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Gear / Technical Help => Battery Boxes, Preamps, Mixers, ADCs, and Processors => Topic started by: Sterling on October 13, 2003, 10:57:18 AM

Title: Best preamp?
Post by: Sterling on October 13, 2003, 10:57:18 AM
I'm looking to run some oktava's or AkG's and I need a good inexpensive preamp with an optical out becuse right now I have a MD (love to upgrade but I'm in grad school and a cheap bastard so) any help would be great. 8)
Sterling
I appreciate it but what are all these T's? :-\
Title: Re:Best preamp?
Post by: Kevin on October 13, 2003, 11:09:48 AM
the tickets are good (gdstoo) and bad (ptbm) karma.  As for the pre some of the cheaper ones would be the denecke ad20, ediral ua5, used dmic20, used mp2 but i dont think they have optical out.  You can get a c02 that convert the coax to toslink though (60-80??).  you should look at the jb3's there around 200 and get great recordings, everyone seems to love em.  Oh and go with the AKG's!! ;)
Title: Re:Best preamp?
Post by: wrangler_n_space on October 13, 2003, 11:12:15 AM
UA5 with either the presence or the warm. If you going for cheap yuo could always just get the digi mod (around 350$) and upgrade later.

An even cheaper way to go is the Denecke AD-20, it has an optical out. I ran one for a little while with my c1000s. It sounds good, only drawback is that it does not offer phantom power. But if your going to get c1000s it doesnt matter.
Title: Re:Best preamp?
Post by: Brian Skalinder on October 13, 2003, 11:15:36 AM
I'm looking to run some oktava's or AkG's and I need a good inexpensive preamp with an optical out becuse right now I have a MD (love to upgrade but I'm in grad school and a cheap bastard so) any help would be great. 8)

Just to clarify:  what you're really looking for, I think, is a preamp/ADC combo.  Preamps are strictly analog and won't give you an optical out - they just provide analog gain.  The ADC will provide the digital out.

This archive thread (ahem, always check the archives  :P) should help:

http://www.taperssection.com/yabbse/index.php?board=14;action=display;threadid=4237 (http://www.taperssection.com/yabbse/index.php?board=14;action=display;threadid=4237)
Title: Re:Best preamp?
Post by: cpclark on October 13, 2003, 05:21:14 PM
go with the ad-20, ive made smokin tapes with c1000's and a much more expensive mic the audio technica 4051's, i think the stock ua-5 sound is a bit dry, go with the ad-20 and you wont be dissapointed, also a very small footprint and no cable issues and problems that are associated with the ua-5, i.e. xlr-ins on the front, seperate gain control for analog ins on the back, just can become a mess in your bag, food for though, .02
Title: Re:Best preamp?
Post by: Nick in Edinboro on October 13, 2003, 05:32:46 PM
no cable issues and problems that are associated with the ua-5, i.e. xlr-ins on the front, seperate gain control for analog ins on the back, just can become a mess in your bag

 ???

(http://www.core-sound.com/ua5-1a.jpg)

When would you use the RCA in's when recording past that rare occasion to get a patch off the board to make a matrix?  The controls for the XLR signals are right next to their inputs on the front.
Title: Re:Best preamp?
Post by: gonads on October 13, 2003, 05:36:59 PM
mod ua5 over the Thin-Box anyday of the week. There's no comparison, the ua-5 is in another league.
Title: Re:Best preamp?
Post by: Brian Skalinder on October 13, 2003, 05:44:54 PM
no cable issues and problems that are associated with the ua-5, i.e. xlr-ins on the front, seperate gain control for analog ins on the back, just can become a mess in your bag, food for though, .02

FWIW, I've run the UA5 and encountered no cable / control problems.  Very easy box to setup and use, sounds really good for the price point.
Title: Re:Best preamp?
Post by: DaryanLenz on October 13, 2003, 05:55:34 PM
Just curious...how close is a wmod to an apogee and how close is a pmod to a v3?  Again, just wondering.

