Topic: DPA MMA6000 preamp

[WiFiJeff]

For the past six months I have been using the DPA MMA6000 preamp that came out last summer.  I am using the DPA4060 mics, and am very happy with the sound I am getting.  But the spec sheet from DPA is pretty sketchy, I wonder if anyone knows of any tests or reviews of this preamp, or any comparisons with other alternatives.  I have not found anything much around about it.

Jeff

[KingReptile]

I have run the MMA 6000 for a few months,for the price i dont think any other preamp can touch it..I can bury my levels ,clip all night and have no distortion..

[pjdavep]

I just picked up one of these things to run in front of my Microtrack.  It's a little bigger than I expected, but then again the MPS battery boxes from DPA are about 5 times the size they need to be

Has anyone opened one up?  It's not too obvious to me, but I'm assuming that the little round caps on the end are covering up screws.  Before I scratch the heck out of them trying to open it, is there any other way to open it?  I want to check out the internals and maybe swap out some capacitors.  Also I may want to modify the bass cut circuitry so that the bass cut is less severe.

Lastly, do these things set off metal detectors?  It appears that the entire body is one machined piece of aluminum.

Thanks,
   pjdavep

[KingReptile]

I just picked up one of these things to run in front of my Microtrack.  It's a little bigger than I expected, but then again the MPS battery boxes from DPA are about 5 times the size they need to be

Has anyone opened one up?  It's not too obvious to me, but I'm assuming that the little round caps on the end are covering up screws.  Before I scratch the heck out of them trying to open it, is there any other way to open it?  I want to check out the internals and maybe swap out some capacitors.  Also I may want to modify the bass cut circuitry so that the bass cut is less severe.

Lastly, do these things set off metal detectors?  It appears that the entire body is one machined piece of aluminum.

Thanks,
   pjdavep

Dave,

I have been wanded twice with the MMA 6000 and havent had a pb..Real Anal Venues house of blues maybe a pb ,get a WWF belt buckle and be a red neck for a night..Those caps i believe cover the screws...Also in case you didnt know that clip is removable

[madman]

Dave,

I have been wanded twice with the MMA 6000 and havent had a pb..Real Anal Venues house of blues maybe a pb ,get a WWF belt buckle and be a red neck for a night..Those caps i believe cover the screws...Also in case you didnt know that clip is removable

I'm lucky to get my cell phone into a House of Blues show

[madman]

I just picked up one of these things to run in front of my Microtrack.  It's a little bigger than I expected, but then again the MPS battery boxes from DPA are about 5 times the size they need to be

They have to justify $5 worth of parts being sold for $150 somehow!

[pjdavep]

OK, I opened her up last night and gotta say that the thing is pretty tight.  It looks like a pretty well designed piece of equipment IMO.  It may have been able to be made a *little* smaller, but not by much.  The most replaceable capacitors are two Elna 22uf 63v caps, which I think I'll just leave as is.  I didn't take it apart enough to find the lo-cut circuitry, so I may have to do it again to identify the parts in that area.  I guess I should use the thing first, before going any further

Later,
  pjdavep

[grider]

I just picked up one of these units a month ago, and I love it, its solid and well constructed and sounds pretty good from the very limited use I have given it, but my two complaints about the unit are:  (1) the variable gain with preadjusted settings, which make it impossible to smoothly add gain when first recording at a show and adjusting the levels, which really sucks in my opinion and (2) (as another taper pointed out to me and which I actually suggested to DPA myself, which went unresponded) was the addition of right angled connectors from the 4060/1/2 active cables to the unit itself, somehow, since now they just just straight out of the unit and can easily be bumped or broken off, other than that I'm a satisfied mma6000 owner

[pjdavep]

...and (2) (as another taper pointed out to me and which I actually suggested to DPA myself, which went unresponded) was the addition of right angled connectors from the 4060/1/2 active cables to the unit itself, somehow, since now they just just straight out of the unit and can easily be bumped or broken off, other than that I'm a satisfied mma6000 owner

That's how my original microdots became faulty.  It's like three inches of clearance is needed!

