Topic: Aerco MP-2 Information > $750 new & 1 Month Lead Time

[makers marc]

I got a bit of flak for what I said. It was kind of stupid now that I think about it. A product is only worth what people are willing to pay for it.. I should have not made a comment on its price but rather the lack of a clip light seems to me to be a basic part of a preamps design. When we are talking about a higher end preamp. I respect this guy he has done some amazing shit. I would love to hear this preamp in action one day. I meant no disrespect. I was making a comment on Function vrs.. Price and I think I could have been just a tad more subtle about it.

Chris Church

I think the lack of a clip light on a variable gain preamp is kind of weak....the psp2 and m148 don't need them due to fixed gain. you could be bricking and have no clue.

[makers marc]

Does this thing have clip lights??? Seem overpriced for a preamp.. Just because he is using input transformers. It seems expensive... I wonder how many people would by a preamp from me with transformer inputs if I could sell if for $499.00 instead of $750!!!

No frickin' way its over-priced.  That's a ridiuclous comment coming from another manufacturer.  Own and run one first.  The Aerco is a spectacular Pre.  I've had the chance to run the Lunatec V3, SD Mp2, the Edirol UA-5, and the Denecke AD-20.  The Aerco holds its weight against all the big boys.  Checkout Freelunch's comp between the Deva, Aerco, and Lunatec V3. 

That said, why not build a Pre w/ transformer inputs?   You're talented enough to do it.  And there's enough of us here who would try it out and even buy it.   

Do it!!!      

You could say the same thing about the m148. $1500 brand new and all the thing has is an on/off switch. Is it worth that...HELL YES! IMO it's the best pre for concert taping out there. Luckly I did not have to pay that but damn straight I would have

ditto that. lucky to have found one used 4 years ago, but would have gladly kicked down for new.

[Church-Audio]

I think the lack of a clip light on a variable gain preamp is kind of weak....the psp2 and m148 don't need them due to fixed gain. you could be bricking and have no clue.

i realize you know this since you owned one marc, but just to clarify the psp2 has a clip light for each channel, right above the power button.  it's sort of useless for monitoring levels though and only aids as a brickwall identifier since it doesn't light up until the incoming signal is +3 dB over 0.  it's also not technically fixed gain either since it's lowest output is ~20 dB and there are two more stepped gain options after that; +6 and +12. 

I think when you only have three gain settings its not really needed but when you have more then 6 I think its very much a needed item so that you can maximize your signal to noise ratio. That being said if you had a distortion analyzer and could calibrate your recorders input VU then you could in fact know when your preamp was at its limit. But I think its better to just put a clip led in the preamp. It makes it easy to set the levels properly.


When I am working on a console the first thing I do is PFL the channel and look at the signal coming in. I then get that gain knob set so I have some headroom. I really want to get that input gain as hot as I can. With out having a clip light or a VU on the preamp that's impossible to do. The vu on your recorder only indicates level not distortion of the front end of the preamp. You could for example attenuate the input on your recorder and run your preamp hot end up with distortion and no even know it. Unless you were using headphones to monitor. That's why a clip light on the preamp is vital to setting gain. So you know you don't have any distortion issues going to tape.

[makers marc]

I think the lack of a clip light on a variable gain preamp is kind of weak....the psp2 and m148 don't need them due to fixed gain. you could be bricking and have no clue.

i realize you know this since you owned one marc, but just to clarify the psp2 has a clip light for each channel, right above the power button.  it's sort of useless for monitoring levels though and only aids as a brickwall identifier since it doesn't light up until the incoming signal is +3 dB over 0.  it's also not technically fixed gain either since it's lowest output is ~20 dB and there are two more stepped gain options after that; +6 and +12. 

should have been clearer...I know the psp-2 has them, but you could do without them. I literally never ran it unless set to zero and -35 mic sens, and the clip lights never came on. but maybe there are setups where you would need to run hotter, and the clip lights would help?

If the aerco is full continuous gain, I think it's a real detriment not to have clip lights. sure, you can run real low so there's no risk, but whether that is ideal or not depends on how the aerco sounds run low versus hot, I guess. And depending on what ADC you run behind it, you might not be able to generate sufficient gain without turning up the aerco...again having no idea if you're clipping it or not.

