Taperssection.com
Gear / Technical Help => Battery Boxes, Preamps, Mixers, ADCs, and Processors => Topic started by: jerryfreak on June 01, 2015, 02:01:18 AM
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proud new owner of smokydays' warm mod 661. Bought it as a bit bucket but am impressed with its all-in-oneness.
of course doug does awesome work, i was looking for thoughts on the preamps in this vs my other options:
-tiny box
-pcm-m10
i have two options for the tinybox, i can run CMRs or the nbobs. obviously the nbobs require the tinybox or something (like a PFA?) for power
so with the marantz id be running something like:
cmr>battery box> pmd 661 mic in
nbobs>pfa>pmd 661 mic in
vs.
(cmr or nbobs)>tinybox>pmd661 line in
im used to using my preamp in my m10 in low-pro situations, and its pretty decent. i expect more out of the marantz! tell me about it...
more to the point what can i expect in sound for the warm mod pre vs tinybox vs m10 pre
in general im not a big fan of 'warm' as it can sometimes border on 'dark'
i generally like it 'bright' and 'transparent', like say schoeps>v2>ad2k
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I can only tell you I went with the transparent (Doug calls it: Concert) mod. After speaking with Doug and telling him I use AKG's primarily, he said I should choose between warm and transparent (Concert mod).
If you really have questions, you can always call Doug. But I think you are looking for others who use the warm mod to tell you their opinions of it in action?
if so, I let this sit here with my seemingly OT comments! ;D
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I've had a few of Doug's preamps as well as one of the first Warm mods in my FR-2. I never found them to be dark, they always allowed the high end of my AKG's shine while providing excellent bass response. I don't think warm (in this case) should be confused with dark, I always considered it to be more of a smoothing of some of the high end peaks which I could find almost grating to my ears FWIW. The only way to decide is for you to run it for yourself & see how you like it. If you have other decks at your disposal maybe run them as well with splitters & compare afterwards? That's my preferred method when comparing sounds of particular items.
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proud new owner of smokydays' warm mod 661. Bought it as a bit bucket but am impressed with its all-in-oneness.
of course doug does awesome work, i was looking for thoughts on the preamps in this vs my other options:
-tiny box
-pcm-m10
i have two options for the tinybox, i can run CMRs or the nbobs. obviously the nbobs require the tinybox or something (like a PFA?) for power
so with the marantz id be running something like:
cmr>battery box> pmd 661 mic in
nbobs>pfa>pmd 661 mic in
vs.
(cmr or nbobs)>tinybox>pmd661 line in
im used to using my preamp in my m10 in low-pro situations, and its pretty decent. i expect more out of the marantz! tell me about it...
more to the point what can i expect in sound for the warm mod pre vs tinybox vs m10 pre
in general im not a big fan of 'warm' as it can sometimes border on 'dark'
i generally like it 'bright' and 'transparent', like say schoeps>v2>ad2k
Then you bought the wrong box, unless you want it as a bit bucket. I love it, but based on what you like, I can't see how you will. Nice detail, but very round warm low end. Check out Dougs description, this is spot on. It's on the bottom.
http://www.oade.com
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I'll add that to me, the wmod sounds so good that I only run the 148 when it's convenient....if not traveling. The 661 pres are fantastic, and I would not even consider running an outboard adc. And I've owned and run three adks, a 2k, v3....I just don't think they would add anything to this box but weight and hassle. If you prefer a more transparent sound Doug can mod for you at a pretty modest cost.
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41's > Wmod661 have been sweet for me.
A rounded bottom end is a good term... bottom end is not tight. But it sounds great to me. Very musical IMO.
Not dark sounding at all to me.
I ran an Aerco > Wmod661 a couple of times, and that combo was a bit thick IMO.
Run your TB > XLR's for Wmod... or TB > mini plug input to bypass Wmod.
If low pro, maybe tape the gain knob.. mine can move fairly easily.
I usually use the 661 as a bit bucket, but I have no fears running it as an all-in-one.
I know the Concert mod 661 is transparent if that's what you're looking for.
With a transparent pre amp though and an external ADC in you arsenal, the Wmod661 is a great deck to have. Many options.
The 661 also has a pretty good wired remote that can come in handy for low pro stuff.
Great great deck IMO!!
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I didn't know this until recently, but very, very few Doug mods touched the line stage. He did them at first but since most seemed to be purchasing the unit as an all in one, he dropped the line in mod and just modded the mic stage. So the only way you get the mod effects is running mic in.