I suggested to Joan at DPA (in the customer service dept) that they carry either right angle adapters or provide some kind of option for right angle microdots and she said she'd pass my suggestion on to R&D.  I know that Tyco (the company that makes Microdots) does indeed manufacture right angled connectors, it's just a matter of DPA recognizing the issues that a straight connector can cause.

Later,
   pjdavep

[grider]

...and (2) (as another taper pointed out to me and which I actually suggested to DPA myself, which went unresponded) was the addition of right angled connectors from the 4060/1/2 active cables to the unit itself, somehow, since now they just just straight out of the unit and can easily be bumped or broken off, other than that I'm a satisfied mma6000 owner

That's how my original microdots became faulty.  It's like three inches of clearance is needed!

I suggested to Joan at DPA (in the customer service dept) that they carry either right angle adapters or provide some kind of option for right angle microdots and she said she'd pass my suggestion on to R&D.  I know that Tyco (the company that makes Microdots) does indeed manufacture right angled connectors, it's just a matter of DPA recognizing the issues that a straight connector can cause.

Later,
   pjdavep

fwiw, I suggested the right-angle connectors directly to Bruce, the President of DPA America, during an exchange of emails between us regarding another DPA mic issue, and it was very politely and carefully worded in a suggestion sort of way, but it went completely unacknowledged by him, crazy that we would have to post-market mod their units so their equipment would not get damaged during regular field use, yet true; come to think of it a right-angle mini to mini cable especially for the back of the unit would be swank, I bought the DPA cable for $70 bucks and that thing sticks out of the back of the preamp a full two inches or so which is absurd, anyone know of another cable out there with a right-angle connector I could use instead?

[pjdavep]

think of it a right-angle mini to mini cable especially for the back of the unit would be swank, I bought the DPA cable for $70 bucks and that thing sticks out of the back of the preamp a full two inches or so which is absurd, anyone know of another cable out there with a right-angle connector I could use instead?

..a little off topic, but what the heck..

I have used two right angle mini>mini cables that I highly recommend.  Leonard at Sonic Studios makes a good quality one using Belden cable, and Cardas makes both a 6 inch and 12 inch long mini to mini (named HPI - search Audiogon).  Both are pricey for what they are, but I've been real happy with 'em.

Your best bet would probably be to make your own.  Neutrik makes a gold mini plug which detaches from it's shell and you can use epoxy to create the plug's shell using any shape/angle you want.

Later,
   pjdavep

Edit - I see Moke just posted some pics of Leonards cable - thanks!

[desertsky]

Just got my new MMA6000 a couple days ago.  Now just waiting for my DPA 4061's to return from DPA (getting microdots installed).   The first two shows I'll be recording with my new gear will be U2 in Vegas next weekend at the MGM Grand.  The MGM Grand arena does metal detector walkthroughs.  Does anyone know if the MMA6000 has enough metal in it to set off a metal detector?  That's the only piece of equipment I'm concerned about getting through security.  The 4061's and Microtrack won't be a problem.

[KingReptile]

Just got my new MMA6000 a couple days ago.  Now just waiting for my DPA 4061's to return from DPA (getting microdots installed).   The first two shows I'll be recording with my new gear will be U2 in Vegas next weekend at the MGM Grand.  The MGM Grand arena does metal detector walkthroughs.  Does anyone know if the MMA6000 has enough metal in it to set off a metal detector?  That's the only piece of equipment I'm concerned about getting through security.  The 4061's and Microtrack won't be a problem.

Wear a belt buckle , I havent had any problems with it myself..Enjoy the MMA 6000 nice piece you got there..

[Evil Taper]

I'm curious if there's actually any change in the sonic qualities of 4060/4061 when used with this pre versus a 9v batt box option.  I know King Reptile has fluffed the shit outta this pre and someone else had claimed that it makes the mics have more of a direct sound to them vs the sometimes airy feel they can produce.  I guess I'm just not sure why to spend another $500 to power mics that work great via a $70 powering option.  My Oade +6db R1 is very capable of pulling full resolution recordings without an outboard pre in the chain, so should I even be considering this?

[bagtagsell]

Evil,
I had the same dilema.  But I just can't justify the extra money.  For me it was the 150 to DPA on top of the money for the mma6000