Topic: MIC2496 with MT?

[gorlando]

Did anyone try this combination? Is the pre of the MIC2496 better of the on on the MT? Is it worth the additional hassle of having another box in a stealth situation?
Thanks

[BJ]

while i don't have a MT, i would say that you would see a dramatic improvement over just the MT.  The preamp in the Mic2496 is very nice, but I i think the biggest place you would see the improvement would be the A/D conversion.  I know it does add to the stealth setup, but that thing is so small.  I could take a picture of mine in my hand to show the actuall size, and post the dimensions if you would like.  And mine in the yardsale comes with alot of extras.

[jmz93]

Hi. I've had great success with the MIC2496 and Microtrack. However, as a small skinny guy, I really can't stealth with it, especially since I power the MIC2496 with an external battery pack. That means I have to carry: 1. CSB mics plus battery box 2. MIC2496 and external pack, 3. microtrack, 4. various cables and connectors.
But, when I can tape openly, all of it fits nicely into an old Sony Discman carrying case I had lying around.  Much less background hiss and greater fidelity using the MIC2496 front-end!

[BJ]

Hi. I've had great success with the MIC2496 and Microtrack. However, as a small skinny guy, I really can't stealth with it, especially since I power the MIC2496 with an external battery pack. That means I have to carry: 1. CSB mics plus battery box 2. MIC2496 and external pack, 3. microtrack, 4. various cables and connectors.
But, when I can tape openly, all of it fits nicely into an old Sony Discman carrying case I had lying around.  Much less background hiss and greater fidelity using the MIC2496 front-end!

you know you can configure the jumpers to power your csb's without the bb right?  and why not run the mic2496 w/  a 9v batter instead of external?

[kbergend]

I agree that the MIC2496 is pretty big to stealth with -- the guy in Core's photo of it must have enormous hands.  But considering it's a power supply, preamp and ADC combined, it's relatively compact.  Even without phantom power being supplied, you won't get much more than two hours on a standard 9V battery before hitting low voltage, and I only get a little over an hour with my thirsty Audix mics attached.  I use a compact lithium-ion battery from bixnet.com that will power the Core unit and the mics for 7+ hours.

The MIC2496 is way better than the internal preamp/ADC of the Microtrack, even running line-in -- the high noise level on the recordings I was making using the MT as an analog recorder was the main reason I bought the MIC2496.  I have no complaints about the sound at all, and the latest firmware release for the Microtrack seems to have resolved the earlier quirks with S/PDIF input.

[jlykos]

Anything on the face of the planet sounds better than the pre in the MT.  It is so easy to clip the MT's pre that it is almost unusable and when it does clip, you will get audible static.  Very thin, dry, and other unpleasant adjectives that I don't have time to list.

[guysonic]

Anything on the face of the planet sounds better than the pre in the MT.  It is so easy to clip the MT's pre that it is almost unusable and when it does clip, you will get audible static.  Very thin, dry, and other unpleasant adjectives that I don't have time to list.

I agree that the MIC2496 is pretty big to stealth with -- the guy in Core's photo of it must have enormous hands.  But considering it's a power supply, preamp and ADC combined, it's relatively compact.  Even without phantom power being supplied, you won't get much more than two hours on a standard 9V battery before hitting low voltage, and I only get a little over an hour with my thirsty Audix mics attached.  I use a compact lithium-ion battery from bix.com that will power the Core unit and the mics for 7+ hours.

The MIC2496 is way better than the internal preamp/ADC of the Microtrack, even running line-in -- the high noise level on the recordings I was making using the MT as an analog recorder was the main reason I bought the MIC2496.  I have no complaints about the sound at all, and the latest firmware release for the Microtrack seems to have resolved the earlier quirks with S/PDIF input.

Well this sounds like another bad rap session on the MT being only good as a bit bucket.  I have found this NOT really true with excellent results using the analog LINE input of the MT.

