Topic: jb3 vs neuros?

[sirwalter]

Hi
After gathering alot of info from this site, I think ive decided to take the plunge  and invest in a jb3 and ua-5 digi mod.  correct me if im wrong (please!!)  but from what i understand this would allow me to patch in and make some decent recordings, and once i get mics, allow me to power them.  just to cover my bases ive been looking at competition and was impressed by aspects of neuros.  the main difference seems to be neuros lack of digital in.  so my questions-

1.  is digital in crucial?  what setup could i use with a neuros?  in general how is recording with neuros?

2.   point blank- for a newbie trying to put together a decent setup which would be a better way to go? jb3 + ua5 digi mod or neuros +....??   or another setup im not considering?

Sorry for the basic questions, Im trying to learn the options before i invest. Thanks for the help you guys rock!!!

[F.O.Bean]

jb3, nuf said, its been tested pretty true!

[Sean Gallemore]

Hi
After gathering alot of info from this site, I think ive decided to take the plunge  and invest in a jb3 and ua-5 digi mod.  correct me if im wrong (please!!)  but from what i understand this would allow me to patch in and make some decent recordings, and once i get mics, allow me to power them.  just to cover my bases ive been looking at competition and was impressed by aspects of neuros.  the main difference seems to be neuros lack of digital in.  so my questions-

1.  is digital in crucial?  what setup could i use with a neuros?  in general how is recording with neuros?

2.   point blank- for a newbie trying to put together a decent setup which would be a better way to go? jb3 + ua5 digi mod or neuros +....??   or another setup im not considering?

Sorry for the basic questions, Im trying to learn the options before i invest. Thanks for the help you guys rock!!!

[1]  if you will be using the UA-5, the JB3 is a perfect complement.  With the Neuros, any preamp with analoge outs will work.  I ran my Neuros successfully for 3 hours of Primus 2 weekends ago, simply love the results.  There's a torrent available in the Kickdowns.

[2]  I use my Neuros with a Sound Devices MP-2, but there are other preamps you can run with either the JB3 or the Neuros if you decide to go the non-UA-5 route.  If you don't plan to stealth, UA-5 > JB3 is your best starter rig.

[Brian Skalinder]

If you're only patching for starters, no need for the UA5.  NJB3 + Hosa ODL-276 (scarce at the moment) + an RCA barrel splitter should be all you need.

[sirwalter]

If you're only patching for starters, no need for the UA5.  NJB3 + Hosa ODL-276 (scarce at the moment) + an RCA barrel splitter should be all you need.

thanks for the feedback! please let me know if this doesnt make any sense.  an odl-276 is a format converter, allowing for optical line for jb3. (?)   would i still be using the jb3's gain and adc, and eventually need to go external?  my goal is to make a purchase that would let me transition from patching to using mics, without having to make too many additional purchases in between.  i suppose id ideally like to be able to do some stealth, but honestly  in most situations i dont think it would be necessary.
so....  if for time being i went   

ua-5>jb3.....i could eventually add mics (im thinking superlux SMK-H8K, studio project c4 or adk sc-t) without making any additional purchases of boxes.  and make decent patch recordings in the mean time.

if i went   odl-276>jb3....id still be using jb3 for gain and adc.  and id need to eventually go external to make decent patch or mic recordings?

assuming the above is true (and i know it may not be!) the ua-5 would be more $ initially, but in long run is less than piecing together multiple boxes, and would allow me to be using external adc and gain from the start.  please let me know of other options or things ive got wrong-and again thanks!!!!!!

[greenone]

The ODL-276 is a format converter, yes. But if you're going optical-in, you bypass the JB3's gain and adc. Essentially, this is good for patching because you'd still need gain/adc before getting to the ODL-276. If you're only interested in making your own recordings for a full rig, then the UA5 is gain, ADC and will output an optical signal for your JB3. The ODL-276 is only useful if you're running or patching from ADCs that only have a coaxial output (which many do).

--Dave

[sirwalter]

The ODL-276 is a format converter, yes. But if you're going optical-in, you bypass the JB3's gain and adc. Essentially, this is good for patching because you'd still need gain/adc before getting to the ODL-276. If you're only interested in making your own recordings for a full rig, then the UA5 is gain, ADC and will output an optical signal for your JB3. The ODL-276 is only useful if you're running or patching from ADCs that only have a coaxial output (which many do).