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I didn't know this until recently, but very, very few Doug mods touched the line stage. He did them at first but since most seemed to be purchasing the unit as an all in one, he dropped the line in mod and just modded the mic stage. So the only way you get the mod effects is running mic in.
I'm pretty sure that is not true for the PMD661. The XLR inputs are physically switchable between mic and line, but the input capacitors and op-amps are shared, recalling what Doug told me on the phone when I was first looking into the 661. He said the warm mod has upgraded input capacitors and the stock bipolar transistors are swapped out with FETs, but only on the XLR inputs, line-in or mic-in. The Line-in (2) that is the small 1/8th input is not impacted by any of the mods he does.
I bought one of the first warm modded 661s from Doug in March of 2009, and I love it. I usually run outboard preamps, but I haven't been disapointed the handful of times I ran my AKGs directly into the 661, which is the main reason I got the warm mod..
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I didn't know this until recently, but very, very few Doug mods touched the line stage. He did them at first but since most seemed to be purchasing the unit as an all in one, he dropped the line in mod and just modded the mic stage. So the only way you get the mod effects is running mic in.
I'm pretty sure that is not true for the PMD661. The XLR inputs are physically switchable between mic and line, but the input capacitors and op-amps are shared, recalling what Doug told me on the phone when I was first looking into the 661. He said the warm mod has upgraded input capacitors and the stock bipolar transistors are swapped out with FETs, but only on the XLR inputs, line-in or mic-in. The Line-in (2) that is the small 1/8th input is not impacted by any of the mods he does.
I bought one of the first warm modded 661s from Doug in March of 2009, and I love it. I usually run outboard preamps, but I haven't been disapointed the handful of times I ran my AKGs directly into the 661, which is the main reason I got the warm mod..
He flat out told me the complete opposite last month....that only mic in is modded. ???
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I didn't know this until recently, but very, very few Doug mods touched the line stage. He did them at first but since most seemed to be purchasing the unit as an all in one, he dropped the line in mod and just modded the mic stage. So the only way you get the mod effects is running mic in.
I'm pretty sure that is not true for the PMD661. The XLR inputs are physically switchable between mic and line, but the input capacitors and op-amps are shared, recalling what Doug told me on the phone when I was first looking into the 661. He said the warm mod has upgraded input capacitors and the stock bipolar transistors are swapped out with FETs, but only on the XLR inputs, line-in or mic-in. The Line-in (2) that is the small 1/8th input is not impacted by any of the mods he does.
I bought one of the first warm modded 661s from Doug in March of 2009, and I love it. I usually run outboard preamps, but I haven't been disapointed the handful of times I ran my AKGs directly into the 661, which is the main reason I got the warm mod..
He flat out told me the complete opposite last month....that only mic in is modded. ???
^
Hi Marc,
Did you ever get clarification from Doug on this?
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Kinda forgot about it, sorry.
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From Doug a few months back. I normally wouldn't paste in an email but we're not dealing with a controversy here I don't think, just clarification. Modded or not the line stage sounds great to me.
"Marc, the first year or so I did upgrade both. However, most folks didn't care to pay for a line in upgrade so I dropped it along with the price of the upgrade. Now only the mic in is upgraded.
Most tapers like to have a modded 661 for the times they do not use an external preamp so most tapers order upgraded 661s. BTW, I like line 2 in for use with an external preamp, the only downside is no locking connector. Sometimes we have plenty of space to setup, other times space is insanely tight, that's when I demand locking connectors and my gear in a beer/soda spill proof bag.
I hope this helps....Doug."
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Doug did my WMOD to my 661, 6 or 7 yrs ago and it is only for the XLR in's. The WMOD is not in affect for my "Line-in" on my unit and that was told to me by Doug prior to having the mod. S/PDIF goes without saying
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Yah, I think Doug and I may have miscommunication, I think he meant that he no longer modifies the 1/8 inch "line 2".
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After reading this thread...it occurred to me that I've never ran my wmod 661 without my V3 or psp2. I have some upcoming shows so I may just run 483>wmod661...
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Be interesting what you think of the combo compare to the psp2. I loved that pre.
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Be interesting what you think of the combo compare to the psp2. I loved that pre.
My plan is to run one show mics>psp2>661 and one show mics>661 for two upcoming PGroove shows in April.
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Doug's mods are only in use with mics. Line ins are not ( not using preamp stage). I use my mod 661 for stealth ( does sound better than stock) and for normal taping as a bit bucket from my pre. He used to do line mods you would have to ask him to do that specifically for line mods.
Both mods sound good but I prefer the concert mod - bottom end is tighter