Daryan
Title: Re:Best preamp?
Post by: Brian Skalinder on October 13, 2003, 06:13:13 PM
Just curious...how close is a wmod to an apogee and how close is a pmod to a v3?  Again, just wondering.

I know someone - maybe Craig - did some V3/wmod-UA5 comparisons at home, sent out some CDs, and some feedback was posted on the Oade board.  I'm in the process of getting my UA5 warm-modded and will be doing some field comparisons v. V3 this fall/winter.

Here's the Oade thread (http://www.oade.com/cgi-bin/miva?Forum/technology/viewthread.mv+thread=6325&message=7673).

Title: Re:Best preamp?
Post by: Sean Gallemore on October 13, 2003, 06:30:42 PM
a dumb question, can you power the ua5 thru the usb?
Title: Re:Best preamp?
Post by: teamakg on October 13, 2003, 09:23:33 PM
i recommend the UA5 with the warm mod.  sounded awesome with my akg 391's.  can't wait to here it with my new 480's.  running them tomorrow at flecktones.  one thing though.  i really wasn't happy with just my UA5 until i got it warm modded.  my recordings were just lacking "something" before the mod.  if all goes well tomorrow night i should have my flecktones show up on the archive by the weekend if you'd to hear it.
george
Title: Re:Best preamp?
Post by: creekfreak on October 13, 2003, 09:28:44 PM
for the money, and as an all in one box the ua-5 is the way to go.
Title: Re:Best preamp?
Post by: utahtaper on October 13, 2003, 10:34:33 PM
Ok....
Let me throw this in for fun. Would you go with a stock digi mod UA-5 or a DMIC? Which one would sound better as an all in one box?
Title: Re:Best preamp?
Post by: Brian Skalinder on October 13, 2003, 10:41:48 PM
Ok....
Let me throw this in for fun. Would you go with a stock digi mod UA-5 or a DMIC? Which one would sound better as an all in one box?

I personally prefer the UA5 to the DMIC.  While the DMIC yeilds greater detail, it also sounds very digital, bright/harsh, and unnatural  to my ears.  I prefer the less detailed but smoother sound of the UA5.
Title: Re:Best preamp?
Post by: utahtaper on October 13, 2003, 10:54:21 PM
That's funny you say that. I have never used a DMIC. But I have used the ADC and it hurt my ears with harshness. It took me a while to figure out it wasn't my V2 in the mix....
Title: Re:Best preamp?
Post by: Brian Skalinder on October 13, 2003, 11:05:12 PM
ADC's the same in the DMIC-20 and ADC-20, no?  Can anyone confirm?
Title: Re:Best preamp?
Post by: Lee on October 14, 2003, 01:22:52 AM
dmod UA-5... you can always send it back to get a pre mod and stepped gain is a beeyotch!
Title: Re:Best preamp?
Post by: rustle on October 14, 2003, 11:29:56 PM
George,
 Post your results running your UA-5 with your 480's. I'm thinking of getting one for Matrixing, and also run my buddies 480's quite a bit, 24 to be exact.  ;) sorry having phun with puns  ;D

~Russell
Title: Re:Best preamp?
Post by: Brian on October 16, 2003, 01:13:57 PM
I run Oktavas > w-mod UA5 > M1 and have made some pretty nice tapes.  The w-mod UA5 has a nice, fat warm sound that i prefer.  Mids lack a little, IMHO, but the highs are very true.

Go with w-mod UA5. I certainly haven't been disappointed.

Peace,
Brian
Title: Re:Best preamp?
Post by: cpclark on October 16, 2003, 01:23:37 PM
ADC's the same in the DMIC-20 and ADC-20, no?  Can anyone confirm?

yeah, the only thing the adc-20 lacks is the pre in the dmic-20, very bright and digital, i really didnt like it too much
Title: Re:Best preamp?
Post by: Kindguy on October 16, 2003, 01:40:32 PM
I'm running 480>warm mod UA-5 for DTB & 2 panic shows this weekend.

