Topic: Sound Professionals Audio Technica premium cards?

[gruven42]

No prob!

Brother, can you spare $299?

[Massive Dynamic]

I thought I'd add to this thread with a good lead on a vendor.  I purchased a set of AT853rx from this company in Florida.  I have no affiliation with them, and outside of my one purchase, know nothing about them.

Their price on the standard AT853rx with card cap is $168.  But, they also sell a special configuration where they trade out the standard card capsule for a hypercard cap.  They sell this for only $148 (with all the accessories).  I got a pair of these and have had no complaints.  At this price, it's something to check out.

http://www.allprosound.com
http://www.allprosound.com/catalog/index.asp
http://www.allprosound.com/catalog/productdetails.asp?fprodid=134

Ragan

[Sean Gallemore]

that's for one mic, and it doesn't say they are Rx or what the termination is

[gruven42]

Yeah, the spec pdf that it links to lists it as a AT853a or 853Wa, no mention of Rx. Also, on the purchase page, it shows the MISL at 130dB, and on the pdf, 135. A little shady for me.

[Massive Dynamic]

    Hmm, I guess it's true that no good deed goes unpunished.  I guess I didn't make it clear, but buying a pair of AT853rx with hyper caps *was* my only purchase from them.
    You think $148 is too much for a single mic?  Try checking B&H http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home;jsessionid=A2YLMwy3p1!-1013330338?ci=1&sb=ps&pn=1&sq=desc&InitialSearch=yes&O=SearchBar&A=search&Q=*&shs=AT853rx or sonicsense; they are both considerably higher.  Remember, we are talking genuine AT here, not SP.  And, yes, this is the genuine AT853rx with AT8533x power module with XLRM termination (and includes all of the other standard accessories listed on the AT pdf).  They work great with my p-mod UA-5.
    All I'm saying is that if you want a genuine AT853rx with a hyper cap, this place has the best price I've found.  If you want the standard cardioid cap, their prices are just average.  You pays your money, you makes your choice.

[Sean Gallemore]

I'm curious ragan, what's the number on the xlr terminations, the model number.  The price is very rocking, indeed

[leegeddy]

   Hmm, I guess it's true that no good deed goes unpunished.  I guess I didn't make it clear, but buying a pair of AT853rx with hyper caps *was* my only purchase from them.
    You think $148 is too much for a single mic?  Try checking B&H http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home;jsessionid=A2YLMwy3p1!-1013330338?ci=1&sb=ps&pn=1&sq=desc&InitialSearch=yes&O=SearchBar&A=search&Q=*&shs=AT853rx or sonicsense; they are both considerably higher.  Remember, we are talking genuine AT here, not SP.  And, yes, this is the genuine AT853rx with AT8533x power module with XLRM termination (and includes all of the other standard accessories listed on the AT pdf).  They work great with my p-mod UA-5.
    All I'm saying is that if you want a genuine AT853rx with a hyper cap, this place has the best price I've found.  If you want the standard cardioid cap, their prices are just average.  You pays your money, you makes your choice.

$148 for AT853Rx is a damn good price.  i paid an average of $160/mic of my AT853a set.

marc

[mizary]

a used pair of SP 853's  with batt box (with bass rolloff) usually go for around $150 (give or take $25)

That is what I have... I paid $150...  but since then I have seen them for around the same price.

http://www.sharingthegroove.org/msgboard/showthread.php?s=&postid=550226

here is a recent example (Cyndi Lauper 2-15-2004) of the SP853's performance under less than ideal circumstances...

at853(sp) -> batt box(sp) -> JB3@48khz
mics taped (I used clear packing tape!) to sides of hat. (no real stereo config - may have been close to A-B)
I had good position... 5th row center and in a good sounding venue.  But Cyndi wouldn't keep still so I was constantly turning my head. (I'd rather enjoy the show than be a mic stand) Also levels are a little low...  as I quit checking them after a while. (once again - I'd rather enjoy the show)

One other note:

I ran a very informal comp of the
#1   853's > batt box > jb3
and
#2   SP853's > batt box > UA5 > jb3
and
#3   MC-012 > UA5 > jb3

I could barely tell the diff between #1 and #2 (yeah #2 was a little better)  But the real shocker was the #3 it was WAY better than #2. Night and Day.  Makes me realize how nice the mc-012's are for the $$$... and how crappy the 853's are compared to non-stealth mics.

also just do a seach for 853 on archive.org/audio/  I got 37 results.

