Pre-amp Comp: Sound Devices USBPre 2 and Sonosax SX-M2

[page]

What I hear in the sample using the USBPre's A/D is almost the same sound the 7xx boxes have.I don't hear a loss of detail, and the sound stage seems wider and deeper with the Edirol A/D to me. All things being otherwise nearly equal, the sax is still a little sweeter sounding overall to my ears. But, I don't think combo boxes like the USBPre or the V3 used as preamps only stack up against preamp only boxes like the V2 and Sax anyway, to be fair. If I was going to get a preamp today, it would be a Sax.

fair enough. I'm partial to the SD ADC stage; I picked it out of the ADC comps done against the Sony D50 and Oade ACM V3. Personal preference, especially in the V3 attempt.

[Todd R]

I don't think combo boxes like the USBPre or the V3 used as preamps only stack up against preamp only boxes like the V2 and Sax anyway, to be fair.

Ok, threadjack I guess (especially since I haven't listened to the comps):

I can't comment on the USBPre since I haven't really listened much to one, but I'm curious about your V3 vs V2 comment.  I can see how the V3 A/D might not be worth it to some (many?) or that it was an add-on to what is essentially a preamp, but why do you think the V3 doesn't stack up to the V2 as a preamp?

Mike Grace said they are essentially the same thing as a preamp (other than one is surface mount vs thru-hole, and use slightly different Burr Brown instrumentation amps since the earlier one had been discontinued I believe before the V3 came out).

Other than those changes and some changes to the gain structure, I thought the V2 and V3 were pretty much the same preamp.

[datbrad]

I hear you, and know they are supposed to be the same, but I swear I hear a difference between the V2 and V3 as a pre-only.

[Todd R]

Oh, I can totally understand that -- change things just a little bit and you can change the sound.

I've run a V3 for years, but have only run a V2 a couple of times, so I can't really comment on whether they have a different sound. I just don't think it wa any conscious decision by Grace to lessen the quality of the V3's preamp section to make room costwise to add an A/D section. I think it was just the reality of needing to move manufacturing towards surface mount (which by the way should reduce stray board capacitances and actually improve the sound, if anything) and need to move to a new inamp since the original was discontinued.