Done quite a few very low loudness nature, and some live music recordings using the MT line input with external preamplifier.  MT line input handles about +4dBu maximum, so some preamps will overload the MT line input before they show clipping.

I have found the LINE input recordings very nice sounding and a few of my customers are recording classical and solo piano and like the MT results better than M1 DAT deck used before with same DSM mic and external pre, so the MT is fine using line. 

This gives a much smaller package to stealth than most any external pre + A/D of excellent equivalent quality.  I just carry the whole rig around in a vest pocket all the time now.  And carry in a second vest pocket an external USB power sled running on 4 C cells for overcoming the lousy battery situation with the MT. 

Talk is cheap, results are what's important in audio so give the following a careful listen.

Recordings done with MT with external pre on page: www.sonicstudios.com/mp3.htm
Look in Nature, Ambient, Radio ENG, Session, and Live performance sections for:

(Nature section)
Rolling Thunder-Rain #1

 (Ambient section)
JULY 4, 2006 ILLEGAL SUTHERLIN RESIDENTIAL FIREWORKS/GUNSHOTS
ROSEBURG AIR SHOW RECORDING

(Radio/ENG section)
Peace March & Rally
IT'S SAINT PADDY'S DAY IN ROSEBURG!!!

Live music recordings at: www.sonicstudios.com/mp3_2slp.htm

Mile Post Eight's 4th public appearance
THE HOTQUA STRING BAND

Image of external PA-24XP preamplifier runs for over 200 hours on internal AA cells, and is strapped to back of MT as shown below (I now use adhesive Velcro to the MT back instead of the wrap strap), and images of USB power sleds for MT at www.sonicstudios.com/batsys98.htm#microtrack

Bottom line is the recordings sound excellent IMO, and the mic, pre, deck, and powering configuration is very small and practical for using in any situation. There's very little not to like for having such small size portable portable rig that does 24bit/88.2K mode with using the MT's internal A/D using the analog line input, and will record reliably for 20 hours without any need to carry spare batteries regardless of MT's internal battery state of charge. 

[jmz93]

Hi. I've had great success with the MIC2496 and Microtrack. However, as a small skinny guy, I really can't stealth with it, especially since I power the MIC2496 with an external battery pack. That means I have to carry: 1. CSB mics plus battery box 2. MIC2496 and external pack, 3. microtrack, 4. various cables and connectors.
But, when I can tape openly, all of it fits nicely into an old Sony Discman carrying case I had lying around.  Much less background hiss and greater fidelity using the MIC2496 front-end!

you know you can configure the jumpers to power your csb's without the bb right?  and why not run the mic2496 w/  a 9v batter instead of external?

Really?? I have the regular CSB's, not the HEB's (DPA) mics. As far as I know, the MIC2496 can power the DPA's, not the CSB's. Besides, where do I plug the 1/8" in on the MIC2496, after plugging in the mini-XLR? You have to make two connections with the CSB's, at least on my pair.

[ShawnF]

It can't--I'm sure he was thinking HEBs  From Len's mic2496 page:

---------------
Mic2496 runs on a single 9 volt battery and provides true 48 Volt phantom power to condensor microphones (switchable), and the appropriate power for Core Sound's High End Binaural microphone set using DPA's marvelous 4060 and 4061 miniature microphone capsules. (It does not provide the correct power for our Core Sound Binaural microphone set so you'll still have to use the CSB's battery box.)
--------------

[kbergend]

Anything on the face of the planet sounds better than the pre in the MT.  It is so easy to clip the MT's pre that it is almost unusable and when it does clip, you will get audible static.  Very thin, dry, and other unpleasant adjectives that I don't have time to list.

I agree that the MIC2496 is pretty big to stealth with -- the guy in Core's photo of it must have enormous hands.  But considering it's a power supply, preamp and ADC combined, it's relatively compact.  Even without phantom power being supplied, you won't get much more than two hours on a standard 9V battery before hitting low voltage, and I only get a little over an hour with my thirsty Audix mics attached.  I use a compact lithium-ion battery from bix.com that will power the Core unit and the mics for 7+ hours.

