Topic: how many of you use a attenuator with the AD-20?

[spyder9]

Get phantom powered minis w/ a PS-2.  I have had no brickwalling issues.  Very consistent and clean recordings.  And I use hypers.  The battery powered world is, what it is.  Phantom is king.

zhianosatch, Thanks for the AD-20.  It does work like a tank.

[keepongoin]

I never have... acoustic music or electric music... have not needed to.

Do you run a battery box in front of the ad-20?  I sure do wish I didn't have to use one.

i use a ps2, which does not have any attenuators  in it, to my knowledge.

[spyder9]

PS-2 does not have attenuators.

[pfife]

PS-2 is my plan, for more stealthier situations.  Seems like they wouldn't make the two products that work together need an attenuator.

David and JKLabs- what you are saying makes sense.  I am kinda dumb when it comes to these power issues...

+t

[zhianosatch]

Get phantom powered minis w/ a PS-2.  I have had no brickwalling issues.  Very consistent and clean recordings.  And I use hypers.  The battery powered world is, what it is.  Phantom is king.

zhianosatch, Thanks for the AD-20.  It does work like a tank.

i'm very happy to see that it's gone to a good home!

[pfife]

Has anyone here ever ran DPA4061s -> MPS6010 -> AD-20?  If so, did you need an attenuator?

[zhianosatch]

I ran that rig for 1.5 years and yes, you certainly do need attenuators. Ya want my Shure A15ASes? I just realized that I have no use for them any more.
Warning: They were purchased as a pair from Daryan Lenz in early 2003. One of them was "dead" and Shure replaced it free.

[pfife]

tempting man... tempting... I really wanna step up to some 4061s, and be extremely stealthy... so, those go after the MPS6010 and before the AD-20?

DPA4061 -> MPS6010 -> Shure A15A -> AD-20 -> NJB3?

I was looking at some pics of them - are they just 3 pin male on one end, and 3 pin female on the other end?

You record a lot of heavy/loud stuff- how was the low end on this rig?  I am getting the sense that its overpowering at times...

thanks for the info

+t

[zhianosatch]

tempting man... tempting... I really wanna step up to some 4061s, and be extremely stealthy... so, those go after the MPS6010 and before the AD-20?

DPA4061 -> MPS6010 -> Shure A15A -> AD-20 -> NJB3?

yep. i did this but with a minidisc or a D8 for a year and a half.

I was looking at some pics of them - are they just 3 pin male on one end, and 3 pin female on the other end?

yep, "in-line," in the parlance of our time.

You record a lot of heavy/loud stuff-

i sure do

how was the low end on this rig?  I am getting the sense that its overpowering at times...

with a straight-up power supply, no bass filter in teh chain, the low end from the 406xs will be intense, and in my experience, even with attenuators, sometimes the ad-20 will brickwall anyway. i had to get my mps modded to use it with the ad-20 happily 100% of the time.
also be prepared to handle a 12" long piece of gear with the ad-20 + attenuators + cables, unless you want the attenuators hangin' off the mps - a risky proposition because the mps does not have locking xlr connectors.
in the end, i was unsatisfied with the ad-20 setup because of:

1. the bulk: brick of ad-20 (not a big problem), tangles of cables and accessories like the attenuators, necessity for a mod to the mps (which, by the way, was totally worth it, but i digress), etc.
2. the sound

so i bought a modsbm-1 and am quite happy. definitely a step up. but the ad-20 is a titties match for the stealthjb3 and is a better match for the "at" sound... the ad-20 is a great way to improve entry-level mic tapes. it does wonders for AT831 backup tapes. but mics at the dpa level, even the little babies, will expose flaws in the unit's sound, particularly in the pesky preamp stage.
arm

[setboy]

do you gut think this setup will need a attenuator? AT933s-batbox-AD-20-JB3?


Raphael

[pfife]

do you gut think this setup will need a attenuator? AT933s-batbox-AD-20-JB3?


Raphael

if that's an sp soundbox, my guess would be yes, but I don't know for sure.

sorry that's not much help.  Here's some help though- if you need an attenuator, get a nice one.

[setboy]

do you gut think this setup will need a attenuator? AT933s-batbox-AD-20-JB3?


Raphael

if that's an sp soundbox, my guess would be yes, but I don't know for sure.

sorry that's not much help.  Here's some help though- if you need an attenuator, get a nice one.

ok thanks

what kind of attenuator are good?

Raphael

[C.Clark]

when i used an ad-20 for most of 2003, i almost always had to use my attenuators, usually at -20db, to
get good levels without overloading the preamp without the att.  i have relatively hot mics, output wise, you
would really know if you need them by reading how hot your mics are on their respictive spec sheet.  not all
mics are the same

edit: to add to raphael's query, i used audio technica 8202 attenuators, they offered -10, -20, and -30 db's selected
via an inline switch on the middle of the body.  they worked very well for me, i'd reccomend them.

[pfife]

Well, I just tried AT853Rx -> PS-2 -> AD-20 -> NJB3 the other evening, and still brickwalling everywhere.  I think there is something screwey with my AD-20.

[zhianosatch]

pfife, i think you need attenuators.