Topic: preamp upgrade...

[Elana]

Right now I have a digimod UA5 and a Mobile-Pre that I got right after some girl on a cell phone tripped over my UA5 at a show and fucked it up (it has since been fixed).  Obviously I run the Mobile-Pre to a laptop.  I run the UA5 either to a laptop or to JB3. 

I want to start looking into a better all inclusive unit than digimod UA5 - something that has phantom power, a/d converter, with optical out because of the JB3, DC powered, or bus (only have a 4 pin firewire though) powered with the option of DC power, can be run as standalone in addition to through usb/firewire (via a mod or stock).

I would say my price range when I am ready to buy (at least not for several months) would be preferably below $1000 unless it's a really awesome pre, even better below $600.  New or used doesn't matter.

If there aren't other units out there that do all or most of what I listed above, I would be interested in ones that either interface with a laptop OR another device. (I could always keep the UA5 or mobile pre if I had to).

Oh, and will Oade mod the FW410?  I forget.

Thx.

[Sanjay]

For what you are asking (a device work with the computer and jb3 via optical) the UA-5 seems the only real choice.  What exactly are you displeased about with the UA-5?  Personally I didn't like the sound and meters, which i suspect is why people get rid of them.  I would look into a modded UA-5, either an Oade or busman2, along with an SVU-1 or SVU-2 to give you meters.  Anything else I am not sure would work with your computer, perhaps an optical mod v3 would work however I have no idea if it works as a USB interface

For a straight USB interface I recommend the sound devices USB pre, however this will not work as a standalone.

Oade brothers have modified the FW410, i know it has to be purchased from them however and I am not sure if they are modding any as they might have only modded 1 or 2 ever.

A third option would be to get an all inclusive box, such as the PMD-660 or PMD-671 by marantz.  You could then have phantom, preamp and a recorder in one box. 

[larrysellers]

Right now I have a digimod UA5 and a Mobile-Pre that I got right after some girl on a cell phone tripped over my UA5 at a show and fucked it up (it has since been fixed).  Obviously I run the Mobile-Pre to a laptop.  I run the UA5 either to a laptop or to JB3. 

I want to start looking into a better all inclusive unit than digimod UA5 - something that has phantom power, a/d converter, with optical out because of the JB3, DC powered, or bus (only have a 4 pin firewire though) powered with the option of DC power, can be run as standalone in addition to through usb/firewire (via a mod or stock).

I would say my price range when I am ready to buy (at least not for several months) would be preferably below $1000 unless it's a really awesome pre, even better below $600.  New or used doesn't matter.

If there aren't other units out there that do all or most of what I listed above, I would be interested in ones that either interface with a laptop OR another device. (I could always keep the UA5 or mobile pre if I had to).

Oh, and will Oade mod the FW410?  I forget.

Thx.

A used Apogee Mini-Me might do the trick for you (at under $1K).

[Sanjay]

Right now I have a digimod UA5 and a Mobile-Pre that I got right after some girl on a cell phone tripped over my UA5 at a show and fucked it up (it has since been fixed).  Obviously I run the Mobile-Pre to a laptop.  I run the UA5 either to a laptop or to JB3. 

I want to start looking into a better all inclusive unit than digimod UA5 - something that has phantom power, a/d converter, with optical out because of the JB3, DC powered, or bus (only have a 4 pin firewire though) powered with the option of DC power, can be run as standalone in addition to through usb/firewire (via a mod or stock).

I would say my price range when I am ready to buy (at least not for several months) would be preferably below $1000 unless it's a really awesome pre, even better below $600.  New or used doesn't matter.

If there aren't other units out there that do all or most of what I listed above, I would be interested in ones that either interface with a laptop OR another device. (I could always keep the UA5 or mobile pre if I had to).

Oh, and will Oade mod the FW410?  I forget.

Thx.

A used Apogee Mini-Me might do the trick for you (at under $1K).

no optical out so you would have to buy a HOSA box fwiw

[Chuck]

If you want only 16 bit, ACM PMD 660.
It's a great all in one.

[larrysellers]

Right now I have a digimod UA5 and a Mobile-Pre that I got right after some girl on a cell phone tripped over my UA5 at a show and fucked it up (it has since been fixed).  Obviously I run the Mobile-Pre to a laptop.  I run the UA5 either to a laptop or to JB3. 

I want to start looking into a better all inclusive unit than digimod UA5 - something that has phantom power, a/d converter, with optical out because of the JB3, DC powered, or bus (only have a 4 pin firewire though) powered with the option of DC power, can be run as standalone in addition to through usb/firewire (via a mod or stock).

