Topic: Marantz PMD 660

[pmonk66]

With the stock I like to set the levels at -20 and adjust vol using adobe acrobat (iI just listen to the first set of moe I taped and it has a nice sound to it)

This avoids any clipping - which is a problem with stock pmd660.

Now that I have a CA-9100, I might boost up the levels a bit when I tape U-Melt tonight to see how it sounds (or maybe not )

[mmmatt]

cool... I just saw this thread.  I have an unmodded 660.  I have had a lot of problems with brickwalling.  I have sucessfully recorded modest volume shows with my c-4's using the internal pad + the -10 pad on the mics.  I did buy the unit from oade so I have been planning on sending it back for the bcm mod.  Mostly I have used it as a backup on my multi rig and I am able to control the input and have had no real problems.  I ran a pair of stealth mics for a couple of shows and made a -40 db attenuator cable to keep the levels down.  In one case it wasn't enough and I still brickwalled, and on another case it was too much and I got tons of noise.  This was using an unballanced line/attenuator however and the pad itself may have been the source of the noise but I suspect that being at the top end of the dial on an unmodded unit was the bigger culprit. 
     My plan was to build a ballanced variable attenuator until I could afford the oade mod, but after listening to the self-noise tests on the oade site I am thinking that the bcm is more than just a pad.  This all being said, I was fairly pleased with the sound of the stock pre's using the internal and mic pads.  This is a nice little box!  I hope to get the bcm done soon.
     As for the hdd backup... I bought an older compact drive.  The model I have is a pd6a.  The unit works pretty well but it is quirky.  I bought just the shell for about $30 I think, and installed a hdd that I already had.  The drive I have in it is a 60gb 7200rpm/8mb cache drive which is way overkill but it is what I had around.  I think because this is a highspeed drive it affects the battery useage.  With my unit rechargeables don't work.  Alkalines will allow me to boot and dump about 3 times.  The firmware on this unit only allows for fat16 allacation so a 4gb card won't work.  I use a 2 gb card and it works wonderfully.  I can drop a full 2 gb card in about 10 minutes.  On wall power it works flawlessly and on alkalines, but rechargeable's just don't have enough juice.  But... for $30 I can't complain!!!!  That is a lot cheaper than another 2 gb card... or in this case 30 of them.  I am using a 2gb Ridata card and it works very well.

Matt

[tfs8271]

     My plan was to build a ballanced variable attenuator until I could afford the oade mod, but after listening to the self-noise tests on the oade site I am thinking that the bcm is more than just a pad.  This all being said, I was fairly pleased with the sound of the stock pre's using the internal and mic pads.  This is a nice little box!  I hope to get the bcm done soon.
   

Matt,

If you are just doing music, I think you only want the ACM, not the DCM. Make sure you talk to Doug about what is best for you. I called him not to long ago about the 671 mods and he said the DCM is for low noise recordings, like bird and animals...stuff like that. But not sure what your look for either.

T

[mmmatt]

to the best of my knowlege there is a basic mod, an advance mod, a basic concert mod, and an advanced concert mod.  I am planning on the basic concert mod.

Matt

[tfs8271]

to the best of my knowlege there is a basic mod, an advance mod, a basic concert mod, and an advanced concert mod.  I am planning on the basic concert mod.

Matt

Never mind, I was thinking of the Super mod. My bad.

[mmmatt]

to the best of my knowlege there is a basic mod, an advance mod, a basic concert mod, and an advanced concert mod.  I am planning on the basic concert mod.

Matt

Never mind, I was thinking of the Super mod. My bad.

I'm not even aware of that one... maybe it was a 671 thing...

Matt

[Jammin72]

There's actually a new flavor that will first be tried out in my box...  Warm ACM660!!  PMD660's starting serial number 200106 xxxx xxxx have upped the voltage of the mainboard to 10V allowing the use of some different warmer chips. (They traded off by lowering the voltage available to the line out). This version will be closer to the sound of the 148 in character (no it's not a 148!).  I've always been a fan of that Tube Like sound and it's always done something visceral to the soundstage that I just love.  Fortunately for me he knows how much I like this and made the offer.  It's now an official offering from Oade.

