Topic: M-Audio DMP-3

[Chuck]

According to Recording Magazine, this unit uses the INA163 op-amp. The same chip used in the V3 and Mini-Me.

http://www.m-audio.net/products/m-audio/dmp3.php

[DaryanLenz]

Still doesdn't mean anything without checking out the rest of it.  The v3 and mme sound nothing alike yet are based on the same pre chip...so Iwould be curious as to what this unit sounds like.  Wondering out loud why two units with the same pre chip sound so different?

daryan

[MattD]

It's all about the circuitry around the preamp and how "clean" the phantom power supply is and how it interacts with the preamp. People who've actually built them are best to talk to about this because there are nuances with every little piece you put in the box.

-Matt

[botz]

Has anyone ever used this?  It's available for under $200.

It can be viewed here:
http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/DMP3-focus.html

[tadjblack]

make sure to check on powering options on maudio products- I know previous owners of the duo had tons of probs powering that thing in the field.

[John Kelly]

It's AC powered, so it does present power issues unless you're close to an outlet.

[robertd]

got to love the old school VU meters though!

[orange]

I know this is an old thread, but no sense in creating another that looks exactly the same...right?

Anyways, looking for a little more info on this. Any way to get this to work in the field -- due to its AC power issues? If not, any suggestions on something similar to this -- around this price range with similar features.

[DSatz]

I've tested a DMP3; it might be the least expensive good stereo mike preamp available (and if not, then that honor would go to the FMR "Real Nice Preamp" in my opinion). It certainly meets my needs as far as input overload margins and phantom powering are concerned, and not very many "prosumer" preamps do so.

I had some email discussions with the designers while it was in development, and I think I made them aware that many modern condenser microphones have higher output levels and need more supply current than the microphones they had been testing with. The predecessor models DMP2 and DMP2 Plus had been deficient in both these areas.

The metering on the front panel is useful when setting up a system with test tones, but it's not peak-responding and it has narrower frequency response than the preamp itself has, so don't rely on it too much.

My one concern is that I don't know how robust the construction is--I once tried to record a concert with a DMP2 which had tested fine at home, but when I arrived at the recording site, one channel was completely out. The DMP3 isn't more solidly built as far as I can see than the DMP2 was.

Also, I believe that there is a "pin 1 problem" as in most equipment of this class; that makes the cable and preamp considerably more vulnerable to RFI than necessary. All in all this isn't a preamp that I take out on recording jobs, but I do have respect for certain important aspects of its design, and I would be very glad if I were to hear that other people are having good results with it.

--best regards

[HarpDoc]

Dsats,

I've got a DMP-2. I never upgraded to the DMP-3 because I thought the only difference was in metering and the addition of a pad (I have to use external pads with the 2). I thought all else was the same. Your post makes it seem otherwise. Can you elaborate on other differences?

As for the original question, never used mine in the field due to it needing AC power. Sounds good in the studio.

[DSatz]

HarpDoc, the DMP3 has a better power supply arrangement for phantom powering, and can properly support a pair of microphones drawing 4 - 5 mA apiece. Thus it can drive any Schoeps or Neumann 48-Volt phantom-powered microphones and many, many others as well. This was not true of the DMP2.

The DMP3 also has "Hi/Lo Gain Range" buttons on the front panel for each channel. When pressed, these put the input circuit into a low gain mode--not by padding the input down, but by increasing the voltage feedback. The headroom of the input circuit is then much higher than that of the DMP2. My notes show that my DMP2 (which was factory modified after I began to report problems) would overload with only 75 mV input. The DMP3 can handle at least 1.5 Volts input, making it effectively unclippable with the microphones I mostly use.

--best regards

[HarpDoc]

DSats,

Thanks for the info. Sounds like an upgrade at some point is warranted.