I would say my price range when I am ready to buy (at least not for several months) would be preferably below $1000 unless it's a really awesome pre, even better below $600.  New or used doesn't matter.

If there aren't other units out there that do all or most of what I listed above, I would be interested in ones that either interface with a laptop OR another device. (I could always keep the UA5 or mobile pre if I had to).

Oh, and will Oade mod the FW410?  I forget.

Thx.

A used Apogee Mini-Me might do the trick for you (at under $1K).

no optical out so you would have to buy a HOSA box fwiw

True but still a viable option. Converter boxes are pretty cheap used but if you are looking for no-hassle, the mme doesn't have an optical out.

[Chanher]

d/l some shows using a busman2 mod'd ua-5, or go to the team boards forum and find team ua-5, in the last 5 pages or so his mods are discussed.

I personally like the ua-5 over the fw-410, and I just bought back my warm mod fw-410.

I would also suggest looking into an oade mod 660 like chuck said, or if you want 24-bit the oade 671 (might be just over $1000). That's what I currently have my eye on...

also, what mics are you using? that's important when choosing a pre

[Elana]

For what you are asking (a device work with the computer and jb3 via optical) the UA-5 seems the only real choice.  What exactly are you displeased about with the UA-5?  Personally I didn't like the sound and meters, which i suspect is why people get rid of them.  I would look into a modded UA-5, either an Oade or busman2, along with an SVU-1 or SVU-2 to give you meters.  Anything else I am not sure would work with your computer, perhaps an optical mod v3 would work however I have no idea if it works as a USB interface

For a straight USB interface I recommend the sound devices USB pre, however this will not work as a standalone.

Well besides the fact that the mod keeps coming undone every few months, and I've had driver issues with it on my old laptop, it's fine.  I like it a lot better than the mobilepre, but I'm still looking to get something a little more high end.  I looked into the USBpre a long time ago, when I was only doing laptop taping.  It's not a bad unit.

I would also suggest looking into an oade mod 660 like chuck said, or if you want 24-bit the oade 671 (might be just over $1000). That's what I currently have my eye on...

also, what mics are you using? that's important when choosing a pre

I'll check those out... I don't know much about them.  I only run 16bit, I have no need for anything higher than cd quality right now.  I'm currently running Oktava MK012's and have been for the past 2 years.  But I just bought a pair of Neumann KM184's, so I'll be selling my Oktavas soon.  I've run the KM184's with the mme before on my friend's gear, and liked the sound, but like someone said, I would have to get the HOSA box to get the optical.

[Brian Skalinder]

If it were me, I'd upgrade the UA5 a la Oade or Busman.  Sounds like in your case a self-digi-mod, in which case I think you'd have to go with the Busman mods.  He could probably fix up the digi-mod, too, so it doesn't keep undoing itself!  The upgraded UA5s sound very, very different to the stock UA5, in a very good way.  And...if you go the Busman route and had the digi-mod fixed at the same time, you could always sell it down the road for close to what you've put into it and make the move to something else.

[Chanher]

If it were me, I'd upgrade the UA5 a la Oade or Busman.  Sounds like in your case a self-digi-mod, in which case I think you'd have to go with the Busman mods.  He could probably fix up the digi-mod, too, so it doesn't keep undoing itself!  The upgraded UA5s sound very, very different to the stock UA5, in a very good way.  And...if you go the Busman route and had the digi-mod fixed at the same time, you could always sell it down the road for close to what you've put into it and make the move to something else.

[Elana]

If it were me, I'd upgrade the UA5 a la Oade or Busman.  Sounds like in your case a self-digi-mod, in which case I think you'd have to go with the Busman mods.  He could probably fix up the digi-mod, too, so it doesn't keep undoing itself!  The upgraded UA5s sound very, very different to the stock UA5, in a very good way.  And...if you go the Busman route and had the digi-mod fixed at the same time, you could always sell it down the road for close to what you've put into it and make the move to something else.

I'm gonna have to look into this... I was only aware of the Oade mods...  I'll check out the UA5 thread on it.  How is his different from the Oade mod?  Is Oade now doing mods to units not originally bought from them?

[Elana]

oh, I just did some checking and the marantz PMD recorders are definitely out for me.  I don't want removable media. That's why I got away from MD.  I like the idea of being able to fit 15 shows on a hard drive (like the jb3 20gb) before having to transfer them to something else, or just keeping as many shows as I want on my laptop (80gig with 60 gigs free makes for a lot of space for shows).  If the 722 didn't cost almost as much as my new laptop, I'd consider it.  An all-in-one hard drive recorder would be pretty sweet.