Author Topic: What exactly are actives and are they worth it?? (Read 5245 times)

jb3newbie · « **on:** January 13, 2004, 10:19:39 PM »

I did a search...and I didnt really understand what the guy was talking about...some thing balanced and unbalanced.....but what are they??? Cables? Caps? Do they make a noticeable difference??

geoff piper · « **Reply #1 on:** January 13, 2004, 10:26:52 PM »

actives are just a way to make mics smaller. The caps hook to the active cables and the active cables hook to the mic body. Making the cap the only thing you need to hang off the stand. Nice for Stealth amd nice to balance your stand but needed for open taping no not really.

jb3newbie · « **Reply #2 on:** January 13, 2004, 10:32:20 PM »

So they would only be needed for stealthing???

geoff piper · « **Reply #3 on:** January 13, 2004, 10:34:53 PM »

Quote from: jb3newbie on January 13, 2004, 10:32:20 PM

So they would only be needed for stealthing???

no they are great for open taping because they arent as heavy as full body mics. Meaning you stand wont bend as much(which happens alot if you are running a high stand)

geoff piper · « **Reply #4 on:** January 13, 2004, 10:41:20 PM »

After reading what I wrote I dont think I gave too good of an explination about what exactly they are.

The caps are powered by the bodies and the actives cables are the way to keep the power going to the caps without acctually having the cap and bodies seperated.

If I'm repeating my self I'm sorry ive been out of my room since 8:30 this morning and I've only been back like 2, my brain is still fried from day 2 of the semster.

geoff piper · « **Reply #5 on:** January 13, 2004, 10:42:27 PM »

Quote from: Moke on January 13, 2004, 10:37:49 PM

Forgot to make my point..... I would love some mini's / actives of some kind, for flying in front of acoustic and classical crowds!!

me too... But I'm afraid Actives are going to be way to much for me to pay when I rebuild this summer.

nickgregory · « **Reply #6 on:** January 13, 2004, 10:43:31 PM »

there are some active sets where the bodies are not necessary though...

schoeps-caps>NBOX
schoeps caps->VMS(I believe
AKG/Gefell/MBHO caps->JK Labs device

Tim · « **Reply #7 on:** January 13, 2004, 10:44:04 PM »

Quote from: geoff piper on January 13, 2004, 10:42:27 PM

Quote from: Moke on January 13, 2004, 10:37:49 PM
Forgot to make my point..... I would love some mini's / actives of some kind, for flying in front of acoustic and classical crowds!!

me too... But I'm afraid Actives are going to be way to much for me to pay when I rebuild this summer.

neumann's aren't too terrible if you buy used. mbho too

geoff piper · « **Reply #8 on:** January 13, 2004, 10:48:34 PM »

Quote from: Tim on January 13, 2004, 10:44:04 PM

Quote from: geoff piper on January 13, 2004, 10:42:27 PM
Quote from: Moke on January 13, 2004, 10:37:49 PM
Forgot to make my point..... I would love some mini's / actives of some kind, for flying in front of acoustic and classical crowds!!

me too... But I'm afraid Actives are going to be way to much for me to pay when I rebuild this summer.

neumann's aren't too terrible if you buy used. mbho too

Well considering I have tickets for shows

and my friends wedding(tux,golf,atlantic city,booze, hotel) I'm going to have to pray that all my shows are at the end of summer to afford anything with actives.

geoff piper · « **Reply #9 on:** January 13, 2004, 10:49:29 PM »

Quote from: nickgregory on January 13, 2004, 10:43:31 PM

there are some active sets where the bodies are not necessary though...

schoeps-caps>NBOX
schoeps caps->VMS(I believe
AKG/Gefell/MBHO caps->JK Labs device

forgot about those

nickgregory · « **Reply #10 on:** January 13, 2004, 10:51:48 PM »

the rumor is that gefell will be introducing a gefell branded set of actives...now that would make my day

Tim · « **Reply #11 on:** January 13, 2004, 10:53:41 PM »

Quote from: nickgregory on January 13, 2004, 10:51:48 PM

the rumor is that gefell will be introducing a gefell branded set of actives...now that would make my day

I bet there would be a lot more mg users

geoff piper · « **Reply #12 on:** January 13, 2004, 10:54:17 PM »

Quote from: nickgregory on January 13, 2004, 10:51:48 PM

the rumor is that gefell will be introducing a gefell branded set of actives...now that would make my day

I love teh MG sound. I wish I could get me hands on a set of them.

nickgregory · « **Reply #13 on:** January 13, 2004, 10:57:58 PM »

Quote from: Tim on January 13, 2004, 10:53:41 PM

I bet there would be a lot more mg users

I would agree....most people that I know that had MGs and got rid of them did it strictly for an active setup.

Regardless, if they dont come out with a system, my plan all along has been to go to the Gefell->JK labs setup mid year....

BC · « **Reply #14 on:** January 13, 2004, 11:22:27 PM »

FWIW

I am very happy with my actives, much more low-profile for taping, easy to set up and take down, allow me to stealth if it's required.

Ben

Joe w. · « **Reply #15 on:** January 14, 2004, 02:37:52 PM »

Quote

I bet there would be a lot more mg users

add me to the list

Quote

..... I would love some mini's / actives of some kind, for flying in front of acoustic and classical crowds!!

buy mine....I'll give you a moderators deal

Rick · « **Reply #16 on:** January 14, 2004, 03:01:44 PM »

bodyless is the way to go!

And running just the caps on a stand is nice aswell. Its nice to have a low-profile setup even on a stand. The poeple behind you don't complain as much

Lil Kim Jong-Il · « **Reply #17 on:** January 14, 2004, 03:11:08 PM »

Quote from: geoff piper on January 13, 2004, 10:26:52 PM

Nice for Stealth amd nice to balance your stand but needed for open taping no not really.

While I agree that you don't *need* actives for open taping, actives are always better when you are taping from your seat. You throw a smaller shadow and the people behind you are less likely to complain. This means that while guys running a Shure bar with shock mounts might get told to lower their stands to head height, the taper with actives can run higher without being noticed.

Also, when you get into the show late and you are stuck in the worse part of the section because it's full, you will find that the guys who have the best spot are more likely to let you add one more clamp to their stand if you are running with actives.

Steve J · « **Reply #18 on:** January 14, 2004, 03:15:27 PM »

Quote from: Rick on January 14, 2004, 03:01:44 PM

bodyless is the way to go!

And running just the caps on a stand is nice aswell. Its nice to have a low-profile setup even on a stand. The poeple behind you don't complain as much

What he said! I've had people come up to me after a show and thank me for having such a small 'signature.' And not as much sway in the wind...or so it seems.

creekfreak · « **Reply #19 on:** January 14, 2004, 03:19:46 PM »

I love my actives, and use them all the time no matter what. They offer many things that I love.

1. no need to tote around bulky mic cables, the actives wrap up real small and take up little space in my bag
2. Smaller foot print on the stand which is nice if I am stealthing or open taping. Not to mention, in a busy taper section its much easier to clamp actives to someone stand than full mics.
3. much easier to use when doing stage tapes, clamping actives to a drum mic stand on the stage is hardly noticeable and takes up very little space.
4. nice config bars such as DIN and ORTF which always guaranatee you the perfect angle and cap seperation, I use to hate trying to get the right config using big ass shock mounts and mic bodies.