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Gear / Technical Help => Battery Boxes, Preamps, Mixers, ADCs, and Processors => Topic started by: spcyrfc on November 25, 2008, 03:51:01 PM

Title: Sennheiser MKH8040 > ??? > PCM-d50
Post by: spcyrfc on November 25, 2008, 03:51:01 PM
in the process of switiching things up.

curious if anyone has any suggestions out there.

price range is sub 700 and size matters. (smaller the better).

looking for inputs of all kinds.
thanks
Title: Re: Sennheiser MKH8040 > ??? > PCM-d50
Post by: JasonSobel on November 25, 2008, 08:46:29 PM
how about an aerco pre-amp.  if you have the patience to wait for a new one to be built, that's a nice, small, great sounding pre.  $750 new if I recall correctly.
Title: Re: Sennheiser MKH8040 > ??? > PCM-d50
Post by: jlykos on November 26, 2008, 02:02:06 AM
Sound Devices MP-2 / MixPre should also work.  About $650 new, and maybe $400 used.  You could also probably use a dpa preamp, but I have no experience with that one.
Title: Re: Sennheiser MKH8040 > ??? > PCM-d50
Post by: BC on November 26, 2008, 01:02:33 PM
size matters. (smaller the better).


Sonosax or core sound mic-pre? No personal experience with either of these tho. Aeta PSP 2 or PSP3 also.

Title: Re: Sennheiser MKH8040 > ??? > PCM-d50
Post by: NOLAfishwater on November 26, 2008, 04:59:20 PM
I would go for a transparent preamp b/c the 8040's are colored in my opinion.
Title: Re: Sennheiser MKH8040 > ??? > PCM-d50
Post by: Jamos on November 27, 2008, 05:52:01 AM
I'd also suggest an Aerco.
They are awesome sounding...
and would feed signal to a D-50 perfectly since they have a 1/8" out.

Although a mix-pre would also sound nice, just not as "robust" as the Aerco.
Title: Re: Sennheiser MKH8040 > ??? > PCM-d50
Post by: spcyrfc on November 29, 2008, 02:43:43 AM

Although a mix-pre would also sound nice, just not as "robust" as the Aerco.


does 'robust' mean bass response?  i have listened a bit, but not to anything with 8040's and mp2.. and am having a hard time telling what is colored for a pre and what not.

the mp2 from accounts here seems to be not transparent, but not too colored...
what sort of pre could offer the same form (size) as the mp2 and a more transparent or detailed response?

Title: Re: Sennheiser MKH8040 > ??? > PCM-d50
Post by: Jamos on November 29, 2008, 05:29:21 AM
I guess by "robust", I mean rich, lush, and/or powerful...not just in low-end response, but across the whole spectrum.  In all my listening to Aerco recordings, I always came away with the feeling that they were really detailed, and that they added so much depth to recordings.  While maybe not totally transparent, I think what I just described would complement almost any microphone.

There's an Aerco over in the yard sale right now, BTW.

Best of luck "searching for the sound".
I used to have a Phil Lesh shirt that said that on the back!
Title: Re: Sennheiser MKH8040 > ??? > PCM-d50
Post by: jlykos on November 30, 2008, 11:52:25 AM
what sort of pre could offer the same form (size) as the mp2 and a more transparent or detailed response?

Check out a Sonosax SX-M2.  I don't believe that they are in production any more and finding one used may push you a bit past your $700 limit, but it is definitely more transparent than the MP-2.