Topic: Returning to Taping: DPA MMA-A > iPhone > Then what?

[detroit lightning]

Thanks for that. I've been interested in following up with you about your thoughts on 606x ever since you posted about going that route. Your comment confirms my initial assumption, but I didn't really have anything to base that on other than speculation until reading this.


..And my apologies to the OP for going OT with the discussion of alternates to MMA-A.

Yeah, I never got too scientific with the comparison - but my high level view was ultimately that I preferred the 4 series sound more than the 6, although it was pretty close / potentially dependent on the circumstances of the recording.

The size of the 6s was pretty mind blowing, but like I said earlier…for our purposes it wasn’t really necessary.

[aaronji]

I hope an update to the MMA-A will come along.

While I have zero evidence, I suspect that they will come out with a new model. The writing was on the wall as far as Apple's transition to USB-C, so I would guess they might do a re-design around that. I think the MMA-A sold pretty well and DPA must see the value in expanding their market beyond iPhones. Pure conjecture, though.

[WiFiJeff]

  I vaguely recall that you could replace the included MMA-A USB micro to USB A cable with no problem, so I think this is an Apple thing.

Just tested this out with my android LG phone, any old micro USB (that fits into the MMA-A enclosure) to USB C cable works fine, using USB Audio Recorder Pro I can record at 24/96.  But without the MMA-A app (iPhone only) you can't reset levels on the MMA-A, you have to use an iPhone to lock the levels you want first.  I haven't played around with this ever.  By the way, this summer's update of USB Audio Recorder Pro lets it record 32 bit float, if your device outputs that (hint to DPA?).

Jeff

[Scooter123]

I would love an Apple App that records at 24 bit with four channels, so I can record an audience with either an ALD or and IEM and have them synched.  Is that possible?  Bonus for an interface with an Apple Watch to start the recording and change levels. 

[Gutbucket]

Possible, yes quite. Hopeful, check. Its the additional channels that I is the most wishful part.

How would I redesign it?  DPA, are you lurking?

1) Arrange the inputs parallel to each other rather than radial (simple).
2) Two USB-C ports.  The second used for battery input..
3) ..and for chaining multiple units together for additional channels, 2 channels each unit. Stack them. Battery input to the last unit in the chain.
^^^ This, this, this!

That's it.

Ok, might as well add a few nice to have but not really necessary things:
5) Locking stereo mini-plug TRS input as alternate input option in addition to 2X microdot.
6) 32 bit float.

[jbell]

It would be nice if they did a new MMA that could be used with a phone or small recorder.

[Scooter123]

The SonoSax has XLR inputs, which is way to big for stealthing, at least in my experience.  Something along the lines of the Baby NBox is way smaller. 

[rocksuitcase]

The SonoSax has XLR inputs, which is way to big for stealthing, at least in my experience.  Something along the lines of the Baby NBox is way smaller.

mini XLR (TA3)    https://sonosax.ch/product/sx-m2d2/

Inputs / Outputs

    2x mic/line inputs on TA3, electronically balanced, with phase reversal, 48V phantom, LF cut and level control
    1x AES3/AES42 on TA3, transformer balanced input with phase reversal and level control
    1x line output on TA3, 2 channels analog unbalanced
    1x AES3 output on TA3, 2 channels transformer balanced with ASRC (48/96/192k)
    1x USB audio 2 channels input/output on micro USB type C connector
    independent line/headphones stereo output on mini-jack
   

[breakonthru]

Seconded for MEta Recorder. kindms uses it for live recording and I have it as an app on my phone so we can share raw files.

Scooter: yes, you need a pre-amp or the type of mics Gut is speaking of to go into an iPhone. kindms is using a Sonasax M2D2 which is also very small and makes for a REAL small rig. (so he goes: mics > sonasax > iPhone}|metarecorder)

1. when you mean sharing, do yo umean like airdropping?
2. as far as feeding other mics into a d:vice, if its anything that needs a special power supply like schoeps etc its kind of overkill (and expensive), vs a cheaper, smaller, more battery efficient, more reliable A10. the sax obviously has phantom and 5V PIP and thus can power basically anything with the right mic bodies (real phantom). but any of the active boxes like nbox/tinybox etc, d:vice cant do that (elegantly)

[Gutbucket]

Although I don't mean to speak for Rocksuitcase, pretty sure he means the ability to use the raw files that were recorded to one phone on another without requiring conversion. The method of transfer between the phones is irrelevant.

