Topic: Improve a PMD-661 with SCA pres?

[beccogiallo]

Hi everybody!
This is my first post here (after spending some time here reading and learning...). 

My goal is some stereo classical music (chamber, baroque) live recording, fully legit (usually asked to do that) so no stealth requirements.
I already have a pair of AKG SE300B and probably will buy 2 beyer MC930.
For the recorder I'm narrowing down on PMD-661.

I'm wondering if a pair of SCA pre channels (T15, C84) could be a noticeable improvement on 661. What do you think about that?
(Perhaps a Lunatec V3 could be an even better answer, leaving the Marantz as a bit bucket...)

Moreover, no problem for building the SCA kits with a tri-voltage PSU for 220V, obviously problems rise on batteries. I suppose you can easily get +/- 16VDC from 3 12V SLAs with a humble resistive voltage divider too, but as usual 48V is a PITA.
Perhpas someone has good schematics or solutions for a DC-DC converter... (able to put out 20 mA total, not the common 555+voltage multiplier thingy...)
Happy taping!

[DigiGal]

Welcome to The Taperssection Forums, to give you an idea of what a stock unit will do, here is a M/S recording of a Community Orchestra that I made last year with AKG Bluelines directly into a PMD661.

http://archive.org/details/aco2011-10-28.akg391.akg394.digigal.flac16

I'm currently running a MixPre-D now and feeding the 661 as a bit bucket. 

If you're looking for an improvement with a stand alone 661 you may want to pick up an Oade modded unit. 

[beccogiallo]

Welcome to The Taperssection Forums, to give you an idea of what a stock unit will do, here is a M/S recording of a Community Orchestra that I made last year with AKG Bluelines directly into a PMD661.

If you're looking for an improvement with a stand alone 661 you may want to pick up an Oade modded unit.

Thanks! I believe I can recognize some familiar Blueline hints in your recording, so I suppose 661's pres are not that bad after all
Living in Europe, buying an Oade modded unit or having mine modded is not a very economic/convenient option.

So I was wondering if a couple of SCA channels could make some real difference. After all, two pieces of gear instead of one (albeit much improved) means that one day you can sell or hold one or both...

[bryonsos]

Ciao!

If it were me, I'd run the mics straight into the recorder for a couple shows and see if you're happy with the results. The 661 is a fine all-in-one recorder/pre, you'll likely be happy with the results.

[noahbickart]

I would think about putting all you $$$ into better microphones before you spend any more on downstream gear. I ran the bluelines for many years and was generally happy. But the move up to schoeps was literally night and day. On the other hand, the recent naiant/ grace comp shows how subtle the differences can be in mic preamps.

[paulbaptiste]

also if your looking at a 661, might as well consider a modded 660: http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=157645.0
Great all in one device at an insanely cheap price to boot

[beccogiallo]

I would think about putting all you $$$ into better microphones before you spend any more on downstream gear. I ran the bluelines for many years and was generally happy.

That's right. I own the bluelines as some kind of leftover but don'love them. I've been using Schoeps for years in a studio and know them well, alas it wasn't my stuff.
Since I'm buying nearly everything from scratch and Shoeps are out of my budget now, I wondered if the addition of SCA pres could anyway improve a bit those non-top notch microphone results over the stock recorders' pres.

[beccogiallo]

also if your looking at a 661, might as well consider a modded 660: http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=157645.0

Good hint, I'd like to avoid being limited to 16/48 though.

[bryonsos]

Which caps do you have for the AKGs?

[dnsacks]

although OT, I've been really impressed with what my tascam hd-p2 brings to the table.  Unmodified, the preamp section sounds great, it's easy to power (either using internal aa batteries - rechargable nimh) and records at up to 24 bit/192k.  There's an oade warm modded version that includes several cf cards up for sale in the YS that might be worth considering too.  Although larger than the marantz, it's surprisingly light  . . . http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=157588.0

[beccogiallo]

Which caps do you have for the AKGs?

only supercardioids at this moment, that's probably why I am dissatisfied, hence the thoughts about the Beyers. 

[beccogiallo]

although OT, I've been really impressed with what my tascam hd-p2 brings to the table.  Unmodified, the preamp section sounds great, it's easy to power (either using internal aa batteries - rechargable nimh) and records at up to 24 bit/192k.  There's an oade warm modded version that includes several cf cards up for sale in the YS that might be worth considering too.  Although larger than the marantz, it's surprisingly light  . . . http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=157588.0

You're completely right and thanks for the link. I had the opportunity to use the HD-P2 a couple of times with my bluelines and with TLM 67s (which are too thick for stereo classical miking IMHO, but that's another topic).
I was satisfied with the Tascam, perhaps I only noticed some hiss at high-ish gains, but I'm not sure. I didn't take it into consideration at first for the price, and because perhaps I wanted something a bit smaller.
YS item price appears to be very good, as usual buying in the USA from Europe is a fair bit unconvenient...

[bryonsos]

Which caps do you have for the AKGs?

only supercardioids at this moment, that's probably why I am dissatisfied, hence the thoughts about the Beyers. 

Probably. The cards and the eights are the best ones IMHO.

[beccogiallo]

It appears that the PMD-671 could be sonically and techically on par with the hd-p2 (apart from smaller screen and 96/192 khz). What do you think about that?