I agree big time with Ethan about the mods. Get the mics modded first, as that will effect the sound a ton more than anything else in the signal. If I remember correctly, the mods are 125 dollars a piece, which is way cheap! As far as the v3->ad2k tape...I could have told you it would be thin before even listening to it. I would never run v3->ad2k, maybe v2->ad2k, but with either rig, especially with akg's, what you hear is most certainly what you get. A good friend of mine, DR. Mike runs 483->v2->ad2k and that is exactly how I would decribe his tapes. YMMV though.