Topic: mbho603/ka200n -> dmic-20 ... will it sound good?

[chase]

right now i am running the 391s -> dmic-20 and am thinking about picking up a set of mbho's.  i was wondering if anyone has any direct experience or insight into whether this pair will sound good together or not.  if anyone has tapes with this setup i would love to get a track from you.  thanks.

[creekfreak]

Not sure how that would sound since I have never used a dmic-20, but if you need a pair of MBHO's let me know, by bud is still trying to get rid of his.

[kennedy]

hey chase jeff here from lase nite in buf wondering what you thought of the show
peace
jk

[Joe w.]

those graham patten boxes tend to be a little bright from what i've read. That would make for a pretty bright combo. FWIW, I wouldn't plan my mics around my pre. I would plan my pre around my mics. If you like the mbho sound, I would get those mics, try it with the dmic and if you don't like it, get a new box. hope this helps.

Joe

[Chuck]

I know the MP-2 is good with those MBHO's.

[chase]

well i plan on getting the mbho's anyways, but was just wondering how it might sound.  it depends on how much i can get for my 391s whether or not i will have the $ for a new pre.  i was looking at a sound devices mixpre on ebay, isn't this the same as the mp-2?  as far as i could tell from the specs it seems to be the same pre.  

jeff, thanks for the patch +T  i love the sound of those neumanns.  did you goto mahavishnu on sunday, i coudn't make it, too much work.

[Brian Skalinder]

i was looking at a sound devices mixpre on ebay, isn't this the same as the mp-2?  as far as i could tell from the specs it seems to be the same pre.

Yeah, it's basically the same pre, just a slightly different feature set (no M/S, can't turn the meter LEDs off though they have different intensity settings, etc.).  There are those who will tell you it doesn't suit our purposes for one reason or another, but IMO that's bunk.  I used one for a while and liked it a lot (well, mine was a Shure FP24, but it's just a re-branded MixPre).

FWIW, I liked the MBHO > FP24/MixPre/MP2, though I sometimes leaned more towards liking MBHO > PS-2 > Hosa MIT-176 line transformers better.  The SD preamp sound just doesn't always suit me for some reason.  Though I haven't gone back and listened to enough of those recordings since upgrading my playback gear...maybe my mind's changed?

[kennedy]

no prob on the patch glad you liked thsound
didnt make it sun im sure it was sick
keep in touch
peace
jk

[ianstone]

i was looking at a sound devices mixpre on ebay, isn't this the same as the mp-2?  as far as i could tell from the specs it seems to be the same pre.

Yeah, it's basically the same pre, just a slightly different feature set (no M/S, can't turn the meter LEDs off though they have different intensity settings, etc.).  There are those who will tell you it doesn't suit our purposes for one reason or another, but IMO that's bunk.  I used one for a while and liked it a lot (well, mine was a Shure FP24, but it's just a re-branded MixPre).

FWIW, I liked the MBHO > FP24/MixPre/MP2, though I sometimes leaned more towards liking MBHO > PS-2 > Hosa MIT-176 line transformers better.  The SD preamp sound just doesn't always suit me for some reason.  Though I haven't gone back and listened to enough of those recordings since upgrading my playback gear...maybe my mind's changed?

i've never run the mixpre, but i have the mp2. I checked out the mixpre and from the photo of it i can see the switch that allows you to turn off LED's. So, i think you're wrong there.
But, yeah, no MS, not many tapers will need m/s anyway.

i run the 603a/200n's with an mp2 and ad2k+ and i love the sound.

I agree though, MICS first, pre 2nd.

chase i would say your best bet would be to sell the DMIC 20, and get another pre. that is of course, if you can afford it.

good luck!
ian

[Brian Skalinder]

I checked out the mixpre and from the photo of it i can see the switch that allows you to turn off LED's.

It appears that way, yes.  But when I ran it, the switch merely changed the intensity of the LEDs, it didn't turn them off.

[zhianosatch]

Umm... electrical tape?

[Brian Skalinder]

Umm... electrical tape?

Of course, Armen. I was just trying to clarify the actual functionality of the MixPre switch.  Although I prefer black duct tape just becuase it's, well...duct tape!

[ianstone]

I checked out the mixpre and from the photo of it i can see the switch that allows you to turn off LED's.

It appears that way, yes.  But when I ran it, the switch merely changed the intensity of the LEDs, it didn't turn them off.

are you 100% sure you just didnt click it all the way into the right position? in the photo, it seems to have the same "diagram" above the switch as my mp2.
 a "O"  is off.  a half moon type symbol means half-intensity, and the full "O" that is colored in in the center means full intensity.

just seemd like the mixpre had those same icons as my mp2, and the lights on mp2 indeed do turn off.


not a big deal either way, really. the mp2 doesnt draw much power and i don't think those lights do either. the only situation where it may matter is STEALTH

[zhianosatch]

Haha, I know, Brian....

[Brian Skalinder]

are you 100% sure you just didnt click it all the way into the right position? in the photo, it seems to have the same "diagram" above the switch as my mp2.
 a "O"  is off.  a half moon type symbol means half-intensity, and the full "O" that is colored in in the center means full intensity.

Positive.  I distinctly remember being befuddled because I read the indicators above the switch positions same way you did:  Empty O = OFF.  So when I switched it to "off", I couldn't figure out why they weren't off!  And I remember very well the full intensity position - painfully bright!

At any rate, as you say, only makes a difference for stealth, and that problem is easy enough to overcome with a piece of tape.

[sleepypedro]

there's actually a warning on the sounddevices website about the mp2 LED indicators.  if you stare at the LEDs at full intensity for a prolonged period you can damage your retinas!

no joke!

pwk (loves his mbho 603a/ka200n > mp2 > sbm1 setup)