Hey everyone:
I've read a few threads on here and have searched for some others but am trying to find a definitive resolve for my gear. I've had a few conversations with a few people about this but would like to figure out what my best solution is and why. Here's what I've got:
Deck: Sony PCM-M10
Power: Church Audio ST-9100 Preamp v4.4, Church Audio Ugly Battery Box
Mics: DPA 4061 (enroute), Church Audio CA-14/o and CA-14/c
Mainly record: amplified rock/pop shows at clubs (300-to-2000 people) and occasionally amphitheatres/arenas. I've noticed, while using the preamp, I normally dial in around 11 o'clock to get my levels to about -12dB (the same result I get with the battery box). There are occasions where I record at music halls a little "quieter" overall or in open situations where the audio is lower (older crowd) and the preamp would be closer to 3 o'clock. I know the internals on the M10 are decent (much better than my old Edirol R09) so if I had to gain up on the deck, it wouldn't be a big deal.
With the DPA 4061's in the mix, I'm tending to just run the CA-Ugly Battery Box and be done with the preamp as I'm finding I don't really need it. aaronji has informed me that the 402x's are phantom powered so I'll need to figure that solution out if I ever made that move.
Thanks everyone.