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Gear / Technical Help => Battery Boxes, Preamps, Mixers, ADCs, and Processors => Topic started by: heathen on November 15, 2018, 05:42:34 PM
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I'm pretty ignorant when it comes to preamps, so bear with me. Here are the key features I'm interested in:
* Portable
* Phantom power for two mics
* Digital audio out via USB
* Analog audio out
* Can output digital and analog simultaneously (so recording could be done via USB on one device and an analog in on another)
* Decent level meters (stereo linking of the two channels would be a nice bonus)
* Powered from battery or external power (ideally doesn't need to get power via the USB)[/li][/list]
I'm aware of the SD MixPre-D and USBPre2, but as far as I know neither of those have all of these features. I'd be happy if I'm wrong though.
What pres have all these features, so I can get a sense of the landscape?
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Apogee Mini-me
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i think that new sonosax has all that but i dont think its out yet
https://www.sonosax.ch/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/SX-M2D2-Sell-Sheet.pdf
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I thought the USBPre2 could do all this? When you want to record digital out via usb, do you mean that you want to record to your computer?
I'm pretty ignorant when it comes to preamps, so bear with me. Here are the key features I'm interested in:
* Portable
* Phantom power for two mics
* Digital audio out via USB
* Analog audio out
* Can output digital and analog simultaneously (so recording could be done via USB on one device and an analog in on another)
* Decent level meters (stereo linking of the two channels would be a nice bonus)
* Powered from battery or external power (ideally doesn't need to get power via the USB)[/li][/list]
I'm aware of the SD MixPre-D and USBPre2, but as far as I know neither of those have all of these features. I'd be happy if I'm wrong though.
What pres have all these features, so I can get a sense of the landscape?
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I thought the USBPre2 could do all this? When you want to record digital out via usb, do you mean that you want to record to your computer?
Basically yes. Can the USBPre2 output digital and analog simultaneously?[/list]
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I thought it could. My impression of the block diagram is that the analog signal gets split right before the ADC, so it should be simultaneous. I think when you plug it into the PC via usb, the SPDIF signal gets switched off.
Block diagram is on pg. 31:
http://cdn.sounddevices.com/download/guides/USBPre2ug_en.pdf
I can test it out with my USBPre2. I'll report back tomorrow. I will plug the mics into the XLR in, then go XLR out and usb out into my computer. Is that OK, or if you want me to set it up like you will be running it, just let me know.
I thought the USBPre2 could do all this? When you want to record digital out via usb, do you mean that you want to record to your computer?
Basically yes. Can the USBPre2 output digital and analog simultaneously?[/list]
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USB + aux out would probably be best. Thanks!
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Apogee Mini-me
I thought the Mini Me only had AES, SPDIF and the later model had USB but no analog outputs only digital. What kind of analog output does it have?
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Doesnt the Zoom F8 do all that? A Mixpre-3/6/10 would.
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Doesnt the Zoom F8 do all that? A Mixpre-3/6/10 would.
None of those have digital inputs. I don't know if they have USB digital outs...?
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Apogee Mini-me
I thought the Mini Me only had AES, SPDIF and the later model had USB but no analog outputs only digital. What kind of analog output does it have?
Headphone out is the only analog out.
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Zoom U-44 interface does all on list except no metering other than peak.
https://www.zoom-na.com/products/production-recording/audio-interfaces/zoom-u-44-handy-audio-interface
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Apogee Mini-me
I thought the Mini Me only had AES, SPDIF and the later model had USB but no analog outputs only digital. What kind of analog output does it have?
There is a 1/8 inch mini headphone jack on the rear panel that gives analog out.
http://www.apogeedigital.com/pdf/minime_usersguide.pdf
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Doesnt the Zoom F8 do all that? A Mixpre-3/6/10 would.
None of those have digital inputs. I don't know if they have USB digital outs...?
Digital in is not on your list
And both support a USB audio interface (ie digital in/out over USB). You can record to a computer or iDevice while also recording on the Mixpre (although the computer/iDevice end sets the bit rate)
The Mixpre's and as far as I know, the Zoom F8, support everything on your list, unless I am misunderstanding something. There are some important subtleties, like what exactly you want device this is - "so recording could be done via USB on one device " but I have recorded on my Mixpre-6 while streaming the audio over USB via an iPad. The ipAd was sending the audio to mixlr but could easily have been recoding the audio to the iPad...
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Oh man I didn't realize the F8 can work as a USB interface. I think I misunderstood you before. Good call!
Still interested in learning about other options in the form of external pres, though.
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Huh -- looks like I was wrong. The USBPre2 does not simultaneously output digital to USB and analog.
Test set up:
DPA 4011 > XLR > USBPre2 > USB out > Laptop Dock > Adobe Audition > signal detected
........(same as above).........> AUX out (RCA) > RCA to mini cable > Sony M10 (line in) > no signal detected.
Unplugging the USBPre2 from the laptop and powering it from a USB dock (ie., running it in standalone mode) restored the analog signal.
Also, I think you had a question about the digital in:
DPA 4011 > XLR > Grace V3 > SPDIF out > USBPre2 > USB out > Laptop Dock > Adobe Audition > no signal detected
.........................(same as above)...........................> AUX out (RCA) > RCA to mini cable > Sony M10 (line in) > no signal detected.
Again, unplugging the USBPre2 from the laptop and powering it from a USB dock restored the analog out signal.
I thought it could. My impression of the block diagram is that the analog signal gets split right before the ADC, so it should be simultaneous. I think when you plug it into the PC via usb, the SPDIF signal gets switched off.
Block diagram is on pg. 31:
http://cdn.sounddevices.com/download/guides/USBPre2ug_en.pdf
I can test it out with my USBPre2. I'll report back tomorrow. I will plug the mics into the XLR in, then go XLR out and usb out into my computer. Is that OK, or if you want me to set it up like you will be running it, just let me know.
I thought the USBPre2 could do all this? When you want to record digital out via usb, do you mean that you want to record to your computer?
Basically yes. Can the USBPre2 output digital and analog simultaneously?[/list]
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So if there's a digital signal going to the USB, there's no analog. If there's only power coming through the USB, you can get analog. Would you say that's accurate?
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That's correct!
So if there's a digital signal going to the USB, there's no analog. If there's only power coming through the USB, you can get analog. Would you say that's accurate?
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Mix pre 3m does it all in style for $500
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RME BabyFace Pro hits all the marks.
In addition to your spec, it also includes MIDI I/O, dedicated digital I/O (ADAT/SPDIF optical), 2 additional line ins, 2 headphone outputs (1 mix with 2 connectors, high/low impedance) and the incredible TotalMix digital mixer.
It also has a Class Compliant mode, so recording to an iPad/iPhone is possible.