A little funny back and forth:

Me: So is this going to be Warmer than the WUA5+?
Doug: More Luscious!

So now instead of WACM660  I want to call it the Oade L660... Luscious 660!

[aberg]

So is this a change to the standard ACM or is it a new option?

[Jammin72]

So is this a change to the standard ACM or is it a new option?

New Option!

[mmmatt]

that sucks ass for me!  mine is 200006xxxx I just bought this fucker a month ago.   

Matt

[aberg]

that sucks ass for me!  mine is 200006xxxx I just bought this fucker a month ago.   

Matt

I just ordered mine the other day, but I'm hoping it's the regular ACM ... since I'm a big fan of it as is.

[mmmatt]

Got mine from Doug about month or more  ago & it's a ser#2001061 series  acm 660  with a set of schoeps 41lg's  & i'm sooo damn happy with it !! stealthy ,in the hat type of guy that i am .. it has a clean sound (in the room feel ) ran the pad only soo far  2 out door shows both came out great , till the wind came up at David Grisman . can only hear the wind roar during the song breaks .. but have that under control now with a home made fuzzy socks over the mics (the  Dog's toy monkey that i cut the legs off 1/2 inch fake fur on the legs )was the just the rite size that just fit over the mics tight

so I guess instead of dead rats thoes are dead monkey legs.  +T for inginuity.

matt

[Jammin72]

Got mine from Doug about month or more  ago & it's a ser#2001061 series  acm 660  with a set of schoeps 41lg's  & i'm sooo damn happy with it !! stealthy ,in the hat type of guy that i am .. it has a clean sound (in the room feel ) ran the pad only soo far  2 out door shows both came out great , till the wind came up at David Grisman . can only hear the wind roar during the song breaks .. but have that under control now with a home made fuzzy socks over the mics (the  Dog's toy monkey that i cut the legs off 1/2 inch fake fur on the legs )was the just the rite size that just fit over the mics tight

I like the innovation there! 

[pmonk66]

Got mine from Doug about month or more  ago & it's a ser#2001061 series  acm 660  with a set of schoeps 41lg's  & i'm sooo damn happy with it !! stealthy ,in the hat type of guy that i am .. it has a clean sound (in the room feel ) ran the pad only soo far  2 out door shows both came out great , till the wind came up at David Grisman . can only hear the wind roar during the song breaks .. but have that under control now with a home made fuzzy socks over the mics (the  Dog's toy monkey that i cut the legs off 1/2 inch fake fur on the legs )was the just the rite size that just fit over the mics tight

hahaha - I ran into the same problem last night taping U-Melt on the Rocks Off Boat Cruise. Tape sounds very good but the last 20 minutes of set 1 was ruined by the wind when the boat hit the NY HArbor!

[Unitmonster]

Learned a few important things in my recent discussions with doug about the ACM660:

1.  The level meters are attenuated for running with the pad enabled.  If you turn off the pad you're getting a TOTALLY inaccurate reading of the meters which is why people are getting clipping.  Without the pad you'd have be peaking WAYYY lower than 0db.

2. I've been having a ton of problems with noise in my unit related to my CF cards.  Doug emailed me today to say that others are having the same problem and it's related to the new fast cards.  I have no idea what the solution is, but be prepared to experiment with different cards. I'm on my 3rd now and am still dealing with more self-noise than I can tolerate.  Will report if I get more findings.  Here's the note from Doug though:

Blane, I am getting more reports of induced noise from other 660 users.
It seems it IS the card as when they go back to older, standard speed
cards, the noise goes away. It only happens with higher speed hi
capacity cards. Just thought I would pass it on as I doubt there will be
a fix for this...Doug