Topic: MicroTrack battery box question

[sparkjockey]

This is my first post on the board, so I hope this is the right place for this question. I purchased a MicroTrack recently and will be ordering mics and a battery box in the next day or so. Most of the battery boxes that I've seen are powered with a 9 volt battery. Sound Professionals has a battery box that is made specifically for the MT, and it plugs right into it. I think this would work great for stealthing, but the battery is a 12 volt battery. Could this be a problem depending on which mics I decide on or will this just make for better plug in power? Also, has anyone here used the MT battery box and if you have, what's your opinion of it?
Thanks for any help.

[jcme262]

show me the 12v you speak of.

[bconnolly]

If you're going to run mics through a battery box into a Microtrack, get SP's 1/8" > 2x1/4" adapter and you'll be good to go.

I recommend this bb: http://www.soundprofessionals.com/cgi-bin/gold/item/SP-SPSB-6

And this is the dongle: http://www.soundprofessionals.com/cgi-bin/gold/item/SP-MICROTRACK-MINI-TRS

[sparkjockey]

show me the 12v you speak of.

I knew someone would say that-I'm still trying to figure out how to post a link

(Sorry, but I'm somewhat challenged when it comes to computers )

I know it's on the Sound Professionals website and when you look up the MicroTrack it's listed as a recommended accessory (there are several of them towards the bottom of the page)

[sparkjockey]

If you're going to run mics through a battery box into a Microtrack, get SP's 1/8" > 2x1/4" adapter and you'll be good to go.

I recommend this bb: http://www.soundprofessionals.com/cgi-bin/gold/item/SP-SPSB-6

And this is the dongle: http://www.soundprofessionals.com/cgi-bin/gold/item/SP-MICROTRACK-MINI-TRS

I've considered this set up as I'm still setting things up . I just thought that if the battery box actually connected to the MT, it might work out a little better.

Thanks for your input-it's greatly appreciated!

[cybermansrev]

This question depends on what mics you're getting and how stealthy a setup you're after.

Some mics like dpa 4061's will work on the microtrack plug in power with a dongle fine (either make your own ala freelunch or http://www.soundprofessionals.com/cgi-bin/gold/item/SP-MICROTRACK-INTERFACE ) .
Other mics need more power, most of the Sound Professional's AT range require battery boxes to allow them to record a resonable spl.

Sound Pro's do sell this battery box  http://www.soundprofessionals.com/cgi-bin/gold/item/SP-SPSB-9 which uses a 12V battey,  I doubt the mics sound any better at 12V than at 9V (from my own tinkering with 12V battery boxes) but it is more stealthy than a 9V battery box. However the battery is a car remote type which needs changing about 10x more often than a standard 9V and aren't as easy to get in the shops (certainly in the UK).
Of course even with this you'd need something to go from 1/8">TRS like http://www.soundprofessionals.com/cgi-bin/gold/item/SP-MICROTRACK-MINI-TRS as suggested by mojomonkey.

Of course if stealth isn't an issue and again depending on the mics you may want to use phantom power for the mics rather than a battery box.

I just thought that if the battery box actually connected to the MT, it might work out a little better.

I can't see any 12v battery box which connects directly to the MT on the SP site are you sure your not confusing it with the dongles to give plug in power to the TRS inputs?

[sparkjockey]

I finally had a chance to sit down and do a little reading to see some of the boards features. Here's a link to the battery box I was asking about. jcme262, mojomonkee, and cybermansrev, thanks for responding. If you (or anyone else for that matter) happen to take a look at this battery box and have an opinion or some insight, please let me know what you think.  Thanks

http://www.soundprofessionals.com/cgi-bin/gold/item/SP-MICROTRACK-MIC-POWERhttp://

[jcme262]

[/quote]
I can't see any 12v battery box which connects directly to the MT on the SP site are you sure your not confusing it with the dongles to give plug in power to the TRS inputs?
[/quote]

this must be it....price sucks
http://www.soundprofessionals.com/cgi-bin/gold/item/SP-MICROTRACK-MIC-POWER

[sparkjockey]

I can't see any 12v battery box which connects directly to the MT on the SP site are you sure your not confusing it with the dongles to give plug in power to the TRS inputs?
[/quote]

this must be it....price sucks
http://www.soundprofessionals.com/cgi-bin/gold/item/SP-MICROTRACK-MIC-POWER
[/quote]

Yep, that's it, and yep, the price sucks! I just wondered if the convenience of it becoming a "part" of the MT would be worth the extra $$$. No extra cable connections to worry about could be a plus as well.

[jcme262]

 Yeah I found it the same time... It's nice but I cant justify $100.... though it would be nice for the ultra stealth non fiddle fuck extra wiring?box hanging elsewhere and possibly plug coming out from checking your levels and such.

[cybermansrev]

I can't see any 12v battery box which connects directly to the MT on the SP site are you sure your not confusing it with the dongles to give plug in power to the TRS inputs?

this must be it....price sucks
http://www.soundprofessionals.com/cgi-bin/gold/item/SP-MICROTRACK-MIC-POWER
[/quote]

Yep, that's it, and yep, the price sucks! I just wondered if the convenience of it becoming a "part" of the MT would be worth the extra $$$. No extra cable connections to worry about could be a plus as well.
[/quote]

Oops my bad I didn't notice they'd put a 12V battery in that!
Despite the price I personally think it might be quite nice to have one package of the microtrack and bat box, the only downside (price excluded) is the unusal battery, if it's the one they use in their other mini boxes http://www.soundprofessionals.com/cgi-bin/gold/item/ENER-A23BP-2 I used it in a bbox I built and was concerned about battery life but it managed 3hr so seemed acceptible for my uses. Getting hold of them isn't as easy as 9V bats but not impossible with planning.

Of course this still depends on which mics your using. I'm not sure they all would like 12V's, the AT853's I've tried and cetainly work fine with 12V. But if you're considering AT's then with the standard sound pro battery boxes wiring  they can still overload at REALLY LOUD shows so you might then want to use either phantom power or a 3 wire battery box.

Having said all of this I tend to agree with you that one package would be nice as less chance of coming disconnected and if you're stealthing only one item to crotch.