Taperssection.com
Gear / Technical Help => Battery Boxes, Preamps, Mixers, ADCs, and Processors => Topic started by: The Kilted Taper on March 23, 2005, 10:31:58 AM
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Anyone recomend a good, small pre/phantom/AD unit? I know the AD-20 and PS-2, but I'm wondering if there is an all-in-one unit out there to use with the franken naks. Thanks.
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best you are going to get is a stealthable pre and a recording device that has a suitable A/D converter for stealthing...
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I was affraid of that.
And I would need the Dcode® PS-2, not just the regualr PS-2, as the regular just has 1 input? What are the outs on the Dcode® PS-2?
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My PS-2 had 2 inputs... I'm not sure if it was a regular one though.
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Born, is stealthing with the UA-5 too hard? I guess you are thinking about real hardcore stealth situations were you can't have any bags, etc. etc.?
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Born, is stealthing with the UA-5 too hard? I guess you are thinking about real hardcore stealth situations were you can't have any bags, etc. etc.?
The UA-5 is a breeze when there is no bag check (ie, the Black Cat), but for places like 930 I'd like something a bit smaller that I can crotch. Sure a UA-5 COULD be crotched, but, I'd like to explore options.
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where there's a UA-5, there's a huge battery too...
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where there's a UA-5, there's a huge battery too...
Then there's that too. Battery is black and easily hidden on the bottom of a bag, in rolled up clothes, etc. Not worried about that, more the bulk of the unit it self. But then I started thinking, with the PS-2 and AD-20, you've got that much added wiring to worry about. Maybe it just ain't worth it.
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I use the FP-24, rebranded mixpre and just use the AD in the jb3, works pretty well for me. My wilco show using this is in the kickdowns.
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I use the FP-24, rebranded mixpre and just use the AD in the jb3, works pretty well for me. My wilco show using this is in the kickdowns.
Ouch...~$900 is a bit more then I'm willing to spend....But thanks for the idea.
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Ouch...~$900 is a bit more then I'm willing to spend....But thanks for the idea.
you already have the JB3, you just buy a MP2 or rebranded box which goes for ~$400
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Ouch...~$900 is a bit more then I'm willing to spend....But thanks for the idea.
you already have the JB3, you just buy a MP2 or rebranded box which goes for ~$400
I must be looking in the wrong place, because everything I find is right around $850 - $885.
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I use the FP-24, rebranded mixpre and just use the AD in the jb3, works pretty well for me. My wilco show using this is in the kickdowns.
Ouch...~$900 is a bit more then I'm willing to spend....But thanks for the idea.
you gotta look used, mine was $400 from John Kelly. The FP-24 is exactly the same as the Mixpre, just different name. The MP-2 is different only in that it gives 16db automatically of gain, you lose 6 or 10 cant remember exactly if you use tape out instead of xlr out. And it allows for Mid side recordings which the mixpre doesnt. The Mixpre gives no automatic gain, and it doesnt allow you to turn off the LEDs, the Mixpre does. So weigh the options and search out ebay.
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i dont even think you can get the MP2 anymore...sound devices discontinued it...I just sold mind used for $400 a couple of weeks ago
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I still have a Beyer MV-100 for sale. Not trying to hijack your thread here, but that might be an option for you. Runs on two 9V's, definitely stealthable and very good sounding.
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I must be looking in the wrong place, because everything I find is right around $850 - $885.
That's the MSRP pricing in effect, actual cost new - at least as of a couple years ago when I saw the same general MSRP numbers - should come in around $650. But obviously, good values to be had buying used.
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Only problem with the FP-24 is that it is not an A/D like the UA-5, which doesn't matter much according to Sanjay, cause he got a pretty good pull from that Wilco show with it. I am gonna go the UA-5 way, and try it out for a little bit, you guys say it can be crotched, we'll see. ha.
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an A/D would make it perfect, I was curious as to whether it is possible to disable the gain on the a/d-20 and just make it do the a/d. I love how the meters on the fp-24 are exactly to the clipping point ont he jb3 and the added gain would mess that up.
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PS-2 -> ModSbm-1
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PS-2 -> ModSbm-1
do you have to have a loud concert in order to use this combo? Or is there gain on the modsbm-1? if there is gain, how clean is it?
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an A/D would make it perfect, I was curious as to whether it is possible to disable the gain on the a/d-20 and just make it do the a/d. I love how the meters on the fp-24 are exactly to the clipping point ont he jb3 and the added gain would mess that up.
That's because I had it properly calibrated. ;)
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I was affraid of that.
And I would need the Dcode® PS-2, not just the regualr PS-2, as the regular just has 1 input? What are the outs on the Dcode® PS-2?
the PS-1A (or Dcode® PS-1A) is a one channel microphone power supply.
the PS-2 (or Dcode® PS-2) is a dual channel microphone power supply.
The PS-2 has 2 xlr outs.
Unfortunately, you won't find a phantom/pre/a-d unit that is as small as you want. But you could use : external preamp (phantom power capable) > sbm-1 , it won't be much larger than PS-2 > AD-20.
Depending on your budget, the type of music you are taping and the "hotness" of your mics, you have different options available for the external preamp (see previous posts).
