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Gear / Technical Help => Battery Boxes, Preamps, Mixers, ADCs, and Processors => Topic started by: LeftoverSammy on October 01, 2003, 05:49:17 PM

Title: Upgrade bug from w-mod UA-5
Post by: LeftoverSammy on October 01, 2003, 05:49:17 PM
Hey now,
I've been running a pair of mod Nak700's into my Oade wmod UA-5 with pretty nice results considering the cost of the UA-5 and its mod upgrade. I'm pretty happy with the sound I have been pulling but really dislike the touchy mic gain pots on the UA-5!! They can be tricky to get the 700's balanced just using my D8's level meters (and these Nak700's have had the FET's matched by Steven Sank).

If I use my headphones with my Airhead headphone amp I can dial it in very nicely. However I'm not always thrilled to carry a bunch of gear with me at eveyshow. (just like the stand & my Nova 4 bag).

I'm looking for feedback - if anyone thinks its worth saving up for an upgrade (thinking of an V3 over the MMe) and dump my mod UA-5. I don't want to sell my beloved 700's since I have been drawn to that particular sound the 700's have. I have owned several pairs of Nak mics and still have a pair of 300's with all the caps, but the 700's are a much nicer sounding mic!!

A fellow taper in TX (Matt Hiles) runs the 700's into a MMe and sometimes puts his Nak MX-100 infront of the MMe with very nice results.  I also do this often with my UA-5 (MX-100 into mic in of the UA-5) and balance out my levels using the MX-100. It would be nice to just run a HQ all in one unit such as the V3 and dump some of this gear (the MX-100 is a brick and very heavy).

Even though the MMe is more available on the used market, the footprint on it is too large for my LoePro Nova 4 bag and I don't want to replace my bag (love that sucker). The V3 will slide in very nicely and will run off the same voltage as my D8.

Is it worth spending $1400+ on a V3, or should I stick with my mod UA-5 for now? I also thought picking up a SBM-1 & have the line-in mod and 24bit mod done as another option that would not only free up more space but also is much cheaper. Is the V3 gonna do that much for my Nak700's that the SBM-1 or UA-5 will not??

Since I plan to keep my mics, what would some of you suggest?? I know this is a very subjective question,  but I just can't help catching the upgrade bug!!

Thanks folks



Title: Re:Upgrade bug from w-mod UA-5
Post by: F.O.Bean on October 01, 2003, 08:11:46 PM
go team grace..thats eventually where ill end up w/ my 480's....... ;)
Title: Re:Upgrade bug from w-mod UA-5
Post by: InfiniteOhms on October 01, 2003, 10:02:55 PM
if you do sell the ua-5 .... i want it!!!!

 but if you like the sound of your mics .. then the V3 seems to be the way to go
:devilrock:
Title: Re:Upgrade bug from w-mod UA-5
Post by: cpclark on October 01, 2003, 11:06:24 PM
go team grace..thats eventually where ill end up w/ my 480's....... ;)

i think many people share this as there future rig, i think in the next couple of years, unless something new and spectacular comes from apogee, grace will rule the market with the v3 and im sure they'll come out with a 4 sometime
Title: Re:Upgrade bug from w-mod UA-5
Post by: Tim on October 02, 2003, 01:37:14 AM
if you do sell the ua-5 .... i want it!!!!

 but if you like the sound of your mics .. then the V3 seems to be the way to go
:devilrock:

I like the sound of my mics and of my apogee...
Title: Re:Upgrade bug from w-mod UA-5
Post by: RRobar on October 02, 2003, 07:22:47 AM
if you do sell the ua-5 .... i want it!!!!

 but if you like the sound of your mics .. then the V3 seems to be the way to go
:devilrock:

I like the sound of my mics and of my apogee...

I thought Guest posting was turned off?No biggie just was suprised to see a guest was able to post.
Title: Re:Upgrade bug from w-mod UA-5
Post by: creekfreak on October 02, 2003, 10:01:19 AM
go team grace..thats eventually where ill end up w/ my 480's....... ;)

i think many people share this as there future rig, i think in the next couple of years, unless something new and spectacular comes from apogee, grace will rule the market with the v3 and im sure they'll come out with a 4 sometime

new and spectacular from Apogee...do you mean the mini-mp stand alone pre? ;D, seems like a step backwards....

Title: Re:Upgrade bug from w-mod UA-5
Post by: Matt Quinn on October 02, 2003, 10:24:55 AM
go team grace..thats eventually where ill end up w/ my 480's....... ;)

i think many people share this as there future rig

That seems really weird to me....I find 460's/480's to be extremely thin sounding with the V2/3. YMMV!
Title: Re:Upgrade bug from w-mod UA-5
Post by: creekfreak on October 02, 2003, 10:40:36 AM
go team grace..thats eventually where ill end up w/ my 480's....... ;)

i think many people share this as there future rig

That seems really weird to me....I find 460's/480's to be extremely thin sounding with the V2/3. YMMV!

well, since the V3 is super transparent, that must mean the 460's/480's are thin sounding mics, V3 just pulls what the mics hears, but I have heard many conflicting opinions on the AKG mics and a V3
Title: Re:Upgrade bug from w-mod UA-5
Post by: plucks on October 02, 2003, 11:56:29 AM
I'm looking for feedback - if anyone thinks its worth saving up for an upgrade (thinking of an V3 over the MMe) and dump my mod UA-5.

