Topic: thinking about an upgrade (EU)

[weroflu]

currently using m10 and littlebox with 4060's or mm-hlso type sennheisers.

i have a few scenarios in my mind but trying to narrow down all the permutations.

can anyone give me a rough idea of the quality of the littlebox mic pre,  mic pre and a/d in the m10 vs other known gear..  (for example the preamp is maybe on par with a mackie xxx or the a/d is about the same as apogee xxx)

i was looking at something like the lavry 11 with the mic pre and a/d but i don't want to shuttle my laptop around and it's getting cumbersome but something like that could cost a lot less than alternatives

considering cmr/mk 2 or cmbi/ mk 2 combo into existing setup.

other options would be to stay with the 4060's and go to a 702, 744,  or midlifecrisis nagra lb.

Sound Devices are more expensive in EU. Schoeps capsules new here (with VAT #) are about the same as used ones in the states.

[acidjack]

Are you stealthing? Or rather, what kind of recording are you doing?

IMHO the Naiant pres are nice for taping, but the Sound Devices standalones (MixPre/USBPre2) and the stuff in their boxes are better. So, of course, are the much more pricey standalone pres like the Lunatec boxes. 

Schoeps will be a huge upgrade on the small DPAs (DPA's own larger mics would be, too).  I think what pre you use with them would depend on your application and your tolerance for size.

Obviously, Schoeps/DPA 401x-C series into a Sound Devices box will be reasonably compact and sound stellar.  That's what most professionals I've encountered run (the fascination with outboard preamps seems more common to people on this board than to actual recording professionals, in my experience, YMMV). 

If having something really compact is your concern, then there are different decisions to be made.

[weroflu]

recording on location acoustic music. i'm drawing the size limit at about the 700 series or the lb. don't need stealth but i like the small size for travelling purposes.

[newplanet7]

Have you considered the schoeps ccm series?

[weroflu]

i ruled out ccm because of the fixed capsules. cmr has advantage of low power with littlebox. cmbi has advantage of going straight to m10 or littlebox with no power.

i spent a lot if time past 2 days listening to preamp samples. i sort of ruled out the sound devices since the concensus is that there are better preamps, marginally maybe, but if i'm going to shell out some $ then might as well go for the top. ruled out nagra lb too since the emp seems to have better pres. didn't realize how good the v3 is so that's a good option,  maybe the best one. considering a portico but it's getting on the large side.

ltitlebox may be just fine, i need to run the 4060's more to put it through its paces and also run the hlso-type sennheisers through it too. that will give me a good comparison of what the m10 pre does compared to littlebox.

[F.O.Bean]

What about Schoeps capsules>Schoeps/Vark Audio KCY Cable>LittleBox/TinyBox[with a KCY Input]>Sony PCM-M10 I would recommend getting a Sonosax SX-M2/LS2 aka Lemosax to run instead of the LB/TB options, because IMO, the Sax sounds A LOT BETTER than just a LB/TB But the thing is, the Lemosax's are damn near IMPOSSIBLE to find. I bought mine in July 2011/used and its the only one Ive seen since then and many years before that I wish they were easier to find used because I ideally want to run a 4 channel Schoeps setup, and my ideal preamp would be a second Lemosax

If I were you, Id look into the Schoeps caps>KCY>LB/TB>Recorder option. You can also get Jon from Naiant to make you a set of PFA phantom adapters and run Schoeps caps
>KCY>Naiant PFA's>ANY preamp with 48+ Volts. That way you DO NOT NEED CMR's/VST62IU Hogleg to run phantom with the KCY cable. I am getting a set made as well, but I LOVE my mk41>KCY>Sax sound so much, that Im in no hurry to get another preamp

Best of luck and if you need any questions answered, just shoot me a PM bro

Happy Taping,
Bean

[bryonsos]

I'm not sure where you got the idea that there is a consensus against SoundDevices pres. Many tapers agree that they are in the same league as Grace etc. Every pre has a flavor, the trick is to find a pre + mic combo that you like. Check out some of this taper's work with ccm4s. A bunch are run directly into his 722 which has the same pres as most SD products, some have a 148 in the chain:

http://archive.org/search.php?query=Frank%20sulloway%20AND%20collection%3Aetree