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Gear / Technical Help => Ask The Tapers => Topic started by: MPemulis on April 28, 2026, 01:09:03 PM
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I searched this up, but couldn't really piece together/grok the answer. I think it's both too basic to be explained somewhere (as everyone else just basically understands it) and too specific to be outlined clearly enough for me to be able to get it haha.
I have Schoeps MK4 caps, which I power with some nbob active cables and an nbox platinum pre.
I came across some CMC1U schoeps "amplifiers," and have a hard time understanding exactly what that part of the Collette system does. Does it simply supply power to the caps? Or does it do any processing of the audio? How does the CMC1U interact with the preamp (currently a platinum nbox) sound wise? Does it basically do the same thing that the active cables do? (e.g. provide power to the caps?)
So if I were to add the CMC1U, it would allow me to run a regular xlr cable from my chosen preamp (with phantom power) to the mics, instead of using the active cable, correct?
Is there any sonic benefit to running the CMC1U with the Mk4s over using the active cable solution? Or are they pretty much the same sonically, just different ways to provide power?
Any help appreciated in advance.
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They serve the same purpose. To my ears the various aftermarket options don’t sound as good as the official ones do, but the trade offs might be worth it.
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much obliged, thanks for confirming grawk!
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So if I were to add the CMC1U, it would allow me to run a regular xlr cable from my chosen preamp (with phantom power) to the mics, instead of using the active cable, correct?
That's it, functionally. CMC1U = modern microphone amplifier body made small, returned to its traditional place at the capsule end of the signal chain. It's small size approaches but is not quite as small/compact as an active cable setup, but allows for a non-proprietary system past the standard-size XLR connector at the microphone end of things.
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appreciate it GB!
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... To my ears the various aftermarket options don’t sound as good as the official ones do, but the trade offs might be worth it.
I second this comment. My nbob's are great for stealthing.
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... To my ears the various aftermarket options don’t sound as good as the official ones do, but the trade offs might be worth it.
I second this comment. My nbob's are great for stealthing.
I agree. I ran nbobs/baby nbox and nbobs/riot-box for a while. But the schoeps cmbi sounds much better.
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love anytime I see a reference to Michael Pemulis
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... To my ears the various aftermarket options don’t sound as good as the official ones do, but the trade offs might be worth it.
I second this comment. My nbob's are great for stealthing.
I agree. I ran nbobs/baby nbox and nbobs/riot-box for a while. But the schoeps cmbi sounds much better.
That's good to know and makes sense since my CMC based rig sounds better than my stealth rig. FWIW, I do think my nbob > riotbox combo is a sound improvement on the various nbox options...better balance in the low end.
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^ It would be interesting to compare a Riotbox to a Tinybox.
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^ It would be interesting to compare a Riotbox to a Tinybox.
Well, my buddy owns my old Tinybox configured to Schoeps nbobs. Also have a Riotbox configured for nbobs. Might be worth trying to do this at some point in the future.
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To my ears the various aftermarket options don’t sound as good as the official ones do, but the trade offs might be worth it.
I'd bet that no-one would be able to correctly identify a mkx> nbob vs mkx> cmc1 in statistically meaningful way in a double blind test.
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To my ears the various aftermarket options don’t sound as good as the official ones do, but the trade offs might be worth it.
I'd bet that no-one would be able to correctly identify a mkx> nbob vs mkx> cmc1 in statistically meaningful way in a double blind test.
ok
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To my ears the various aftermarket options don’t sound as good as the official ones do, but the trade offs might be worth it.
I'd bet that no-one would be able to correctly identify a mkx> nbob vs mkx> cmc1 in statistically meaningful way in a double blind test.
Agreed, but I'd be interested in someone testing it out.
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^ It would be interesting to compare a Riotbox to a Tinybox.
Well, my buddy owns my old Tinybox configured to Schoeps nbobs. Also have a Riotbox configured for nbobs. Might be worth trying to do this at some point in the future.
Gordon did this with Gefell caps! Tested Nbobs against the new 400 bodies. It was extremely hard to tell a difference. It's not a few thousand dollar difference.
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+T to Gordon.
