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Gear / Technical Help => Battery Boxes, Preamps, Mixers, ADCs, and Processors => Topic started by: (Evan) on January 29, 2009, 10:42:49 PM

Title: SP-Preamp or D50 internal preamps?
Post by: (Evan) on January 29, 2009, 10:42:49 PM

Would using a Sound Professionals SP-Preamp with the Sony D50 be a better choice than using the mic input with a battery box? I've read that the D50 has great preamps...how does the SP compare?

Title: Re: SP-Preamp or D50 internal preamps?
Post by: 3-Fan on January 30, 2009, 07:14:44 AM

I don't have a D50 but:

Typically, preamps have less noise than the preamps packaged inside a recorder.

Typically going line in is less noisy than going mic in.

So preamp into line in would be my choice.

Title: Re: SP-Preamp or D50 internal preamps?
Post by: stantheman1976 on January 30, 2009, 09:16:17 AM

I have a SP preamp and a D50.  The D50 has an excellent preamp.  I don't know if anyone has directly compared the D50 preamp to SP or CA preamps.  I have the SP-PREAMP-3 which has 0dB, +29dB, and +50dB.  It is very clean even up to the highest setting.  The advantage of a SP preamp over a battery box is that you can always switch the unit to 0 and use it as a battery box only and if you need that extra boost you can switch to a gain setting and get a good, clean boost. 

Title: Re: SP-Preamp or D50 internal preamps?
Post by: (Evan) on January 30, 2009, 03:21:48 PM

Oh wow I didn't realize that you could use it as a battery box as well. Thanks for the info!

Title: Re: SP-Preamp or D50 internal preamps?
Post by: (Evan) on January 31, 2009, 04:31:31 AM

One more thing.

I'm going to be using the preamp mainly for recording live musical theatre. The shows don't get as loud as rock shows, but they can get pretty loud.

I have the CMC-8's...would using these with the preamp cause brickwalling? I find that going into the line input of my recorder with a battery box, the levels are a little low. But when using the mic in, I have to set the levels really low to avoid distortion.

I was reading that the 22db gain setting (the lowest gain setting on the preamp) is too much for moderately loud music.

Opinions??

Title: Re: SP-Preamp or D50 internal preamps?
Post by: sunjan on February 01, 2009, 05:15:57 PM

Quote from: (Evan) on January 31, 2009, 04:31:31 AM

I was reading that the 22db gain setting (the lowest gain setting on the preamp) is too much for moderately loud music.

Like stan said, your pre should have a 0dB setting, if it's the regular SP-PREAMP:
http://www.soundprofessionals.com/cgi-bin/gold/item/SP-PREAMP

So if the levels peak with external gain, go 0dB and use it as a bbox, and use the internal pre of the D50 to moderate the signal.

Title: Re: SP-Preamp or D50 internal preamps?
Post by: Church-Audio on February 01, 2009, 10:51:02 PM

Quote from: (Evan) on January 29, 2009, 10:42:49 PM

Would using a Sound Professionals SP-Preamp with the Sony D50 be a better choice than using the mic input with a battery box? I've read that the D50 has great preamps...how does the SP compare?

My 9100 preamp is much quieter then the SP preamp.....

Title: Re: SP-Preamp or D50 internal preamps?
Post by: Falconidave on February 05, 2009, 11:51:19 PM

Quote from: Church-Audio on February 01, 2009, 10:51:02 PM

Quote from: (Evan) on January 29, 2009, 10:42:49 PM

Would using a Sound Professionals SP-Preamp with the Sony D50 be a better choice than using the mic input with a battery box? I've read that the D50 has great preamps...how does the SP compare?

My 9100 preamp is much quieter then the SP preamp.....

I concur, and much more reliable.  I've had numerous "issues" while taping with those SP pres, and ZERO problems with my Church gear...