2. as far as feeding other mics into a d:vice, if its anything that needs a special power supply like schoeps etc its kind of overkill (and expensive), vs a cheaper, smaller, more battery efficient, more reliable A10. the sax obviously has phantom and 5V PIP and thus can power basically anything with the right mic bodies (real phantom). but any of the active boxes like nbox/tinybox etc, d:vice cant do that (elegantly)

That's very much an apples and oranges comparison, and incorrect or irrelevant in a number of ways.

First we should clarify what is meant by "active".  The only boxes that quality as being "active" in the way that term is used by Schoeps and around TS, are those which supply high-voltage to externally polarized microphone capsules, eliminating the microphone amplifier bodies.  Those include: nbox, baby nbox and tinybox (depending on configuration), maybe some other Naiant devices, and certain Schoeps preamps that I'm only vaguely familiar with and aren't really relevant here.  All of these are "active" solutions which do not require any power being supplied from the recorder. (FYI- depending on configuration, Naiant PFA can also be an "active" solution which eliminates the microphone amplifier bodies, yet requires phantom power from the recorder, making it irrelevant to this discussion)

The others, including MMA-A, are not "active" in the same sense, as they are incapable of powering externally polarized capsules, including Schoeps. MMA-A is not "overkill" for Schoeps mics, it is a "no kill" - it will not work at all because it is unable to power them.

MMA-A can, however, provide a very similar solution to "active" boxes for tapers using standard interchangeable DPA capsules. This is because all DPA capsules are pre-polarized and do not require any external polarization supply.  This requires a special DPA amplifier/cable that looks similar to, and essentially serves a similar practical role as an "active cable".
^
That's not the typical use of MMA-A though.  Most folks will be using DPA miniature microphones connected directly to the MMA-A.

The M2D2 is an entirely different animal.  Its a full featured external preamp/ADC, for use with complete microphones.  It is not "active" in that it is unable to provide polarizing voltage directly to capsules. Yes, you could plug a pair of PFAs configured to power an "active" microphone setup in to it, but that's not relevant to this discussion.

[Gutbucket]

Probably better to frame it differently-

One category is recording to a phone. This requires USB or Lightning output.  Examples: MMA-A, M2D2, SO-SAPM-1, Smart V2M

An separate category is active powering of microphone capsules. Examples: NBox, Baby Nbox, Tinybox.

There is no preamp of which I'm aware that fits both of these categories without additional gear. MMA-A + non-miniature DPA caps achieves this in a practical sense, but is constrained to using the new modular DPA mics and is not technically "active".  M2D2 can do it with the addition of appropriately configured PFAs but gets bulky and includes significant metal stuff.

[Gutbucket]

The tl:dr-
Currently, stealth recording to a phone requires microphones that operate from a low, PIP-like, voltage unless using DPA mics.  Stealth recording using externally polarized microphone caps requires an analog input recorder. 

[kindms]

The SonoSax has XLR inputs, which is way to big for stealthing, at least in my experience.  Something along the lines of the Baby NBox is way smaller.

the m2d2 is about the size of a pack of smokes

[jefflester]

The SonoSax has XLR inputs, which is way to big for stealthing, at least in my experience.  Something along the lines of the Baby NBox is way smaller.

the m2d2 is about the size of a pack of smokes

A little bigger than that, though still quite compact.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=en_bYgF1pTs

[WiFiJeff]

the m2d2 is about the size of a pack of smokes

Well, only if you smoke lead cigarillos.  It's pretty solid, plus you will need a couple of TA3-F to XLR3-F cables for most normal phantom powered mics.  I've worn it to feed an iPhone, but it's pretty massy and only for places with zero security.