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Gear / Technical Help => Battery Boxes, Preamps, Mixers, ADCs, and Processors => Topic started by: JM Charcot on March 05, 2009, 04:38:51 AM

Title: MACKIE 402 VLZ3 as a preamp?
Post by: JM Charcot on March 05, 2009, 04:38:51 AM
Hello,

the new MACKIE 402 VLZ3 seems to have nice preamps,

Did someone try to use it with a battery for outdoor recordings, would it be possible?

Kind regards,

JM.

http://www.mackie.com/products/402vlz3/index.html

(http://images4.thomann.de/pics/bdb/209126/557393_800.jpg)

Title: Re: MACKIE 402 VLZ3 as a preamp?
Post by: bdasilva on March 05, 2009, 11:07:41 AM
I have one of these... Sweet but the rub is that the power is +/- 18vdc.... maybe 4 wally world batteries.. two in each dierction.
Title: Re: MACKIE 402 VLZ3 as a preamp?
Post by: kirk97132 on March 05, 2009, 12:55:11 PM
I used one of those for a couple of shows but on AC power.  You gotta love Guitar Centers loaner policy ;)  Just as long as you bring it back within 30 days with everything they give you a full refund.  My impression was the pre's were dark sounding.  Not sure how else to describe it.  That is in comparison to a mackie 1202, Edirol UA-5 BM2p+, and a Sound Devices MP-2.  I did notice the same issue as Brian stated that a battery option was pretty much outa the question.  kirk
Title: Re: MACKIE 402 VLZ3 as a preamp?
Post by: MattH on March 05, 2009, 04:08:15 PM
I really like this unit for live mixing, typically stage and soundboard. I have only run it off AC power but don't see why a 12V battery -> power inverter -> AC adapter -> 402 would not work although it would be somewhat bulky. I personally do not find the preamp dark but not as bright as a 1202 which I find a little too bright. But it likely depends on the mics being used and location. This is an extremely quiet and high quality mixer for the $.
Title: Re: MACKIE 402 VLZ3 as a preamp?
Post by: kirk97132 on March 05, 2009, 04:18:00 PM
I agree for the money it's not bad.  And, the recordings sound just fine don't get me wrong.  For me since I've got the UA-5 to do matix's on the fly if I wanted and now an R-44 4 track it just didn't make any sense to keep it. 
Title: Re: MACKIE 402 VLZ3 as a preamp?
Post by: bdasilva on March 05, 2009, 06:38:12 PM
Of course 12v (sla?) > inverter > powersupply > mixer  would work.   Humph, reminds me of my laptop taping days.
Title: Re: MACKIE 402 VLZ3 as a preamp?
Post by: lutzr on January 04, 2011, 08:28:19 PM
Quote from: bdasilva on March 05, 2009, 06:38:12 PM
Of course 12v (sla?) > inverter > powersupply > mixer  would work.   Humph, reminds me of my laptop taping days.

And it wouldn't be power efficient... I've done internal measures and here's my findings (starting from the inverter):

(http://homepage.mac.com/lutzray/powerMackie.jpg)

So the board uses less than 40% of the total power. :P

RL