Topic: DPA MMA6000 vs. Church Audio preamp?

[fourdegreeswarmer]

I'm looking to buy a pair of DPA 4061s to run with my R-09 and I was wondering if anyone had any experiences with both the DPA MMA6000 and Church Audio's ST-9100 or the CA mini pre - whether the CA gear would be a reasonable replacement/equivalent for the much larger, much more expensive DPA option.

Obviously, I'd imagine there will be a trade-off in terms sound going with the smaller, cheaper option, but is it an acceptable one?

[jerryfreak]

no feedback at all on this?

I'm looking to buy a pair of DPA 4061s to run with my R-09 and I was wondering if anyone had any experiences with both the DPA MMA6000 and Church Audio's ST-9100 or the CA mini pre - whether the CA gear would be a reasonable replacement/equivalent for the much larger, much more expensive DPA option.

Obviously, I'd imagine there will be a trade-off in terms sound going with the smaller, cheaper option, but is it an acceptable one?

[fourdegreeswarmer]

no feedback at all on this?

Damn, you had me all excited when I saw there was a reply. Doesn't look like it, no...

[Church-Audio]

uhmmm....

Stock DPA 406x mics have micro-dot connectors, and won't work with the Church preamp without an expensive, very custom cable, or having Chris customize his preamp with microdot connectors.

The CS-HEB's have been terminated with an aftermarket connector (non-microdot), as have the ebay 406x's.
neither of these will work with the DPA MMA6000

Since I have tested both here.. I can honestly say my preamp is as flat as the MMA6000 and my distortion figures and noise floor are the same, the main difference is the extra gain the 6000 has.. There is no compromise with my preamp being smaller. Its just a simple preamp like the 6000 is.. Nothing fancy.. But I am working on a customers 9100 with microdots he wanted the 3.0 version.. When he gets it back maybe he could do a head to head comp for you guys..

Chris

[fourdegreeswarmer]

having Chris customize his preamp with microdot connectors.

That's exactly what I'm talking about; I've seen it referred to as an ST9600 I believe. Sorry I thought that was obvious. Although I've seen plenty of people put a pair of DPAs, particularly the LEMO connector ones, onto a single 1/8" stereo plug. And I'm not interested in HEBs thanks.

Connecting the mics to the pre isn't an issue, it's how they sound in which I am interested, which is where Chris comes in.

Since I have tested both here.. I can honestly say my preamp is as flat as the MMA6000 and my distortion figures and noise floor are the same, the main difference is the extra gain the 6000 has.. There is no compromise with my preamp being smaller. Its just a simple preamp like the 6000 is.. Nothing fancy.. But I am working on a customers 9100 with microdots he wanted the 3.0 version.. When he gets it back maybe he could do a head to head comp for you guys..

Chris

Thanks for the input Chris, I'd be very interested in the results.

[fourdegreeswarmer]

there was nothing obvious about it.
you were no more specific than saying you were looking into buying 406x's, and mentioning preamps that were potentially incompatible, without customizing some connectors, or preamp inputs.

HEB's are DPA406x's, why no interest?
Are you planning on ebay 406x's

Well anyone that did have experience using both preamps with the same mics, which is what I was looking for, would probably have figured out how to connect one to the other so I thought we could just skip that conversation and just see how they compared. I appreciate your input but your post came across as condescending while stating the bleeding obvious at the same time.

HEBs - you said it yourself; proprietary connector. And not eBay mics either, half of them are tired old ex-theatre junk.

[Lil Kim Jong-Il]

HEBs - you said it yourself; proprietary connector.

There is nothing proprietary about the HEB connector.

[fourdegreeswarmer]

DPA has the "proprietary connector", the microdot.

HEB's have common, very easily accessed connectors; a mini xlr, and a stereo mini-plug.

There is nothing proprietary about the HEB connector.

OK, "proprietary" was the wrong word, "aftermarket" then, as you put it. Having used Core Sound mics for the last few years, I don't want to use the same system on my next set.

[Church-Audio]

bump ^^

what is your idea for terminating these?

I have a really effective way to "terminate them" I cut the end off the cable and put on a 3.5 mm gold plated neutrik that way you can use it with out the battery box and go right into my preamp...


 EDIT I meant to say with out the CS battery box right into my preamp then into an R-09 ) Or an edirol r-09 with out a battery box.
Chris

[jerryfreak]

with regard to the used theatre mics on ebay, assuming the cable is in good order, these mics can be cleaned with distilled water, no?

what else is there to look out for?

[Church-Audio]

with regard to the used theatre mics on ebay, assuming the cable is in good order, these mics can be cleaned with distilled water, no?

what else is there to look out for?

