Topic: Best preamp?

[Sterling]

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.
Sterling
I appreciate it but what are all these T's?

[Kevin]

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!!

[wrangler_n_space]

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.

[Brian Skalinder]

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.

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  ) should help:

http://www.taperssection.com/yabbse/index.php?board=14;action=display;threadid=4237

[cpclark]

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

[Nick in Edinboro]

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

 



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.

[gonads]

mod ua5 over the Thin-Box anyday of the week. There's no comparison, the ua-5 is in another league.

[Brian Skalinder]

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.

[DaryanLenz]

Just curious...how close is a wmod to an apogee and how close is a pmod to a v3?  Again, just wondering.

Daryan

[Brian Skalinder]

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.

[Sean Gallemore]

a dumb question, can you power the ua5 thru the usb?

[teamakg]

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

[creekfreak]

for the money, and as an all in one box the ua-5 is the way to go.

[utahtaper]

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?

[Brian Skalinder]

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.

[utahtaper]

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....

[Brian Skalinder]

ADC's the same in the DMIC-20 and ADC-20, no?  Can anyone confirm?

[Lee]

dmod UA-5... you can always send it back to get a pre mod and stepped gain is a beeyotch!

[rustle]

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  

~Russell

[Brian]

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

[cpclark]

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

[Kindguy]

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?

[F.O.Bean]

good luck on all that.....id love to hear those....

[mirth]

a dumb question, can you power the ua5 thru the usb?

Schwill - No.

[Sean Gallemore]

a dumb question, can you power the ua5 thru the usb?

Schwill - No.

thanx, + mirth

[caymanreview]

one more vote for a warm mod ua5

[mirth]

a dumb question, can you power the ua5 thru the usb?

Schwill - No.

thanx, + mirth

Any time. Surprised nobody answered that one before me.

[Simp-Dawg]

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!

[Sean Gallemore]

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

[mterry]

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

[cpclark]

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