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I use the FP-24, rebranded mixpre and just use the AD in the jb3, works pretty well for me. My wilco show using this is in the kickdowns.
i'd recomend either this solution or get the ps-2/ad-20 combo to go into the jb3 :)
either way, it doesnt get much stealthier than those :)
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PS-2 -> ModSbm-1
do you have to have a loud concert in order to use this combo? Or is there gain on the modsbm-1? if there is gain, how clean is it?
Transformers between the PS-2 -> ModSbm-1. Don't know anything about them, but know that they can be used in that manner... all I know is they add a fixed amount of gain. Unfortunately, the SBM-1 doesn't add gain.
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PS-2 -> ModSbm-1
do you have to have a loud concert in order to use this combo? Or is there gain on the modsbm-1? if there is gain, how clean is it?
Transformers between the PS-2 -> ModSbm-1. Don't know anything about them, but know that they can be used in that manner... all I know is they add a fixed amount of gain. Unfortunately, the SBM-1 doesn't add gain.
an option could be a stock sbm-1 though. it does have as much gain as you'd probably need.
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do you have to have a loud concert in order to use this combo? Or is there gain on the modsbm-1? if there is gain, how clean is it?
Louder definitely helps. I ran AT 853 > PS2 > line-in Stock SBM-1 with and without line transformers. Without the transformers I cranked the SBM-1 all the way to 10 and still needed more gain...for these recordings I used the 'change gain' option in Wavelab in order to reach 0dB. When I used the transformers I had plenty of gain...SBM-1 usually somewhere in the neighborhood of 6-8. It has been argued that line transformers provide the cleanest gain possible....I won't say for sure though because I haven't heard every piece of gear.
Unfortunately, the SBM-1 doesn't add gain.
There are some of the ModSBM's out there that have a few dB of gain added to the line input. I think the # was typically 3 or 4dB..
Also FWIW, I would avoid the mic input of the SBM-1 unless those have been modded by Doug Oade.
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BTW- Chanher, +T for 666 posts. The number of the Beast!
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BTW- Chanher, +T for 666 posts. The number of the Beast!
too creepy for me, I'll think I'll end that right here. :)
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Core sounds MIC 2496
Phantom / Pre / A/D
Here (http://www.core-sound.com/Mic2496.html)
All in a box about the size of the ad20
I like the sound better than the ad20 - ps2 combo
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Core sounds MIC 2496
I like the sound better than the ad20 - ps2 combo
Even with it truncating from 24- to 16-bits? The truncation alone would keep me away from the Mic2496.
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Core sounds MIC 2496
I like the sound better than the ad20 - ps2 combo
Even with it truncating from 24- to 16-bits? The truncation alone would keep me away from the Mic2496.
yep
I guess I'm not a purist. Sounds good to me and eases my crotch while stealthing. Whats truncating all about anyway?
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Sounds good to me and eases my crotch while stealthing.
As long as you dig it, that's what counts.
Whats truncating all about anyway?
First, check out this Archive thread re AD/DA (http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=1167.0) to understand bit-depth / word length / resolution (referenced as sampling precision in the link) and sampling rate (though you may already know about both, figured it couldn't hurt to include it).
Your Mic2496 is capturing the audio at 24-bit resolution and for the sake of argument, let's just say 44.1kHz sampling rate since it's compatible with DAT/JB3 (we could just as easily say 48kHz for the sampling rate). However, DAT/JB3 are capable of resolving only 16-bit resolution. So, that means the Mic2496 has 8 too many bits for the recording device. What to do with those 8 extra bits? There are two options: dither or truncate.
Check out this Wikipedia blurb on dither and truncation (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dither). The key section is Dither In Digital Audio.
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Thanks for the interesting reading. I haven't noticed the distorition the blurb mentioned. Maybe I should throw a couple of songs up on BT for samples.
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I put up four songs at DIME (http://www.dimeadozen.org/torrents-details.php?id=38330) listen to them and let me know what you think. I'd really appreciate the input. As stated on the torrent the Tesla songs sound like they skip, it was a bad battery pack wire. Thanks
Matt
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It is My understanding that the mic24/96 has dip swithes inside to change the bit rate to 16 and the word length to 44 or 48k.......................check out coresounds info on it...........................
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this is back up, the wife shut it down on me last night
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It is My understanding that the mic24/96 has dip swithes inside to change the bit rate to 16 and the word length to 44 or 48k.......................check out coresounds info on it...........................
Per the C-S specs referenced earlier in the thread, the Mic2496 is strictly 24-bit, no option to output 16-bit. Sample rate (44.1k, 48k, etc.) is selectable via internal jumpers.
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What about the JK Labs PP9-Pre? I believe he only wanted $350 for one and it has everything you're looking for in a very stealthy box and it can be totally customized to your needs. The catch though....is he even accepting orders currently?
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What about the JK Labs PP9-Pre? I believe he only wanted $350 for one and it has everything you're looking for in a very stealthy box and it can be totally customized to your needs. The catch though....is he even accepting orders currently?
Funny you mention this. When this thread was active and getting started he PM'ed me about this and I replied asking for a price but he never got back to me.