I'll risk posting here because I'm covering a few topics. I've been lurking for a while and want to make sure I understand what's what before Coachella this year, where I plan to do a lot of taping.
I currently have a Microtrack (the old one) and a pair of CSBs with the switchable bass rolloff filter on the battery box. I also have a -11db and a -20 db attenuator cable, also from CS. I'm open to new mics but want to try to work with the MT.
I've experimented at a few small venue shows and, so far, have had levels problems - either distortion or too low. But the whole line/mic thing was unclear in the MT docs and I think I may have figured it out. And now - the questions. Apologies in advance if it becomes clear I don't know what I'm talking about.
1. Does a battery box serve the same purpose as a preamp, minus the ability to adjust the input level? From what I've read here it appears that using a battery box allows for recording much louder shows without distortion. Is this true? How does a battery boxed mic differ from a mic running on phantom power? Does it simply replace the optional phantom power usually drawn from the recorder's internal batteries? (I know about the 30V phantom power the MT offers, but I'm just curious if I understand all this.)
2. Does using an attenuator cable to lower input levels affect overall sound quality? From experiments it appears both the cables from Len reduce the high end more than I would like. Do attenuator cables have any impact on battery boxed mics, like I have?
3. Is it best, given the mics I have, to do my best to have them pointing away from the stage, maybe perpendicular, like the human ear?
4. Is converting from 1/8" stereo to 2 1/4" TRS connectors as simple as it appears? I have some adaptors lying around, and a splitter that takes 1/8" stereo and converts to 2 1/8" mono. Is this the right track? It seems I would just end up with 2 1/4" stereos, though. How does the whole TRS thing play into this? I ask because apparently the MT's 1/8" inputs add a significant boost, whereas the 1/4" TRS inputs do not.
5. Any opinions on the following setup for coachella?
CSBs > Battery box > some kind of conversion to 2 x 1/4" TRS > Microtrack (with the possibility of snapping an attenuator cable into the mix somewhere if necessary.
6. Or should I just go for a new set of mics and try a preamp? I read good things about Church audio's stuff here. Would going this route eliminate any levels issues I'm currently having?
Thanks