[thegreatgumbino]

The signal to noise ratio on the Aerco is very low from my discussions with Jerry.  Additionally, I think Freelunch or Spyder9 ran some tests to verify.

[Church-Audio]

The signal to noise ratio on the Aerco is very low from my discussions with Jerry.  Additionally, I think Freelunch or Spyder9 ran some tests to verify.

I am sure the signal to noise ratio is better then the recorders you guys are using. The whole point of a clip light is so that you can get the most amount of gain out of your "quiet" preamp section and reduce the need for gain on your more noisy "recorders" preamp section. So Yes I am sure the preamp is quiet. It should be quiet that's why you guys use preamps in the first place but you can not get the most out of your preamp with out a clip light.

Chris Church

[spyder9]

I got a bit of flak for what I said. It was kind of stupid now that I think about it. A product is only worth what people are willing to pay for it.. I should have not made a comment on its price but rather the lack of a clip light seems to me to be a basic part of a preamps design. When we are talking about a higher end preamp. I respect this guy he has done some amazing shit. I would love to hear this preamp in action one day. I meant no disrespect. I was making a comment on Function vrs.. Price and I think I could have been just a tad more subtle about it.

Chris Church

I think the lack of a clip light on a variable gain preamp is kind of weak....the psp2 and m148 don't need them due to fixed gain. you could be bricking and have no clue.

The base Aerco has stepped (fixed) gain.  Jerry provides variable gain as part of his custom packages.

[spyder9]

The signal to noise ratio on the Aerco is very low from my discussions with Jerry.  Additionally, I think Freelunch or Spyder9 ran some tests to verify.

Freelunch did the testing, actually.  I was able to finally give mine a run last month.  Here's some recent shows with the Aerco in the chain:

http://www.archive.org/details/umelt2007-02-10.spyder9.flac16

http://www.archive.org/details/breakfast2007-02-02.spyder9.flac16

http://www.archive.org/details/samkb2007-01-26.spyder9.flac16

http://www.archive.org/details/gpgds2007-01-19.spyder9.flac16

[Church-Audio]

I got a bit of flak for what I said. It was kind of stupid now that I think about it. A product is only worth what people are willing to pay for it.. I should have not made a comment on its price but rather the lack of a clip light seems to me to be a basic part of a preamps design. When we are talking about a higher end preamp. I respect this guy he has done some amazing shit. I would love to hear this preamp in action one day. I meant no disrespect. I was making a comment on Function vrs.. Price and I think I could have been just a tad more subtle about it.

Chris Church

I think the lack of a clip light on a variable gain preamp is kind of weak....the psp2 and m148 don't need them due to fixed gain. you could be bricking and have no clue.

The base Aerco has stepped (fixed) gain.  Jerry provides variable gain as part of his custom packages.

Fixed stepped gain still needs a clip light to see where the distortion is at. Because every mic has different sensitivity and not every mic is subjected to the same SPL how would you know when your preamp was overloading? unless you use headphones?

[terrapinj]

is there any reason why the PSP-2 clip light comes on +3? seems kinda worthless to me

[Church-Audio]

is there any reason why the PSP-2 clip light comes on +3? seems kinda worthless to me

It could be that the preamp is so good it does not clip until the input drives the output to +3db. That's a good preamp design! I would assume that is why you clip light comes on so late. And that's a good thing.

[Nick's Picks]

chris...let me quote one of the great lines of Hollyweird:

"if you build it, they will come"

[Freelunch]

is there any reason why the PSP-2 clip light comes on +3? seems kinda worthless to me

Because it is French!

For another ref, the DAV BG1 clips at +29dBu.  The red LED comes on at +21dBu and the green at +18dBu.

[Nick's Picks]

is there any reason why the PSP-2 clip light comes on +3? seems kinda worthless to me

Because it is French!

lol!

[Church-Audio]

chris...let me quote one of the great lines of Hollyweird:

"if you build it, they will come"

I will have something by the end of this year.