Hi guys -
Been a while since this opera singer checked in here (I know a coupla other classical singers post from time to time, but I haven't been around i a while!). Got myself set up with the iRiver 120 and AT831 mics and have been going pretty good with that; it does what i need to, is super-convenient and no fuss and has basically been working out great. Yeah, the file limit is a prime pia (why.... WHY did they do that?!) but it's still pretty much handling what I need.
Of course, now I've got the bug, and so am thinking ahead to The Next Stage.
I'm considering expanding a bit. For the moment, the iRiver is fine, but I'm toying with eventually going to PDAudio (especially since my old PDA is in death throes, and if I'm gonna have to get a new one it may as well be able to record!). So I'm looking at starting to invest, piecemeal, in equipment for the future so I can ultimately put together a pretty good rig which can stealth as well as record onto computer.
First step is probably a pre-amp. And if I'm going to get a preamp, I figure I may as well get one that is also an A>D in prep for PDAudio... and maybe can record into my laptop in the meantime? So, I'm starting to sniff around for gear which can do this for me without having to invest in different equipment each time I "move on" to another stage.
I do want to go for the best sound I can get for my (low) budget, but other than that the biiggest requirement for me in a preamp is SMALL - both cause I have WAY too much garbage I cart around with me anyway (you ever carried a bunch of opera scores?! Oy) and because I do need to stealth with it (and in operaland, as I think others have explained, serious stealth is pretty important cause they get verrrryyy twitchy about bootlegs). I was considering the Core 2496 - a friend has one and loves it, but he also has the Core DPA 4060 HEB set, which I gather is pretty much the mics the 2496 was designed to favour. How would it sound with my considerably less high end 831 binaurals?
Alternatively, the Denecke ad20 looks like it's nice and small and I gather a lot of people really like it (and it's CHEAPER!! lol). Would it work w/ the iRiver and my mics and/or what would I need to make it work with my mics? If I start using a preamp will I need a battery box too, or will the preamp provide the "plug in in" power my binaurals require?
And, of course, would any pre a>d work with the PDAudio or does it have to be the 2496?
Lastly, what exactly wolud I need to start recording directly to my laptop? I gather this is more complicated than simply plugging in and going, but I'd be interested in knowing just what it would take both in terms of hardware (cables, soundcards etc) and software.
Many thanks in advance for your patience with more newb questions - really apprecaite it!
MG