Long story - So I'm a relatively new taper, working a DR-05, DR-22wl and a recently found DR-1 (yep, i'm cheap). I go to mostly smaller clubs and still experimenting with location / mics. Went to see Ana Popovic in a small club last night and took the 22wl and DR-1. I recently got some CA-14 cards and a CA9100 and I had tried the mics with just a battery box a couple of times and was not very impressed so that resulted in the purchase of the preamp. Last night was the first try with the CA9100 (front row, dead center seats/table about 5 feet from Ms. Popvic) going into the 22wl and it turned out to be a most spectacular recording. I clipped the mics to a glass and set them at the edge of the table/stage and was really surprised how well it turned out.
The DR-1 was on the front of the stage with the mics pointed up and I made sure it didn't brickwall. However, in listening back, the music somewhat distorts but the vocals are like listening to Neil Young's Trans. I'm assuming the SPL max of those mics was not equal to the task. I had used it before to record The Alarm at the same venue although much farther back in the room and the sound came out very nice (i'm assuming the sound level was much lower).
Short question(s) - What is the sound pressure level max on the DR-01 vs DR-05 (125 dB) or the CA-14s(115dB?)? Does the preamp really make that much of a difference or should I chalk that up more to the location?
Thanks,
SJ