Topic: What's the Pre-amp good for?

[Nielsen81]

Hi guys and girls.

Glenn from Denmark here.
Since I'm going to the Roskilde Festival again this year, I started thinking about getting some recording gear, and since I only know little about recording gear, I wanted to ask the in this forum

I know what a batterybox is and I'm pretty sure, I know what it does and how it works, but would I need both a batterybox and a pre-amp, and what's the pre-amp doing for my recording?

Thank you in advance.

Glenn

[twatts (pants are so over-rated...)]

A battery box provides power to the microphones and delivers a signal that can be adjusted by the recorder (ie adjust gain with the preamp inside the recorder).  A preamp pretty much does the same thing, but allows you to adjust the gain with the preamp.  It essentially takes the place of the same circuitry in your recorder.  Depending on your recorder, it may produce better results more often.

Terry

[twatts (pants are so over-rated...)]

And have fun at Roskilde!  I went in 1997 and had a blast...  It did rain 4 out of the 5 days and turned the festival ground into a muddy swamp, but it was fun...

Terry

[Nielsen81]

Do you think I would need a pre-amp if I bought a Sony PCM-M10, or would I by any chance be able to Google ect, if that recorder has a pre-amp inside?

Thank you...
I have been working there for the last 2 years, which would make this my 3rd year in a row, and I have to admit, that Metallica and Volbeat on Orange Stage is something special

[twatts (pants are so over-rated...)]

I actually haven't taped anything in a few years so my experience is out-dated...

That said, I've only seen an M10 once, and that person used a Pre-Amp (AcidJack)...  The Pre-Amp he used was a Naiant Tiny Box (Little Box???). 

I would start another Topic, one asking for experiences running an M10 with/without a Preamp/Battery Box.  You could search for it, but it might be easier to just ask...

Terry

[Jhurlbs81]

You'd be fine with a Battery Box and the M-10 most likely running line in.  What type of mics do you have?

[Nielsen81]

I actually haven't got any equipment yet, but am looking for some CA-14, which I have heard good about, and I have seen a guy inhere who sells for 90$, which seems quite fair.

[acidjack]

Hi guys and girls.

Glenn from Denmark here.
Since I'm going to the Roskilde Festival again this year, I started thinking about getting some recording gear, and since I only know little about recording gear, I wanted to ask the in this forum

I know what a batterybox is and I'm pretty sure, I know what it does and how it works, but would I need both a batterybox and a pre-amp, and what's the pre-amp doing for my recording?

Thank you in advance.

Glenn

If you're using small mics to make stealth recordings, you don't need anything but a battery box and your M10 if you're using CA-14. I'd plug them into the LINE input; if you can't get good enough levels from that, then plug into the MIC input on LOW with plug-in power OFF.

[Humbug]

Actually, I run preamps between my mics and recorder, out of preference, but also because I've killed every single battery box I've ever owned. Preamps are really useful if the volumes are low at a gig.

You're running out of time to get mics from Church Audio in time for the festival at the end of this month - I suggest you order pronto, making sure he has the mics in stock, or borrow kit from another taper.

Look at Sound Professionals also, but be careful of the (great sounding) AT853 series of mics - they overload at loud gigs in the standard format SP sell them (2-wire). You'll need to run them 3-wire or get the 4.7k mod.

[Nielsen81]

Thank you very much for your answers
They were really helpful

About the mics, I might buy some used, but haven't got answer from the guy selling in "The Yard" yet.

[earmonger]

Mic-->battery box-->M10 will give you great recordings for loud music. You only need a preamp if you are recording something quiet. Roskilde, by all accounts, is LOUD

[nulldogmas]

Mic-->battery box-->M10 will give you great recordings for loud music. You only need a preamp if you are recording something quiet. Roskilde, by all accounts, is LOUD

Seconded. (Or thirded, counting Acidjack's similar advice.) And for the record, I've gotten excellent results going CA-14 -> battery box -> mic in on an M10 for quieter shows — there's an example here:

http://www.nyctaper.com/2015/07/amy-rigby-may-28-2015-hifi-bar-flacmp3streaming/

My general rule of thumb: If I don't need earplugs, I'm probably better off using the M10's mic in.