Taperssection.com
Gear / Technical Help => Battery Boxes, Preamps, Mixers, ADCs, and Processors => Topic started by: EA on September 18, 2003, 09:34:51 PM
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Seems like we hear about pretty much the same pre's and ad's all the time. I'm just curious if anyone's running some unconventional stuff and opinions on them.
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I dunno, moke...compared to toting around a dummy head, a D5m as a pre is pretty tame. ;)
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I've built several of my own pre-amps. Mike Grace lived in Colorado Springs when I first started taping. He helped me design several pre-amps over the years. The early ones I made were based on TL072 and TL082 op-amps. The one I use now is based on the NE5532 op-amp. I want to build a new one with one of the newer chips. I just need the time to do it.
Does anyone else make their own?
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Mike - the d5 has a great pre, I've seen it used as an outboard pre into a dat deck a few times.. nice improvisation!
Calico - I'm not an EE but there are a few engineer tapers here in denver (e-scott, richard campbell and todd ramsden specifically) and I've been trying to get them to build a preamp for a while now...
I'd love to see/hear your custom box. I wish that I had the skill set to pull it off myself! +T
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my pre is French... that's weird enough for me
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how hard is it to make a pre? I've always been interested in making my own. Any websites or books that explain the process?
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how hard is it to make a pre? I've always been interested in making my own. Any websites or books that explain the process?
id also be interested in some info!
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I would like to get some info also. I've been searching the net for quite some time (even right now as I type) trying to gather schematics and info on building a preamp. I've seen a lot of stuff but not real sure what's high-quality and what is not.
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i'd be very interested in seeing some schematics for a billbox/jk labs/nbox for neumann caps. i'm no electrical engineer but if i had some very detailed instructions i'd give it a shot.
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Can anyone just give an overview of what is needed to make one, Not necessarily a schematic, just the basic components used. It could be a fun project.
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Mike - the d5 has a great pre, I've seen it used as an outboard pre into a dat deck a few times.. nice improvisation!
Calico - I'm not an EE but there are a few engineer tapers here in denver (e-scott, richard campbell and todd ramsden specifically) and I've been trying to get them to build a preamp for a while now...
I'd love to see/hear your custom box. I wish that I had the skill set to pull it off myself! +T
I'd really like to get together with some electrical engineer types myself. I'm not an engineer, just a tinkerer, but I do have a basic understanding of electrical circuitry. I'm also in Colorado.
I'd be happy to share circuit designs. The microphone pre-amps I have made are all difference circuits based on op-amps. Pretty simple, just requiring an op-amp, some resistors and some capacitors, a project board, solder and wire. The hardest part is building it all into a metal box and keeping everything neat and clean.
I'd like to hear from more people who have done this. I know there have to be some great "homebrew" boxes out there.
It's funny, because I agree with EA, the starter of this thread, there are only a handfull of pre-amps we always see as sources. If you don't see V2/V3, Mini-me, Sonosax, mod-UA-5 etc... in the source you tend to assume it's not a high quality recording.
As I am going to try the Oktava MC012 mod next:
http://www.taperssection.com/yabbse/index.php?board=3;action=display;threadid=6603
it'll be a while before I get around to building a new pre-amp, but I'd be happy to share my experiences and suggestions with anyone who is interested in tackling a pre-amp project.
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I'd be interested in learning some of the theory behind all this, I only remember a little bit from my amateur radio licensing test 6 years ago. I'd love to build a JK-labs type box for my AKG's!
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That's right... you're down near the springs aren't you? I'll be seeing Todd, Richard and Eric all within the next 24hours and I'll mention this to them. I'll get em good and drunk and convince them that building our own pre is the way to go :D
talk with you soon...
Mike - the d5 has a great pre, I've seen it used as an outboard pre into a dat deck a few times.. nice improvisation!
Calico - I'm not an EE but there are a few engineer tapers here in denver (e-scott, richard campbell and todd ramsden specifically) and I've been trying to get them to build a preamp for a while now...
I'd love to see/hear your custom box. I wish that I had the skill set to pull it off myself! +T
I'd really like to get together with some electrical engineer types myself. I'm not an engineer, just a tinkerer, but I do have a basic understanding of electrical circuitry. I'm also in Colorado.
I'd be happy to share circuit designs. The microphone pre-amps I have made are all difference circuits based on op-amps. Pretty simple, just requiring an op-amp, some resistors and some capacitors, a project board, solder and wire. The hardest part is building it all into a metal box and keeping everything neat and clean.
I'd like to hear from more people who have done this. I know there have to be some great "homebrew" boxes out there.
It's funny, because I agree with EA, the starter of this thread, there are only a handfull of pre-amps we always see as sources. If you don't see V2/V3, Mini-me, Sonosax, mod-UA-5 etc... in the source you tend to assume it's not a high quality recording.
As I am going to try the Oktava MC012 mod next:
http://www.taperssection.com/yabbse/index.php?board=3;action=display;threadid=6603
it'll be a while before I get around to building a new pre-amp, but I'd be happy to share my experiences and suggestions with anyone who is interested in tackling a pre-amp project.
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Check this link out....
http://www.epanorama.net/links/audiocircuits.html#micamp
Looks like a host of DIY projects could surface...
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Greetings all,
Been lurking around these parts for a little bit and decided to throw my $.02 in on this thread.
When I was ready to buy a pre. I wanted to get something that not everyone was running. After doing some searching I came across the RNP (Really Nice Pre.) from FMR Audio. After reading some good reviews from studio/industry folks I decided to pick one up. I checked with Mark,the guy who makes them, to make sure it could run off DC and he said AC or DC 12V works. I ran it for about 6 months. Great sounding, extremely transparent!! I wouldn't hesitate to put this up against the ULN-2 or a Lunatec in terms of pres. It did however, have this problem with the warning and clipping lights on the front that I had heard about, whereas the lights would flicker or not work at all. Another thing was the fact that I was running it with Earthworks which are really transparent in their own right. So I returned it to FMR with no questions asked and got a full refund. Customer service was superb!! I now run a Aerco MP-2 for a little more color to my mics, but if I was running mics that were already warm, the RNP would've been a great match. If anyone has any questions about my experiences with the RNP please feel free to contact me. Take it easy. - Matt
mattandfelina@yahoo.com
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the RNP has a pretty good rep in the industrty for sure. Didn't know they could run off of dc pwoer, thanks for the heads up.. +T
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It was the tune I was listening to when I made up my first username for another board, and it kind of stuck for every other username I've had to make up. Kind of confuses people though when they find out my name aint Thom but Matt.
Glad to be here.
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V3 :D
jr
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didnt read the thread, but back in 96-98 we used to use a Marantz pmd430 as a PreAmp into a SBM-1...the sound with 480's was so warm....might have to try that rig again with some other mics!
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I would really like to hear a tape or some opinions on this RNP unit. I read all the reviews and I would say they were very, very favorable and often compared the unit to grace's stuff!
daryan
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i suppose I can plug mic-in on my MD and run off of that pre :wink2:
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I don't know that I would consider the Wendt a weird pre, it simply isn't used in the taper's circle all that much, but both my former Wendt X2 and now Wendt X4 are workhorses that I won't get rid of any time soon (at least the X4, as I've already sold the x2).
There are a lot of other ENG mixers/pre's (Filmtech, Sonosax, Cooper) that aren't used much in the taper's world, but are used by the film audio engineers all the time and in most cases these are very transparent.
Wayne