Topic: Something comparable to the UA-5 in price and function?

[bconnolly]

I was looking into UA-5's (emailed Oade about a w-mod) but I found out Edirol doesn't make them anymore.  Looked into the UA-25 but read a thread on Oade.com concering its uselessness in the field.

So I'm looking to build a decent, but affordable, open-tape rig and I'd like to know what could work in place of the UA-5 for a preamp and A/D converter.  Something battery powered, about the same size as the UA-5 and around 300 or 400 USD would be optimal.

[Myco]

Keep your eye open in the Yard Sale section of this site and you can probably still get a UA-5 if you still want one. There generally is at least one for sale every week to two weeks.

[bconnolly]

Keep your eye open in the Yard Sale section of this site and you can probably still get a UA-5 if you still want one. There generally is at least one for sale every week to two weeks.

Yeah, I see them in YS every once in a while but I'm always too slow to snap one up.  I'm just looking for something I can get in case I never luck out and check YS at the exact right moment.

Edit: Also, I'm running this into a MT (optical, preferably) if that matters for anything.  Mics will be AKG C1000S.

[Patrick]

Edit: Also, I'm running this into a MT (optical, preferably) if that matters for anything.

A mictrotracker?  Mictrotrackers accept only a digi coax, no optical.

[bconnolly]

My bad then.  Got my terms confused.  What I mean is that I'd like to run digital and not analog into the MT.

[PG]

I don't think there is anything that is comparable to a UA-5 at the price level, especially when you look at the W/P/T/+ mods. If I were you I'd keep an eye on the yard sale.

[RebelRebel]

You can also get them cheap on ebay at times, and there is an in house guy here(Eric Busman) that mods the boxes with a modification he came up with. (if you see people with BM2 mod in their sig..its what they are alluding to)

Teddy

[Patrick]

My bad then.  Got my terms confused.  What I mean is that I'd like to run digital and not analog into the MT.

An AD-20 or a UA-5 will provide a digi coax out for the MT. 

And I agree with the sentiments of the rest of the board.  The UA-5 is the best deal around as far as function/price.  Just keep looking in the Yard Sale and on ebay, you'll find one eventually 

[Busman Audio]

You can also get them cheap on ebay at times, and there is an in house guy here(Eric Busman) that mods the boxes with a modification he came up with. (if you see people with BM2 mod in their sig..its what they are alluding to)

Teddy

Its not Eric Busman its me that does the mods and my name is Chris.

[RebelRebel]

My mistake partner.. I meant Chris. I know your name, I just zoned out for a minute. I was trying to get you some business, itd help if I got the name right.

Teddy

You can also get them cheap on ebay at times, and there is an in house guy here(Eric Busman) that mods the boxes with a modification he came up with. (if you see people with BM2 mod in their sig..its what they are alluding to)

Teddy

Its not Eric Busman its me that does the mods and my name is Chris.

[bconnolly]

My bad then.  Got my terms confused.  What I mean is that I'd like to run digital and not analog into the MT.

An AD-20 or a UA-5 will provide a digi coax out for the MT. 

And I agree with the sentiments of the rest of the board.  The UA-5 is the best deal around as far as function/price.  Just keep looking in the Yard Sale and on ebay, you'll find one eventually 

For the price, I might go with a an AD-20 and a PS2 for phantom, gain, and conversion.  That way I won't have to worry about the 9v batts in the C100S dying.

It would be nice to run just one box... maybe I should sell a leg or a kidney and get a V3.

[Patrick]

It would be nice to run just one box... maybe I should sell a leg or a kidney and get a V3.

You don't have to sell anything, just be patient and buy a UA-5 when it comes up.  A v3 is a whole different financial story...

[RebelRebel]

eh, just get a 722 and be done with it.

[bconnolly]

Hmm... http://www.instrumentpro.com/P-EDIUA5

I wasn't aware any online retailers were selling these still.  I wonder if they just forgot to pull it or if it's actually in stock.

eh, just get a 722 and be done with it.

Yeah... don't really have 2 grand to throw around at the moment.

[Lil Kim Jong-Il]

Yeah... don't really have 2 grand to throw around at the moment.

And you'd still want a V3.

[willndmb]

You can also get them cheap on ebay at times, and there is an in house guy here(Eric Busman) that mods the boxes with a modification he came up with. (if you see people with BM2 mod in their sig..its what they are alluding to)

Teddy

Its not Eric Busman its me that does the mods and my name is Chris.

and its awesome +t

[Krispy D]

Hmm... http://www.instrumentpro.com/P-EDIUA5

I wasn't aware any online retailers were selling these still.  I wonder if they just forgot to pull it or if it's actually in stock.

nah,  $300. is still a little steep.  keep in mind that this box still needs to modded to be used in the field.  wheather you get an Oade modded unit or send one off the Chris for a busman mod, or you do our own (like mine), it still needs a simple digi mod AT LEAST to be used as a stand alone unit without a computer.  now with the most basic of soldering skills and a steady hand you can do this yourself but otherwise your gonna spend at least $30-50 bucks at an electronics store or music shop to have that done and IMHO $350.00 for a basic digi mod ua 5 is a little much.  either hold out for a used unit or search on ebay for a really good deal.  you shouldn't have to spend much more than $200.00 on an unmodded or simply digi modded ua 5.  remember you need a digi mod to use it without a  computer.  the Oad, busman, or any other op amp/p48 mod just makes it sound better.  for the money even a digi mod unit is the best bang for the buck out there.

hope all that made sense

[ehren]

pre-modded UA5s come up for sale all the time in the Yard Sale. It really makes no sense to me to even try to buy one new considering how many are floating around this community. From what little I've heard the Busman mods sound great, yet a bit different than the Oade mods. All in all, it seems they show up at least every other week.

[RebelRebel]

http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=55702.0

act quick!@

[J.T.L]

http://www.instrumentpro.com/P-EDIUA5.html

...I was looking at them for a UA-5 3 weeks ago and called to haggle about the price. After being on hold for 10 mins the guy came back and said they were firm about the price but I should buy it quick. If not I would have to wait 4 weeks until their new shipment of UA-5's arrived from Edirol/Roland. Now I thought they were discontinued and this seemed strange, so I googled reviews on instrumentpro and after reading comment after comment on how they are crooks that send late if at all, some instances of used instead of new gear being shipped, multipule credit card hits and so on. Some think that it is a webfront for a network of used music shops in California so I stayed away. Coupla days later 1 was on ebay, listed here (thanks setboy!) got it for 190 and digimodded it myself...works great. I waited it out...if I didnt I mighta' been burned by instrumentpro...patience worked for me.