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Gear / Technical Help => Ask The Tapers => Topic started by: bodegahwy on December 25, 2004, 12:08:21 PM
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Hi everybody,
1st, thanks so much for the help yesterday with my questions. I think I am on my way to a JB3 /docking station.
My new question: If you wanted the flexibility of going to 4 mics, is there a version of the UA-5 that is portable (battery powered), allows direct input to the recorder like the digimod UA-5 and can power and mix 4 mics?
Thanks,
Steve
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yup...the UA-5!
UA-5 has 2 RCA inputs in the back so with the right combination of cables and attenuators you can run 2 mics into the back, and 2 into the front (granted you'll need headphones to mix them)
alternatively you could look into a small mixer (i think samson mixpad 4 would do the trick here) and then run that into the UA-5 for ADC and then into your JB3.
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yup...the UA-5!
Well, not quite.
is there a version of the UA-5 that is...
...portable (battery powered)
Yes, the digi-mod UA-5.
allows direct input to the recorder like the digimod UA-5
Yes, the digi-mod UA-5.
can power [4 mics]?
No. The UA-5 - in any of its flavors : digi-mod, warm/presence/transparent mods - only powers 2 mics through the front XLR jacks. The RCA inputs on the back of the unit do not provide power to the mics.
and mix 4 mics
Yes, the digi-mod UA-5. As above, 2 mics through the front XLRs, 2 mics through the rear RCAs. Again, note the rear RCAs do not provide power to the mics.
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In addition to the RCA inputs on the back only accepting line level signals, there is only a single gain controlling the RCA inputs on the back of the UA5. So be sure you have some way to adjust levels seperately from the UA5, if you have to, before going into the RCAs on the back. Does that make any sense?
I've only tried to mix four mics with the UA5, and did not really care for the way the combination sounded. I was using MC012s and SoundPro SP-CMC-4s. I normally use the rear inputs for sounboard feeds, then use the XLR inputs on the front of the unit for using my powered MC012s. This is a fantastic solution for my needs. (Samples (http://www.scubajeremy.net/StellarRoad/StellarRoad2004-08-13))
As has been stated before, just make sure that you're using a DigiMod UA5. Otherwise the digital SPDIF output will not be active, and your JB3 will not record anything.
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Thanks again for all the input. The four mic thing is not high on my requirements list, but it is noce that it can be done. Sound like the way to do it right is to get a powered multi channel mixer and go into the RCAs with the mix the way you want it.
Another question I posted to the Preamp mixer forum... any links to compare the UA-5 with the W/mod version would be appreciated. I found the Oade dmeos, but they do not include the unmodded version.
Thanks again for all the help.