandelive

Mics : Sony ECM-717, MM-HLSC-1 (4.7k mod), SP-CMC-4 (at853), 2x DPA4060, 2x DPA4061
Battery box : SP-SPSB-6524 w/bass roll-off filter, MM-CBM-1
Preamp : Church Audio CA-9100
Recorders : Sony MZR-700PC, Edirol R-09HR, Tascam DR-2d

Offline nulldogmas

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Maybe? Depends on whether the distortion is coming from the mics receiving insufficient voltage or from the mic input overloading.

If it's just a question of whether to buy a battery box to go with external mics, the answer is almost always going to be yes.

Offline fandelive

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If it's just a question of whether to buy a battery box to go with external mics, the answer is almost always going to be yes.

Ok, thank you. So a battery box will still be useful, in case the mic preamp of the recording device doesn't provide enough juice to the mics.

Also my bad, but the Tascam DR-07 has a line input.
Mics : Sony ECM-717, MM-HLSC-1 (4.7k mod), SP-CMC-4 (at853), 2x DPA4060, 2x DPA4061
Battery box : SP-SPSB-6524 w/bass roll-off filter, MM-CBM-1
Preamp : Church Audio CA-9100
Recorders : Sony MZR-700PC, Edirol R-09HR, Tascam DR-2d

Offline Cheesecadet

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I would use the battery box and go line in personally.
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Offline nulldogmas

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I would use the battery box and go line in personally.

Depends on the show and recorder for me. On an M10, for example, I'll usually go mic in for acoustic shows, since the gain on the line in isn't enough to boost the signal enough. (With the CA-14 cards I usually use, anyway.) The M10 has an exceptionally clean mic-in, though — and I'll still use a battery box with it for the reasons stated above.

Offline firemt66

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so what your saying is even with a ca ugly box 2 use the mic in and NOT the line in on the m-10?

Offline nulldogmas

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so what your saying is even with a ca ugly box 2 use the mic in and NOT the line in on the m-10?

No, saying you should always use a battery box, regardless of whether using mic in or line in. Line in on the M-10 is preferred, but if it's hard to get enough gain that way — which is going to be the case with quieter shows — you're safe using mic in instead.

Offline firemt66

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Offline adrianf74

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Small PIP mics > Battery Box/Preamp > Line In is preferred. If no line in is available, mic in works but in quieter cases.

Case in point, a festival show I was at featured two guitarists and vocals.  It was loud enough but not _THAT_ loud.  Had to switch to mic-in to get decent gain with a battery box as I had no way of gaining up.  Recording turned out fine.
Camera: DJI Osmo Action 4 | Mics: (under construction) Line Audio CM3 | Decks: (under construction) | Power: (under construction)

Offline lsd2525

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I use the AT8531 power modules to power my AT853's, and I still have to use the mic-in on my M10, no matter how loud the show. Those just power the mics.

I recently got a Sound Professionals 9v battery box/preamp from the yard sale, and now I can run line in. The 3v PIP just isn't enough to power these mics. And the preamp makes it possible to run line in
Mics: SKM184's; ADK A51s; AT4041; Superlux S502; CK91 active w/homebrew BB; AT853; Naiant X-X; Nak 300's
Recorders: M10; DR-60D; DR-701D

Offline nulldogmas

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I've probably said this here before, but my rule of thumb for the M10 is "if it's loud enough for me to need earplugs, use Line In, otherwise Mic In." YMMV depending on your mics, obviously, but this has worked out well for me with CA-14 cards, AT853 cards, and CSBs.

Offline firemt66

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and for people who never wear earplugs??

Offline nulldogmas

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and for people who never wear earplugs??

I'LL TYPE LOUDER.

 

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