I'm not speculating on this one. But I bet most agree the microphone capsule is the part that matters most. My overarching view is that the most difficult, challenging and rewarding things to get right are those which involve conversion from one medium to another. As applied to an audio recording and reproduction chain, the hardest parts to get right are the transducers at both ends along with any conversions made by the transmission/storage-medium in between. Manipulations within a single medium might still be challenging but are easier. Electrical aspects such as buffering, amplification, impedance balancing, filtering, etc. all lie within the electrical domain.
The first line of my TS post signature reflects those critical conversions between different domains. Here's the core of it expanded, excluding the most critical performance/experiential parts at either end!
Microphone capsule converts variations of sound pressure to variations of voltage.
ADC converts voltages to numbers.
/Tape head converts voltages to magnetic flux.
/Cutter converts voltages to a squiggly engraving.
/Radio transmitter converts voltages into radio waves.
DAC converts numbers back to voltages.
/Tape head converts varying magnetic flux back to voltages.
/Cartridge converts squiggly engraving to voltages.
/Radio receiver converts radio waves into voltages.
Speaker drivers convert voltages into variations of sound pressure.
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^ It would be interesting to compare a Riotbox to a Tinybox.
Well, my buddy owns my old Tinybox configured to Schoeps nbobs. Also have a Riotbox configured for nbobs. Might be worth trying to do this at some point in the future.
Gordon did this with Gefell caps! Tested Nbobs against the new 400 bodies. It was extremely hard to tell a difference. It's not a few thousand dollar difference.
If you're talking just active cables vs bodies, then yeah. But in the earlier discussion some of us were also including preamps in the discussion...nbox vs riotbox vs tinybox.
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It’s all still just audio pathways. So the comparisons are always apples to apples. Especially if the capsule remains the same.
I’ve tried baby nbox, pfas, and riotbox. I ended up going with cmc6s and cmc1ls because I could tell a difference with the material I was recording.
But like I said, there are tradeoffs.
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Same. And the difference wasn't subtle.
I liked the baby nbox the least.
Then Riotbox and then CMBI.
The CMBI smoked them all to be honest, but it's a bit more tricky to stealth maybe.
If I'd to buy new i'd go for cmc1l as well.
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When you guys tested the difference between the options did you do so knowing which was which? If so, psychology is likely as much a factor as auditory perception.
Lots of people claim, for example, to be able to hear massive differences between digital and power cables. Which don't exist.
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I've listen to them blind with samples only identified as A & B. You had to follow up after you made your choice.
The sound was close but the mic amp won over the PFA.
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I've listen to them blind with samples only identified as A & B. You had to follow up after you made your choice.
The sound was close but the mic amp won over the PFA.
This strikes me as eminently reasonable.
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It’s all still just audio pathways. So the comparisons are always apples to apples. Especially if the capsule remains the same.
I’ve tried baby nbox, pfas, and riotbox. I ended up going with cmc6s and cmc1ls because I could tell a difference with the material I was recording.
But like I said, there are tradeoffs.
Between the PFA and the Riotbox, which ranks higher? How much and noticeable is that difference?
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My personal ranking is cmc1>riotbox>pfa>baby nbox.
That said whatever floats your boat and gets you out there recording. We’re a dying breed. Do what keeps you excited.
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I rarely use PFAs because I have too many better options
I have had noise issues with them when handling which is rare, but has happened
the Baby NBox does not have as much lower end response as the RiotBox
which is up there with the Platinum NBox
the cmc1u and Ls are the smoothest
I owned cmc1Ks and sold them because NBobs were easier for me to handle
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That said whatever floats your boat and gets you out there recording. We’re a dying breed. Do what keeps you excited.
I agree!
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I rarely use PFAs because I have too many better options
I have had noise issues with them when handling which is rare, but has happened
the Baby NBox does not have as much lower end response as the RiotBox
which is up there with the Platinum NBox
the cmc1u and Ls are the smoothest
I owned cmc1Ks and sold them because NBobs were easier for me to handle
This is why I like the Schoeps KCY setup! It is super taper friendly. One cable makes setup and breakdown really quick and it's a really small footprint. I've run lots of mics over the years and I feel Schoeps KCY is one of the best mic setups for what we do.
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PFA's r for back up IMO. To each there own. U r the only one who truly needs to like their own recordings