Topic: Transparent Mod UA-5

[hexyjones]

No offense dude, I clearly respect your opinion, but if specs are what you want to argue here, then why would you be using a midiman flying calf if you really love specs, for that matter the tascam's as well??

What's wrong with the Flying Calf?...50 bucks for a 24 bit A/D - I thought it was a good deal...

TASCAM PE-120 = Nak 300

The TASCAMS are (to the best of my knowledge) the same mic - manufactured by "Primo" of Japan - and sold under the Nakamichi, TEAC, TASCAM and ALTEC brand names...

And I dont really love specs...I just find them useful...a good place to start...

[hexyjones]

Which is funny because…on Oades website it says:

...This replaces the input capacitors, which are SMD electrolytic ( higher distortion and noise) with SMD film caps ( lower distortion and noise)

Well – he must have some specs and they must have some meaning! He is obviously making decisions based on specs. How else would he know how to compare the various components he swaps.  How can he make the above statement without specs?

You picked a rather poor example with this one.  There are alot of variables in capacitor design and there are audible effects of the design choices.  The assertion that film capacitors are lower noise than electrolytic capacitors has nothing to do with what Doug Oade says or believes.  It's a demonstrable result of the construction and material selection of the device.  It's the same as the difference between carbon and metal film resistors.

A good cynic would have done some research before posting that quote. 

The parentheses are from the Oade site - not my embelisments or assertions...

Isn't a "demostrateable result" a "spec" ?? - - - they didn't just guess that certain materials would produce lower noise...

[Brian Skalinder]

The parentheses are from the Oade site - not my embelisments or assertions...

Isn't a "demostrateable result" a "spec" ?? - - - they didn't just guess that certain materials would produce lower noise...

One could make the Oade Bros statements based purely on the specs of the components used in the mod.  Go search the Oade board - Doug has posted the primary components involved in the W/P mods, dig up the specs yourself.

[hexyjones]

The parentheses are from the Oade site - not my embelisments or assertions...

Isn't a "demostrateable result" a "spec" ?? - - - they didn't just guess that certain materials would produce lower noise...

One could make the Oade Bros statements based purely on the specs of the components used in the mod.  Go search the Oade board - Doug has posted the primary components involved in the W/P mods, dig up the specs yourself.

If I ever find myself about to buy a UA5...I just might.

[Brian Skalinder]

If I ever find myself about to buy a UA5...I just might.

BTW, you ever going to answer my questions?

[F.O.Bean]

so youre knocking a product youve never seen nor heard?

damn, you must have way too much time on your hands

[hexyjones]

If I ever find myself about to buy a UA5...I just might.

BTW, you ever going to answer my questions?

No experience with the UA5 - I've listened - sounds nice...although the mic pre is capable of adding quite a bit of color - depending on the mod...hard to evaluate all-in-ones...

"Average" = all in one unit, weak ergonomics, no metering..."average" isn't as disparaging as it may sound...

[Brian Skalinder]

No experience with the UA5

Big surprise. 

I've listened - sounds nice...although the mic pre is capable of adding quite a bit of color - depending on the mod...hard to evaluate all-in-ones...

Any mic pre is capable of adding quite a bit of color, but what does that have to do with one's ability to evaluate the units?  And it's uber-easy to evaluate all-in-ones against, well...other all-in-ones, which is what we're talking about here.

"Average" = all in one unit, weak ergonomics, no metering..."average" isn't as disparaging as it may sound...

So an all-in-one unit is inherently average?  Guess my V3 is average, too, eh?

Ergonomics aren't great, but they're not awful - better than the MMe, IMO.  And the ergos don't prevent one from effectively using the gear, it's just a little quirky.

Minimal metering isn't all that big a deal - if you ran one, you'd know.  I honestly don't get the few people who have built external meters - using the UA5 as the peak indicator and a DAT / JB3 as the L/R balance, it just isn't that difficult.  And again, it doesn't prevent one from effectively using the gear, it's just a little quirky.

Why am I not surprised you neglect to include any mention of the UA5s sound in your description of it as "average". 

[F.O.Bean]

well said brian, because people are ignornat

is this d00d mad because he didnt think of it first or something?

[Tim]

but alas corkscrew is just an ignoramus talking out of his ass...

I don't like anyone invading my turf.

that version is a lot nicer than other what else I had writtem