Topic: DPA 4021's > Microtrack MT 24/96 Powering Options

[danlynch]

Please move this to "Remote Power" if appropriate

Well, my new upgraded stealth rig should be taking shape this week.  I have a pair of dpa 4021's coming in this week or early next, and I'm looking into phantom power options.  The Microtrack can not power these particular mics, so the options seem to be the following:


Core Sound 2Phant:
http://www.core-sound.com/2Phant/1.php

A bit pricey, and I'm not crazy about the partially exposed 9v's.  Would also need an adapter cable from the 2Phant to the MT.


Sonic Studios PA-10XP:
http://www.sonicstudios.com/pa_x.htm#microtrack

Again, a bit pricey, but seems to be quite compact and convenient.  Would seem to need an adapter cable from the dpa's to the power unit.  The website is a bit of a mess, and more photos are needed of the unit.


Church Audio ST-9100:
http://tinyurl.com/2v7asm

Nice price, excellent service.  However, this is a pre-amp (not strictly necessary for the dpa 4021's), and seems to need adapter cables on both ends to make it work.



Questions:
Do I have any other options?
Anyone with experience with this set-up/these particular options?
At this point, I can't afford to buy the 722.  Are there other digital recorders in the similar price-range to the MT that can power these mics?

Any advice, help, ideas, would be much appreciated.

[dgodwin]

http://www.denecke.com/prod04.htm#PS2

Why don't you need a preamp though? 

[danlynch]

Thanks for the link!


With regard to the pre-amp issue, this is from the DPA site:

"The DPA 4021 is a phantom powered (P48) condenser microphone using the same type of cartridge as the famous DPA 4011, but is preamplified using a built-in ultra-small thick-film mounted FET-preamplifier. The result is the world's smallest studio quality cardioid condenser microphone, that runs directly on phantom power with no external preamplifier needed."


Another user on this site plugs his 4021's directly into the 722 with excellent results.

[Javier Cinakowski]

Dan, I think DPA is saying that the external preamplifier = microphone body.  You still need a preamp....

The 722 has phantom, preamp , adc and recorder all in one box...

[scb]

you could get a cheap option like a used MP-2 or something.  Before I got the 722, 4022 > mp2 > d100 was my stealth rig and I think I made plenty of nice tapes


edit:  i guess i should have said "cheaper than a new preamp"

[dgodwin]

I think Windorabug has the information right.  That said, you could probably get away from using a preamp, if you used a phantom power device, and some transformers, similar to these:  http://www.hosatech.com/hosa/products/mit_transformers.html   but why would you want to do that to the nice DPAs?   Get a MP2 and be happy!

[danlynch]

Good advice, and thanks for helping with my misconceptions.

On the few occasions when I successfully stealthed with my Apogee Mini-me (yes I did!), I was able to get through security at the door with a clever excuse (which I can't reveal in public).  The MP2 doesn't look all that much smaller than the mini-me, so adding another accessory (and more power issues, and more cables) sort of defeats the purpose and doesn't really provide the "super" stealth set-up I'm aiming for.

If a pre-amp is completely necessary, then the options remain to upgrade the recorder.  Does the Marantz PMD 660 and/or 670 provide the type of pre-amp capabilities that the 722 does? 

Otherwise, I guess pre-amp wise I'd need something tiny like this:
http://www.core-sound.com/Mic2496/1.php

[gewwang]

If you're going to select gear based on size without even listening to it, why did you spend whatever you did for 4021s?

[Nick's Picks]

AKG, Rolls, Neumann are also options for a two channel DC operated p48 source.
all of them are going to be balanced I/O, and you will need a balanced XLR>TRS cable to interface w/the MT, no matter which you use (add the denecke to that list).
IMO, the Denecke PS2 is hard to beat.  Very small, and superbly built. 

[dgodwin]

I think the Deneke plus a set of the transformers into the microtrack would be the best way to go.  I did that going into a SBM-1, and always had enough gain.  You might be able to get by without using the transformers, but I wouldn't know for sure. 

[danlynch]

If you're going to select gear based on size without even listening to it, why did you spend whatever you did for 4021s?

I'm not sure what you mean.  I've listened to many recordings made with 4021/22's.  The very point of the these particular microphones is the high quality performance in a miniature size.

[Javier Cinakowski]

DPA 4021-> ACM 660   

That would be tits!!

[gewwang]

If you're going to select gear based on size without even listening to it, why did you spend whatever you did for 4021s?

I'm not sure what you mean.  I've listened to many recordings made with 4021/22's.  The very point of the these particular microphones is the high quality performance in a miniature size.

Sorry, let me clarify.

The 402x's are fairly expensive. It's a pretty major investment in terms of taping gear when you can get very good results as alot of people do running at853s in comparison for like 10% of the price of the 402x's.

So I'm just questioning why the price of the preamp is a factor if you've already made the commitment on 4021's. IMO, you'd be happier with at853 into an mp2, psp2, psp3, aerco or sonosax than 4021s>denecke ps-2 for a bunch less of an investment.

[danlynch]

Ok, I understand your point now.  While I did refer to certain items as "pricey" in the first post, that's not a question of my affordability but rather a comparison against the similar items.  From the information subsequently provided, the denecke ps-2 is a far more reasonable priced item than either the 2Phant or Sonic Studios options. 

In terms of cost of a pre-amp, that's really also not the issue.  I can afford to pay $350-400 for an mp2.  The problem is more the issue of size and adding extra components.

The only thing I can't afford at this point is to upgrade to a 722.

Finally, with regard to at853 recordings, I've heard plenty of them, and let's just say we can agree to disagree on the quality of those recordings.

If you're going to select gear based on size without even listening to it, why did you spend whatever you did for 4021s?

I'm not sure what you mean.  I've listened to many recordings made with 4021/22's.  The very point of the these particular microphones is the high quality performance in a miniature size.

Sorry, let me clarify.

The 402x's are fairly expensive. It's a pretty major investment in terms of taping gear when you can get very good results as alot of people do running at853s in comparison for like 10% of the price of the 402x's.

So I'm just questioning why the price of the preamp is a factor if you've already made the commitment on 4021's. IMO, you'd be happier with at853 into an mp2, psp2, psp3, aerco or sonosax than 4021s>denecke ps-2 for a bunch less of an investment.

[danlynch]

DPA 4021-> ACM 660   

That would be tits!!

You guys, you keep making me look stuff up 

You're talking about this item:

http://tinyurl.com/27tmzm


Hm.  Now that's an idea.