Topic: what am I doing wrong

[crossthreaded]

I run a marantz 670 with c4 mics, phantom power.

I use the wall mart dvd batteries and really don't get shit for life out of them. what am I doing wrong?  I can charge them up till all the LED's are on, but sometimes don't even make it through the first set before I look down and the levels are at 0.  have to turn it off, swap batteries and turn it back on.  really crates a buzzkill due to constantly worry about my rig instead of being able to set it and forget it ron popeil rotisserie style.

somebody help me out, I've got matishayu, lotus, and then panic milwaukee this weekend and would like to not worry about it.


its so bad now that I actually carry 4 wall mart batteries with me to each show.

thanks!

[bgalizio]

How old are the batteries? Sounds like you need new ones.

[crossthreaded]

brand new, do I need to cycle them like my rc plane?  whats the best way to go about doing that?

[datbrad]

I run a 670, you may remember me from DBT in C'ville. I started having issues with some internal NiMH Energizers earlier this year, and since some were older than others, I just replaced them all with brand new Duracell 2650mAh AAs and everything has been great since. Full disclosure: I am only taking a digital input and that lessens the drain, but for Trey last weekend, I ran 3+ hours with the display light on about half the time, and it was showing a full charge at the end of the show. Next night, ran 2:50 hours straight through for Dave & Tim with the display light on the entire time, full charge showing at the end.

I hear it's very important with the 670/671 to have the menu setting specified for NiMH versus Akaline for internals, but I don't know what specific setting it should be for an external supply, if any. I am going to offer a suggestion that you invest in a new name brand set of 8 NiMH AAs at 2500mAh or more, and put them in freshly charged before each show. Then, even if your external battery croaks, the internals will pick up the slack and keep you rolling seemlessly.

[crossthreaded]

yeah I spent 25 bucks on a pack of energizer 2500mah AA's, but 3 of them have grown legs....

i remember speaking with you, what were those mono pre's you were running?

[datbrad]

yeah I spent 25 bucks on a pack of energizer 2500mah AA's, but 3 of them have grown legs....

i remember speaking with you, what were those mono pre's you were running?

Sound Devices MP-1s, the first product they ever made. The main difference between the MP-1, and the MP-2 and the rest of the SD mixer line is that in addition to the Lundahl input transformer, the MP-1 has a custom built output transformer that make it the warmest sounding preamp model in their product line.

[T.J.]

you shouldn't need to condition lith-ion batteries. what are the specs on the batteries?

i believe there are different size "walmart" style batteries. you should be okay with something like 9V/6000 mAh, but if they have a lower mAh then that could be a reason why you're losing juice.

[crossthreaded]

the ones I have are 4300 mah and I also have some energizer ones that are 4000 mah. 

I'm about to get a motorcycle battery and an inverter and just carry that in my bag

[T.J.]

the ones I have are 4300 mah and I also have some energizer ones that are 4000 mah. 

I'm about to get a motorcycle battery and an inverter and just carry that in my bag

  the motorcycle battery would be a new one!

i *think* the ones i used to run were mAh 5400. i would run them to power a V3 with the jumpers set to 6volt. i always switched them in b/w sets, just to be on the safe side. i could probably stretch it with one for an entire 3 hour show, but why risk it?

[crossthreaded]

you shouldn't need to condition lith-ion batteries. what are the specs on the batteries?

i believe there are different size "walmart" style batteries. you should be okay with something like 9V/6000 mAh, but if they have a lower mAh then that could be a reason why you're losing juice.

these aren't lith ion, they are nimh

[goodcooker]

Hey crossthreaded

when I ran that deck I used rechargable AAs with really good results but always as a digi bit bucket behind my V3. I only ran it few times with phantom after I got the mod done since I sold it to you just after that but the few times I did I got 3+ hours record time.

It's true that recorder switches seamlessly from external to internal batts so you should always put in a freshly charged set of AAs just before the show for insurance. If your wally batt dies it won't skip a beat then you can swap out for a fresh one and it will switch back to external IIRC.

My AAs always seemed to drain if left in the machine...even when it was off and stored YMMV

[crossthreaded]

Hey crossthreaded

when I ran that deck I used rechargable AAs with really good results but always as a digi bit bucket behind my V3. I only ran it few times with phantom after I got the mod done since I sold it to you just after that but the few times I did I got 3+ hours record time.

It's true that recorder switches seamlessly from external to internal batts so you should always put in a freshly charged set of AAs just before the show for insurance. If your wally batt dies it won't skip a beat then you can swap out for a fresh one and it will switch back to external IIRC.

My AAs always seemed to drain if left in the machine...even when it was off and stored YMMV

hmm...well I went to cvs and got 8 more 2500 mah AA's,  also have 2 fully charged 4500 mah dvd batteries.  I've got matisahyu tonight, so I will see if anything is different...I've run this exact same setup before though...


if I can't get it figured out there will be a motorcycle battery and an inverter in my gear bag in milwaukee.  either that or I will carry in a 150' extension cord and run it under the seats from the bathroom

[F.O.Bean]

Hey crossthreaded

when I ran that deck I used rechargable AAs with really good results but always as a digi bit bucket behind my V3. I only ran it few times with phantom after I got the mod done since I sold it to you just after that but the few times I did I got 3+ hours record time.

It's true that recorder switches seamlessly from external to internal batts so you should always put in a freshly charged set of AAs just before the show for insurance. If your wally batt dies it won't skip a beat then you can swap out for a fresh one and it will switch back to external IIRC.

My AAs always seemed to drain if left in the machine...even when it was off and stored YMMV

  either that or I will carry in a 150' extension cord and run it under the seats from the bathroom

pix PLEASE

[Mark]

I found that if the batteries get dropped onto a hard surface they die quickly.  I was in my basement and had one roll off my work bench and onto a cement floor.  One "fully charged" dropped/damaged (nothing aestitic) battery would drop power to my deck, even though the other 3 were strong. 

[momule]

Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't the 4300mah the NiMH type which in my experience don't last but 1/4 as long as there lithium brothers.  I would suggest looking around for a lithium version.  I can run my R-4 with phantom on for 4 mics for more than 4 hours on one single battery.  However because of The OCD I do have my cable built so that the batteries can run parallel so i can swap out batteries while recording.