Topic: Mics -> Pre combo

[pfife]

Yeah, Jamie did tell me it had no A/D in it, but the whole reason I said that was because when a newbie to all of this "owning your own rig" he should have helped out better.  My recordings come out bad because I did just like he said, "run M1 at  5-6".  So I did.  I call another taper, obviously knows to run differently, and he said run at 9-10.

No offense dood, but to pin this on someone else is totally not fair to that person - in this case, Jamie.  First and foremost, how is he supposed to predict how loud a show is going to be at a venue he doesn't know, and then tell you some general rule?  Second, you have to ask questions.  I've asked hundreds of questions here, and people politely answer them.  Is someone supposed to anticipate your questions and answer them, because you are a newbie?

I've fudged so many tapes trying to get familiar with my gear... Even now, I'm somewhat of a "seasoned taper" - and I just got a new rig, and still go to some "practice shows" to do some taping before I hit a show I know I don't want to fudge.  Part of the territory man.

Good luck - and FYI- you might be happy going MP2 -> SBM-1  (mod or not...) and it could be a bit cheaper.

~Andrew

[Ed.]

practice practice practice.  thats what makes a great tape.  its not how much your gear costs, its how you use it.

(granted, good gear in the hands of those that have practiced a lot sounds better than not so good gear - but the secret is the practicing)

[Rob D.]

A good deal of taping is trial & error. For better or for worse, its just a fact. Taping can also be a team sport so just because someone (vendor or not) gives you advise and you follow it but the results are less than desired, no reason to place blame - just keep on trying! Also, if you're doing something wrong when setting up, feeding signals, don't expect a new pre-amp/A/D to resolve it. Try different things as you're getting familiar with your new equipment and have FUN!

[dklein]

Of the things you can control, it takes technique and good gear to make a great recording (in that order).  Sounds to me like you're throwing money at something instead of learning it.  You could take several steps down in gear and still make great recordings if you spend some time understanding the process and the equipment.

This isn't mean to be a slam - more of a suggestion to figure what's going on before opening up your wallet again...that just gets frustrating!  Recognize that your gear is better than what most of the taping crowd owns.

[Gordon]

again why not use the 6 volts I sold you??  I could use those now.

[discopanic1]

I want to first say I'm sorry for any bad I caused by saying that Jamie had input into the problems of my recordings.  I do have a 7-pin shipped my way though!  Traveling to Oxford tomorrow night to get DBD at Proud Larry's.  Thanks for the tips.

Laters,
 JMC

Mk4/CMC6 -> V3 -> M1 

Oh yeah, and the MixPre isn't identical to the MP2 so that is why my tapes always had a grungy distorted sound, I was told by another shop that wasn't selling me anything that the MixPre was for dialog recording. 

[MarkDavidson218]

i really dig the schoeps tapes made on the 97 phish fall tour. i belive the Schoeps CMC6/MK41->Sonosax->SBM-1->DA-P1 was the set up i enjoyed the most.
-mark

[Brian Skalinder]

Oh yeah, and the MixPre isn't identical to the MP2 so that is why my tapes always had a grungy distorted sound

No, it isn't identical, but it's damn near so - such that most people here wouldn't be able to tell the difference.  There's nothing inherent in the MixPre differences v. the MP2 that would cause your recordings to stink.

I was told by another shop that wasn't selling me anything that the MixPre was for dialog recording.

The MixPre is an analog preamp and can be used effectively for either analog or digital recording.  FWIW, DKlein has some good advice:

Of the things you can control, it takes technique and good gear to make a great recording (in that order). Sounds to me like you're throwing money at something instead of learning it. You could take several steps down in gear and still make great recordings if you spend some time understanding the process and the equipment.

This isn't mean to be a slam - more of a suggestion to figure what's going on before opening up your wallet again...that just gets frustrating! Recognize that your gear is better than what most of the taping crowd owns.

[Tim]

i really dig the schoeps tapes made on the 97 phish fall tour. i belive the Schoeps CMC6/MK41->Sonosax->SBM-1->DA-P1 was the set up i enjoyed the most.
-mark

those were some very nice tapes... and I'm not generally a fan of teh sound of an unmodded Shitmapper

[F.O.Bean]

always loved cmc6/mk41>v2>dap-1 also

[bluegrass_brad]

Oh yeah, and the MixPre isn't identical to the MP2 so that is why my tapes always had a grungy distorted sound, I was told by another shop that wasn't selling me anything that the MixPre was for dialog recording. 

Good thing they werent selling you anything, because it sounds like they dont know what they are talking about.  Im pretty sure the only difference (at least the only major difference) between the MP2 and the Mixpre is that the MP2 allowed you to do MS recording.  The MixPre should be almost sonically identical to the MP-2 in other respects.

[discopanic1]

Ok, maybe the MixPre isn't as bad as I say.   The MixPre I owned must have been faulty since I've taped the last two nights with the V3 and made nowhere near the same sounding tapes, so much clearness out of the V3!  I know the MixPre is "suppose" to be good gear, but of my experience, bad taper or not, there is no way I think that kinda s0und is suppose to come from the nice mics I own.  And thanks for the tips TE and everyone else.....

JMC  

[stober]

i think the mix pre clips before the mp-2 did when running phantom power.I thinks thats what i read

[discopanic1]

I've been listening to my tapes since 2004, now with the M-Audio 410 transfering firewire, on cd, and I've realized the Sound Devices did 1 thing I didn't like.  It made George McConnell sound really bad playing with Barbara Cue from the 2004 show at Proud Larry's that I recorded.  Yes I did the Mk4/CMC6 > Sound Devices MixPre > M1, and now I like the V3 better.  Thank you Jamie for selling me Some Nice Microphones!  Go Schoeps!

[Gordon]

I've realized the Sound Devices did 1 thing I didn't like.  It made George McConnell sound really bad playing

that's just george   someone had to say it.