--mizary

[plucks]

Audix M1245s?
They don't have the low end that the ATs have, but still a great option!
http://www.audixusa.com/Acrobat/micros_spec_sheet_2.pdf

[Sean Gallemore]

a used pair of SP 853's  with batt box (with bass rolloff) usually go for around $150 (give or take $25)

That is what I have... I paid $150...  but since then I have seen them for around the same price.

http://www.sharingthegroove.org/msgboard/showthread.php?s=&postid=550226

here is a recent example (Cyndi Lauper 2-15-2004) of the SP853's performance under less than ideal circumstances...

at853(sp) -> batt box(sp) -> JB3@48khz
mics taped (I used clear packing tape!) to sides of hat. (no real stereo config - may have been close to A-B)
I had good position... 5th row center and in a good sounding venue.  But Cyndi wouldn't keep still so I was constantly turning my head. (I'd rather enjoy the show than be a mic stand) Also levels are a little low...  as I quit checking them after a while. (once again - I'd rather enjoy the show)

One other note:

I ran a very informal comp of the
#1   853's > batt box > jb3
and
#2   SP853's > batt box > UA5 > jb3
and
#3   MC-012 > UA5 > jb3

I could barely tell the diff between #1 and #2 (yeah #2 was a little better)  But the real shocker was the #3 it was WAY better than #2. Night and Day.  Makes me realize how nice the mc-012's are for the $$$... and how crappy the 853's are compared to non-stealth mics.

also just do a seach for 853 on archive.org/audio/  I got 37 results.

--mizary

in #1, are those the stock AT or the modded SP mics?  If they AT853a mics, I will send you some of my work while running REAL 48Vphantom powered AT853Rx mics in front of a quality preamp and adc.  Then you can compare properly powered stealth mics to your $99 > ua-5 over-fluffed combo

[mizary]

sorry... yeah #1 was same as #2 regular old SP 853's

and the point was that the oktavas sounded much better than the SP 853's regarless of the pre/AD

I am sure the AT853Rx's with 48V power sound great... (heck they might even sound better than the oktavas)  But #1 some people (myself included) don't want to have to carry any extra gear (outside a batt box and recording device) and want a super cheap (less than 1/2 the price of Rx) recording solution.

 

--mizary

[Sean Gallemore]

no doubt, I really liked borrowing Armen's SP831s, but I like borring Goose's Rx's even more  I sounded ass-ish earlier but I was just mistaken on what you were comparing.  the phantom power adapter kit is really only $20 more than the battery box w/ switchable roll-off option.

[George]

Hmmm, i taped a boc show and was not more 20 feet away and it came out just fine.  I had my bass rolloff to 160Hz, iirc and there's very little distortion (due to the meter jumping into the red).  I used hyper's this time around and actually really enjoy the recording.  I think i'll get more experience out of my at853's when i hit the Opeth show  

the key is where the bass cabinet is.  For the Chili Peppers I was ~10 ft from it outdoors, and for Kid Rock, I was ~40 ft from it indoors.  The rolloff was set for both of them at 195 Hz as well....yet they distorted.  Had I been able to move more center for either of those shows I think I would have been fine....but with ticketed seating, what are you going to do....

Yeah man, that sucks.  I just taped a Moonspell and a Opeth show last night at Irving Plaza.  The bass was set at 11, it was fucking insane.  There's some crackling in my recording (curently listening to Moonspell) so far when the meters hit 0, i do recall lowering the volume a bit, so hopefully the rest will be fine, i had the bass rolloff set to 195Hz and the bass is a bit bloated.  Funny thing is the crackling occurs not when the band is going nuts but when they slow down and the singer is howling away.   I definitely understand what you're saying now more than ever after this latest experience with taping in a bass heavy environment.