LOL I have said it before I will say it again NO theatre company "gets rid" of $600 microphones unless there is a problem with them.. IE: They dont sound as good as the new ones "less top end" they are noisy.. ect... They dont just go hey its time for new mics lets get rid of our perfectly good ones and buy new perfectly good ones to replace them.. Now.. you might get lucky and they the theatre company might have a "bone head" doing as the head audio tech.. or a Union guy ( union guys dont get pissed I have my card too ) that does not give a shit because management has pissed him off... Might actually throw out good ones or "ebay them" but this does not happen very often.. SO your chances of getting a good pair of mics.. from ebay used are slim to none.. Now others have got mics and liked them.. But here is my take on that.. If you dont have a brand new pair of mics to compair your used set to how do you know how good they actually are?? Answer you dont.. So save your $$$ and buy new.. trust me on this.. The other major thing that happens to the used DPA mics is the cable starts to oxidize this happens because the actors that are wearing these mics "sweat" like pigs.. and the sweat gets inside the cable and turns the wire green..that shortens the life of the cable big time.. because it starts to break down and then you start to get crackles.... But you can take your chances..

Chris

[it-goes-to-eleven]

there is a problem with them.. IE: They dont sound as good as the new ones "less top end" they are noisy.. ect... They dont just go hey its time for new mics lets get rid of our perfectly good ones and buy new perfectly good ones to replace them..

I'm very happy with my Ebay 4061's after two years.

Production companies do run out of money or have budget shortfalls.  It seems entirely plausible they might have to liquidate assets. Dead DPAs are worthless. Maybe they've been used a bunch and they figure better to sell them for $3-$400/pair then to take a total loss.

The seller I bought from, vo731, sold quite a few pairs and everyone seemed happy and the feedback was all good. I haven't seen too many folks on TS grumbling about bad Ebay DPAs. I'd always be pretty nervous buying DPAs from ebay.. Especially if I had to change the connector before I could test them. It took me three ebay jb3's before I got a good one.

[fourdegreeswarmer]

bump ^^

what is your idea for terminating these?

This is the reason that I was asking fourdegreeswarmer how he intended to terminate his mics, and entered this discussion.
I was considering this mod at this time.

That's a very good mod. Brave work too.


Apologies for my "tone" the other day - there's no excuse for being an ass 

Most likely terminating in microdots, since you asked.

[surf1div1]

Hi Chris, If I'm not mistaken, I don't believe you can go from the DPA directly into the Edirol without a battery box. I believe the DPA's need 5 volts, and if I'm not mistaken, the Edirol put's out less. Correct me if this is incorrect, but I've tried going mic in with power on my HEB and it didn't come up enough to be useable.

bump ^^

what is your idea for terminating these?

<Snipped >
Or an edirol r-09 with out a battery box.

Chris

[Church-Audio]

Hi Chris, If I'm not mistaken, I don't believe you can go from the DPA directly into the Edirol without a battery box. I believe the DPA's need 5 volts, and if I'm not mistaken, the Edirol put's out less. Correct me if this is incorrect, but I've tried going mic in with power on my HEB and it didn't come up enough to be useable.

bump ^^

what is your idea for terminating these?

<Snipped >
Or an edirol r-09 with out a battery box.

Chris

You are 100% correct I apologize I have edited my post. I meant to say you can go right into my preamp then into an r-09 with out a battery box.

Chris

[dmaster]

Since I have tested both here.. I can honestly say my preamp is as flat as the MMA6000 and my distortion figures and noise floor are the same, the main difference is the extra gain the 6000 has.. There is no compromise with my preamp being smaller. Its just a simple preamp like the 6000 is.. Nothing fancy.. But I am working on a customers 9100 with microdots he wanted the 3.0 version.. When he gets it back maybe he could do a head to head comp for you guys..

I'd be  very interested in these results.  I'm looking for a smaller preamp for my DPA 4061's and I have the MMA6000 so I don't really have an interest in getting the DPA's modded to use a different connector... and if I could get one of the UGLY preamps with the microdots and it wouldn't have a significant negative effect on stuff that would be pretty awesome.   I love the MMA, but it's freakin bulky and not ideal in certain situations.  

[Church-Audio]

Since I have tested both here.. I can honestly say my preamp is as flat as the MMA6000 and my distortion figures and noise floor are the same, the main difference is the extra gain the 6000 has.. There is no compromise with my preamp being smaller. Its just a simple preamp like the 6000 is.. Nothing fancy.. But I am working on a customers 9100 with microdots he wanted the 3.0 version.. When he gets it back maybe he could do a head to head comp for you guys..

I'd be  very interested in these results.  I'm looking for a smaller preamp for my DPA 4061's and I have the MMA6000 so I don't really have an interest in getting the DPA's modded to use a different connector... and if I could get one of the UGLY preamps with the microdots and it wouldn't have a significant negative effect on stuff that would be pretty awesome.   I love the MMA, but it's freakin bulky and not ideal in certain situations.  

If you supply the Microdots I can make the ugly with microdot connectors.

Chris

[Gutbucket]

I've been substituting CA-Ugly for MMA6000 recently with 4060's and have no complaints sonically.

[surf1div1]

Let me also add to this thread- I had Chris terminate my HEB ( Core Sound Repackage of 4061's with that added bonus of 1/2 the warranty of DPA themselves) and now have a sleeker unit. I go directly from his neutrik plug termination of the 4061 into the CA UGLY (the smaller version of the Church Audio Pre-amp)  and then into the Edirol HR09. Very small profile with exceptional sonic quality to my ears.
 

I've been substituting CA-Ugly for MMA6000 recently with 4060's and have no complaints sonically.