--Dave

does the ua-5 have coaxial input?  because it has gain and adc built in, would it not be effective for patching?  id like to have the flexibility to both patch in, and eventually complete my setup by adding mics in a month or so.

[sirwalter]

to add to the above....
was just looking at a phto of the back of a ua-5.  looks like there is a switch, selecting either optical or coaxial.  does this mean i could not patch in to someone with a coaxial out and use the optical out on the ua-5 at the same time? making the ua-5 not effective for patching in with a jb3?  sorry for the newbie thread of many questions, but this is really helpful!

[sirwalter]

ok...apparently the oade digimod not only makes the ua-5 work standalone but also switches on both the coaxial and optical i/o.  so...i could get a coaxial patch, and send it back out the coaxial out to someone else as well as out the optical to jb3??     ....i think?

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

ok...apparently the oade digimod not only makes the ua-5 work standalone but also switches on both the coaxial and optical i/o.  so...i could get a coaxial patch, and send it back out the coaxial out to someone else as well as out the optical to jb3??     ....i think?

While this sounds like it would work, it does NOT.  I asked Oade abot mod-ing the UA5 so that it could do this, but nothing came about it...  I bought and ODL 276 instead...

The UA5 is also NOT bit-perfect when inputing digital, so really, even if the UA5 did do the format conversion, why would you want it if it creates errors???

Buy the ODL 276...

T

[sirwalter]

oh didnt realize ua-5 wasnt bit perfect for digital in...so youd recommend getting a coax barrel splitter and an odl 276 for patching?  what do you think i should use for gain and adc if i plan to transition to using mics? what would work well with odl-276>jb3?  should i have a odl 276 for patching and a ad-20 for when i use mics? or is that redundant?  ideally i dl like to make a purchase that would let me do both! again thanks...really helpful!

[F.O.Bean]

a cheap solution for slowly doing your own recording would be mics>ps-2/ad-20>optical out of ad-20>jb3

or mics>dmic-20>odl-276>jb3!!

those would be your cheapest and prolly best bets taping on your own!!

[Brian Skalinder]

oh didnt realize ua-5 wasnt bit perfect for digital in...so youd recommend getting a coax barrel splitter and an odl 276 for patching?

Yup.  Only catch is the ODL-276 is tough to come by right now.  But if you can find one, great!  And if not, there are some cheaper options which won't be bit perfect but will at least still allow you to come home with a recording.

what do you think i should use for gain and adc if i plan to transition to using mics? what would work well with odl-276>jb3?  should i have a odl 276 for patching and a ad-20 for when i use mics? or is that redundant?  ideally i dl like to make a purchase that would let me do both! again thanks...really helpful!

I'd recommend a digi-modded UA5 over the AD-20.  Check the Archival Info forum for a FAQ on the UA5 (and another, for that matter, on the NJB3).  There's no point in spending the money on the UA5 (or AD-20) if you don't have mics.  Just pick up the UA5 when you buy mics.  If you get the UA5, the ODL-276 will become unnecessary since the UA5 has an optical output with which to feed the UA5 directly.  You could then either sell the ODL-276 to convert your UA5's coax output to optical for NJB3 patchers or hold onto it for when you only want to patch.

[junkbondking]

this weekend at the mish we ran the following:

sdb into the 3 pin mic in front of the ua-5.   then my optical out to the jb3, the coax out to a splitter with philly sci's hosa box and then the dat chain, and a mini disc dood from loveland ran rca out's to an 1/8" for his md.  everyone got signal execpt for the dumb fuck who showed up 15 secs after the music started  and asked for board patch.

you can certainly run both a co-ax and optical out of the jb3.  i did it at miami for the first nite of the nye run.  my ua-5 is digi and warm modded btw.

if you are serious about buying any adk mic (be is sct or tl's) i think you will find that a wmod ua-5 will even out those mics great.  ld's often are a little bass heavy and as cbd will attest, the wmod will brighten bass heavy shows a little.

[sirwalter]

really helpful you guys!  thanks!!!!