The MIC2496 is way better than the internal preamp/ADC of the Microtrack, even running line-in -- the high noise level on the recordings I was making using the MT as an analog recorder was the main reason I bought the MIC2496.  I have no complaints about the sound at all, and the latest firmware release for the Microtrack seems to have resolved the earlier quirks with S/PDIF input.

Well this sounds like another bad rap session on the MT being only good as a bit bucket.  I have found this NOT really true with excellent results using the analog LINE input of the MT.

Done quite a few very low loudness nature, and some live music recordings using the MT line input with external preamplifier.  MT line input handles about +4dBu maximum, so some preamps will overload the MT line input before they show clipping.

I have found the LINE input recordings very nice sounding and a few of my customers are recording classical and solo piano and like the MT results better than M1 DAT deck used before with same DSM mic and external pre, so the MT is fine using line. 

This gives a much smaller package to stealth than most any external pre + A/D of excellent equivalent quality.  I just carry the whole rig around in a vest pocket all the time now.  And carry in a second vest pocket an external USB power sled running on 4 C cells for overcoming the lousy battery situation with the MT. 

Talk is cheap, results are what's important in audio so give the following a careful listen.

Recordings done with MT with external pre on page: www.sonicstudios.com/mp3.htm
Look in Nature, Ambient, Radio ENG, Session, and Live performance sections for:

(Nature section)
Rolling Thunder-Rain #1

 (Ambient section)
JULY 4, 2006 ILLEGAL SUTHERLIN RESIDENTIAL FIREWORKS/GUNSHOTS
ROSEBURG AIR SHOW RECORDING

(Radio/ENG section)
Peace March & Rally
IT'S SAINT PADDY'S DAY IN ROSEBURG!!!

Live music recordings at: www.sonicstudios.com/mp3_2slp.htm

Mile Post Eight's 4th public appearance
THE HOTQUA STRING BAND

Image of external PA-24XP preamplifier runs for over 200 hours on internal AA cells, and is strapped to back of MT as shown below (I now use adhesive Velcro to the MT back instead of the wrap strap), and images of USB power sleds for MT at www.sonicstudios.com/batsys98.htm#microtrack

Bottom line is the recordings sound excellent IMO, and the mic, pre, deck, and powering configuration is very small and practical for using in any situation. There's very little not to like for having such small size portable portable rig that does 24bit/88.2K mode with using the MT's internal A/D using the analog line input, and will record reliably for 20 hours without any need to carry spare batteries regardless of MT's internal battery state of charge. 

My "cheap talk" is based on half a dozen noisy shows I recorded using line-in on the MT.  I can send them to you if you like.

To be fair, I haven't used any other external preamp with the MT, I've just run AT943s with a battery box line-in unamplified at some louder shows, which necessitated a volume boost in post-production that created significant hiss (not deafening like a couple of shows I recorded via the 1/8" mic jack and amplified in post, but significant).  Using the same mics with the MIC2496 running digital-in, I can add lots of gain in post without any discernible noise.  But there's no question I would have gotten much better results with an analog preamp prior to running line-in.

I'm a little mystified why anyone would pay over $1000 for an analog preamp for the MT when they can get a good one for half the price with better A/D than the MT offers.  And if they need something more compact, Church and SoundPros sell very good preamps with analog output for less than 20% of that price.  Likewise I don't know why anyone would pay over $200 for a bulky battery sled when they can get a $35 Macally rechargeable lithium-ion battery about the size and weight of an iPod which will power the MT for 7+ hours.

[live2496]

I haven't run the MIC2496 a whole lot, but I did help demo it at AES. The dpa 4060's would run for at least 4 hours being powered from the MIC2496. But it depends upon how power hungry your mics are.