Well, i actually have a copy of some Nak 700s>v3 from WSP 6-27-03 from Marc Nutter.  They turned out great IMO.  If you would like a copy of it email me off list and we can get it worked out

Phil
Title: Re:Upgrade bug from w-mod UA-5
Post by: Jason B on October 05, 2003, 09:07:37 PM

I like the sound of my mics and of my apogee...
Quote

Ditto...

-JB
Title: Re:Upgrade bug from w-mod UA-5
Post by: cpclark on October 05, 2003, 10:23:57 PM
go team grace..thats eventually where ill end up w/ my 480's....... ;)


i think many people share this as there future rig, i think in the next couple of years, unless something new and spectacular comes from apogee, grace will rule the market with the v3 and im sure they'll come out with a 4 sometime

new and spectacular from Apogee...do you mean the mini-mp stand alone pre? ;D, seems like a step backwards....



didnt necessarily mean just a pre, a new version of the mini-me that is more ergonomic and better than what the mini-me is right now, and we wont know if the mini-mp is either shit or one of best pre's on the market til it comes out, everything else you can say about that box is hearsay until it is actually relased and beta-tested
Title: Re:Upgrade bug from w-mod UA-5
Post by: gonads on October 05, 2003, 10:25:03 PM
seems to be a lot of shit-talking on the apogee round these parts...
Title: Re:Upgrade bug from w-mod UA-5
Post by: cpclark on October 05, 2003, 10:32:20 PM
there has always been heated discusions of apogee vs. grace on this board, and they wont die  anytime soon
fyi- i like both boxes for what they can do for you, its all about personal opinion on what kind of sound you like
Title: Re:Upgrade bug from w-mod UA-5
Post by: DaryanLenz on October 06, 2003, 01:54:22 PM
I wouldn't call it heated...maybe call it friendly debate.  You will notice that most people that stand by one product or the other, again in not all cases, own that particular unit!

Daryan
Title: Re:Upgrade bug from w-mod UA-5
Post by: cpclark on October 07, 2003, 12:07:49 AM
it was heated when i started a thread for v3 v. minime, although i was more of a newb to the board and thats probably why, but most people stand by there box's and thats what you usually see, +T for losing tix daryan, i know people and lurkers are being dicks about this
Title: Re:Upgrade bug from w-mod UA-5
Post by: LeftoverSammy on October 07, 2003, 12:05:45 PM
Ok, so can I rope the MMe vs. V3 crowd back to the original post again somehow?? Does anyone else have any info to add to my original request?

Thanks,
LoS
Title: Re:Upgrade bug from w-mod UA-5
Post by: marc0789 on October 07, 2003, 04:11:06 PM
If you like your mics, get a v3. You will literally hear what the mics hear. If you feel the 700's have a deficit that needs to be "covered up", you might want a mme. My ears can literally not pick out one mic from another when run into a mme. They all sound pretty much the same, unless the sound is so fabulous and clear(sci) that the mic shines through. Seriously, as much as I dogged it, I'm so much of a fan at this point that if I don't like the sound I get, it ain't the v3 that I'd consider dumping. Utterly transparent. Personally, I like the 700's a lot and think they deserve a transparent pre. Imo.  ;D
Title: Re:Upgrade bug from w-mod UA-5
Post by: creekfreak on October 07, 2003, 04:26:46 PM
If you like your mics, get a v3. You will literally hear what the mics hear. If you feel the 700's have a deficit that needs to be "covered up", you might want a mme. My ears can literally not pick out one mic from another when run into a mme. They all sound pretty much the same, unless the sound is so fabulous and clear(sci) that the mic shines through. Seriously, as much as I dogged it, I'm so much of a fan at this point that if I don't like the sound I get, it ain't the v3 that I'd consider dumping. Utterly transparent. Personally, I like the 700's a lot and think they deserve a transparent pre. Imo.  ;D

what marc said from a sound standpoint. From a build and egronomic standpoint the V3 is superior IMO. Easier to fit in various gearbags, better light meters, etc.
Title: Re:Upgrade bug from w-mod UA-5
Post by: Kevin on October 21, 2003, 01:46:46 PM
I love my minime with my 480's :) and the bag issue isnt a big deal I have the minime case and just took off a side compartment on my AW and stuck the case there and pulled the strap (attached to the lowepro bag) tight and its perfect <- assuming your nova has the same thing