Topic: looking to lighten the gear bag...UA-5 vs. PMD-660

[mikesalvo]

so....I really want to go 4 track, but it seems to be a pricey switch. So, Im thinking oflightening the gear bag a bit and picking up a 660 and getting it modded. Right now Im running a BM2p+ UA-5. Does anyone see pros/cons with this switch? Id REALLY like to go 4 channel, but it seems to be a minimum $1,000+ affair for an all in one thats wrth a damn.


any insight wopuld be much appreciated.

Thanks!

[Fatah Ruark (aka MIKE B)]

so....I really want to go 4 track, but it seems to be a pricey switch. So, Im thinking oflightening the gear bag a bit and picking up a 660 and getting it modded. Right now Im running a BM2p+ UA-5. Does anyone see pros/cons with this switch? Id REALLY like to go 4 channel, but it seems to be a minimum $1,000+ affair for an all in one thats wrth a damn.


any insight wopuld be much appreciated.

Thanks!

You can get a R-44 for $800. And then get it modded by Busman (not sure what he charges).

[intpseeker]

...or there was a stock 660 on ebay last week that went for under 300, maybe under 250. Add 175 for the busman mod and you have a lot left from the 1000 for...whatever.

I keep wondering myself abut how much time the post takes with 4 channels vs 2 channels.

[stevetoney]

R-44 stock is pretty good sounding, but the Oade ACM at $915 is really nice sounding to my ears.  As stated, that's pretty dang close to $1k and you're not any lower than that if you have busman mod to a stock unit.  So, on the basis of your post, I'll rule this out and conclude that I agree with you that if you can't get much uner $1k.  However, that doesn't mean that 4 channel is out.  (BTW, you are aware that there is a stock R-4 in the YS right now for I think $600 or so??  Don't forget that a bus mod on 4 channels is I think 2X$175 on the R-4...not sure about the R-44.)

You still have the option to keep your UA-5>JB3 for situations where you can get a board patch.  In the meantime, buy the stock 660 for the cheapest you can and run the UA-5 lne-in into the 660.  Obviously, this doesn't decrease the bag size, but it does ease cash flow problems.  Once you've got an extra $175, send the 660 off to Chris for his mod.  Then you can take the 660 out for those nights when you know a board patch isn't available, but take it all when you can do 4-channels.

Don't be too put off by the fact that you'd need to make ajustments in post to synch the two sources.  It's easy to do if you have the right software (I use Audition)...just adds another step to the mastering process, but it's not like it takes more than an hour or two.

Incidently, the busman mod on the 660 is really excellent ++ sounding.

[mikesalvo]

ya, in a perfect world I would keep both, and run both when 4 channels were available, however, I cant really afford right now to do that. ToneDeaf +t, and for some reason in your response I got a vibe that you were saying the 660 wouyldnt be good for a patch??? Is that correct, or were you just suggesting I keep both setups?

[stevetoney]

No reason the 660 wouldn't work fine with a patch.  If I remember right, the Busman mod keeps the Line In intact while the Oade mod whacks it.

[Javier Cinakowski]

No reason the 660 wouldn't work fine with a patch.  If I remember right, the Busman mod keeps the Line In intact while the Oade mod whacks it.

That was once true.   Oade's ACM (which is kinda discontinued) had the line input bypassed.   The Song Catcher is the replacement and identical to the ACM, except the line- switch is left intact.   It is labor intensive to bypass the line switch....

[stevetoney]

^ thanks for the correction Murph and sorry for the incorrect information, folks!

[flintstone]

A modded 660 sounds very good.  Just remember that the 660 is
16 bits only, and burns through AA cells very quickly. 

A small recorder like the Edirol R-09HR, Marantz PMD620, Sony
PCM-D50 or Olympus LS-10 works well with a 48V battery box.

Flintstone

[Javier Cinakowski]

and burns through AA cells very quickly.

 I use Sanyo 2700 nimh's AA's and a lacross charger.  I can record an entire show, letting it run through set break and still not see any drop on the battery meter.  After DSO's set at gratefulfest I recorded the show then played it back, twice, before the batteries died....  I think good nimh AA's perform very well with my pmd660.  Alkaline batteries suck though....