Topic: I need help to understand battery boxes- newbie

[tonykriegmaui]

Hi all,
I hope this isn't too dumb a question.  I am new to the forum and new to taping. I have just put in an order for  a R09HR. I plan to order the Church Audio st 9000 and cardoid mic package as it seems to be a fairly reasonable price. 

I want to learn how to tape music at outdoor concerts as well as tape a small group of musicians who play acoustic and electric guitar piano on weekends together.

My question is: Does the battery power that runs the st 9000 save or conserve battery power that runs the R09HR.  Or more simply when is battery power needed for microphones if they are running off something like an R0-9Hr

[nameloc01]

The battery box powers the mics so as you won't have to use the "plug-in power" from the recording deck, thus saving the decks power/batteries just for operation/recording. Typically,the power the recorder provides isn't adequate to correctly power a lot of mics.

[tonykriegmaui]

Thanks,
So given the components that I am ordering could you recommend a battery box(?) or a battery that would go between the mics, and the other two compents?

[Church-Audio]

Thanks,
So given the components that I am ordering could you recommend a battery box(?) or a battery that would go between the mics, and the other two compents?

Not sure I follow you. Are you looking for something that will power both or just your mics?

[jefflester]

Thanks,
So given the components that I am ordering could you recommend a battery box(?) or a battery that would go between the mics, and the other two compents?

Given the components you are ordering you don't need a battery box. The ST9000 is a preamplifier, but it also provides the power for the mics.

[tonykriegmaui]

Thanks
But would I need a battery to power the mics if I was just connecting to the R09HR

[Brian Skalinder]

With the gear you're using - R-09HR, ST9000, and mics - the R-09HR has its own internal battery, the ST9000 has its own internal battery, and the mics are powered by the ST9000 directly (and therefore its internal battery).

[sunjan]

Thanks
But would I need a battery to power the mics if I was just connecting to the R09HR

You mean that you'd leave the ST9000 at home and just run Church Cards>R09HR without using the pre? Sure, it can be done, but why?

[tonykriegmaui]

Not sure why. Just wondered if the mics have to have power other than the R09HR. Again, I haven't received the equipment yet and and still confused as to what the purpose/relationship  of a battery to mics is.

[rastasean]

Not sure why. Just wondered if the mics have to have power other than the R09HR. Again, I haven't received the equipment yet and and still confused as to what the purpose/relationship  of a battery to mics is.

Well, let's cut to the chase.
You are getting the church audio 9000 pre-amp and ca-14 card mics.

It is true that you can use the card mics without the pre-amp AND with the pre-amp. If you choose not to use the pre-amp, you will need to turn ON the plug-in power on the back of the 09HR.

How do you like that? 

[Church-Audio]

Not sure why. Just wondered if the mics have to have power other than the R09HR. Again, I haven't received the equipment yet and and still confused as to what the purpose/relationship  of a battery to mics is.

Well, let's cut to the chase.
You are getting the church audio 9000 pre-amp and ca-14 card mics.

It is true that you can use the card mics without the pre-amp AND with the pre-amp. If you choose not to use the pre-amp, you will need to turn ON the plug-in power on the back of the 09HR.

How do you like that? 

This  works pretty good for shows that are not super loud. But when you get into louder shows you want to use the 9000 if only for the fact that it will give you the full 9 volts of plug in power, Generally speaking because you have the preamp you should use it when ever you can run the volume knob on the preamp at full and set it to + 10 for loud shows -0db for really loud shows and +30 for quiet acoustic stuff.

Chris

[tonykriegmaui]

Horraay!  Got it, I now understand. Thanks to all!

[stevetoney]

Dear Tonykrieg...

I was chuckling a little bit as I read the responses and I could see that nobody was giving you the answer you were looking for.  As a long-time concert recordist using CSB mics and never used a battery box, I was pretty confused for a LOOONG time what was the purpose of the battery box and why I couldn't just record all shows without the battery box.

Chris does answer the question a bit, but I think there's still a little bit of explanation needed.

If you use the battery box, you're getting the benefit fo the full nine volts being supplied to power to mics.  In high sound pressure level situations, this will prevent your mics from distorting.  In lower volume situations, like possibly if you were recording a lecture, you'd be able to record without the battery box. 

So, the difference is situations where the SPL (sound pressure level) is really high and the louder the show, the more you'd want to make sure that you have dedicated mic power to ensure that the mics don't distort. 

So, given that you're gonna be buying the battery box along with the microphones, some people have asked, why would you ever want to run without the box? 

[tonykriegmaui]

Ok that helps even more. But, I assume that as others have said, using the preamp makes the battery box unnecessary.

[stevetoney]

Ok that helps even more. But, I assume that as others have said, using the preamp makes the battery box unnecessary.

Yup. 

It's the same as a preamp for small diaphragm mics that require up to 48V, where the preamp provides the phantom power for the mics and, of course, 'processes' (amplifies, reduces noise, etc.) the signal for use by the recording device.

[illconditioned]

Not sure why. Just wondered if the mics have to have power other than the R09HR. Again, I haven't received the equipment yet and and still confused as to what the purpose/relationship  of a battery to mics is.

Well, let's cut to the chase.
You are getting the church audio 9000 pre-amp and ca-14 card mics.

It is true that you can use the card mics without the pre-amp AND with the pre-amp. If you choose not to use the pre-amp, you will need to turn ON the plug-in power on the back of the 09HR.

How do you like that? 

This  works pretty good for shows that are not super loud. But when you get into louder shows you want to use the 9000 if only for the fact that it will give you the full 9 volts of plug in power, Generally speaking because you have the preamp you should use it when ever you can run the volume knob on the preamp at full and set it to + 10 for loud shows -0db for really loud shows and +30 for quiet acoustic stuff.

Chris

I've had great luck running your (CA-11) and other mics from Edirol Plug in power (mic in, low sens, plug in power on).
I haven't been to metal shows or anything like that, but I've been at club shows with >100dB SPL.

I think the problem is more with quieter shows, where you might want an external preamp in front.

  Richard