I'll try to get some copies out quick. If they are good maybe someone can host the flacs?
Title: Re:Best preamp?
Post by: F.O.Bean on October 16, 2003, 03:30:44 PM
good luck on all that.....id love to hear those.... 8) ;)
Title: Re:Best preamp?
Post by: mirth on October 16, 2003, 05:03:27 PM
a dumb question, can you power the ua5 thru the usb?

Schwill - No.
Title: Re:Best preamp?
Post by: Sean Gallemore on October 17, 2003, 04:35:37 AM
a dumb question, can you power the ua5 thru the usb?

Schwill - No.

thanx, + mirth
Title: Re:Best preamp?
Post by: caymanreview on October 17, 2003, 04:59:57 AM
one more vote for a warm mod ua5
Title: Re:Best preamp?
Post by: mirth on October 17, 2003, 05:14:38 PM
a dumb question, can you power the ua5 thru the usb?

Schwill - No.

thanx, + mirth

Any time. Surprised nobody answered that one before me.
Title: Re:Best preamp?
Post by: Simp-Dawg on October 17, 2003, 06:14:42 PM
a dumb question, can you power the ua5 thru the usb?

Schwill - No.

thanx, + mirth

Any time. Surprised nobody answered that one before me.

i would have thought it could be usb powered....well, it would be a good idea to have that, like the usbpre does.  although on the usbpre it would also be nice to have an external power source to lighten the load on the laptop batts.  oh well that's why i have the n-charge to power my shit forever!
Title: Re:Best preamp?
Post by: Sean Gallemore on October 17, 2003, 07:19:11 PM
a dumb question, can you power the ua5 thru the usb?

Schwill - No.

thanx, + mirth

Any time. Surprised nobody answered that one before me.

i would have thought it could be usb powered....well, it would be a good idea to have that, like the usbpre does.  although on the usbpre it would also be nice to have an external power source to lighten the load on the laptop batts.  oh well that's why i have the n-charge to power my shit forever!

yeah, I agree simp, but that's why I asked cuz I figure it would like the USBpre.  thanx again
Title: Re:Best preamp?
Post by: mterry on October 18, 2003, 07:26:55 PM
a dumb question, can you power the ua5 thru the usb?

Schwill - No.

thanx, + mirth

Any time. Surprised nobody answered that one before me.

i would have thought it could be usb powered....well, it would be a good idea to have that, like the usbpre does.  although on the usbpre it would also be nice to have an external power source to lighten the load on the laptop batts.  oh well that's why i have the n-charge to power my shit forever!


Agreeded. The USBPre sound is SO solid though (to me that is) so it's worth it :)
Title: Re:Best preamp?
Post by: cpclark on October 19, 2003, 03:33:24 PM
go with the ad-20, ive made smokin tapes with c1000's and a much more expensive mic the audio technica 4051's, i think the stock ua-5 sound is a bit dry, go with the ad-20 and you wont be dissapointed, also a very small footprint and no cable issues and problems that are associated with the ua-5, i.e. xlr-ins on the front, seperate gain control for analog ins on the back, just can become a mess in your bag, food for though, .02

So, are you saying that your c1000 tapes smoke your more expensive AT4051s?

Personally, I think that front xlr inputs are the shit.  Much more practical for use in the field.  The m148 is the perfect example.  It sets perfectly in the bag with no mess.

im not saying that my c1000's come even close to my audio technica at4051's, im just saying that for the price, the ad-20 is solid and ive made good tapes with both in different siturations, venues, etc..., these two sets of mics are very different and the tapes have there own special qualities, i was just impressed with what the ad-20 can do for you for only around 300 bucks, people like to point out flaws in everything, while i am about pointing out the positives as thats what im all about.
-chris