Topic: New Core Sound Products

[lds490]

I know that there are folks around here that don't like Len or his products.  I like my Core Sound gear, but I am not trying to pimp for Len.  Y'all can make up you own minds.

Anyway, this is from Len's press release:

4Mic is a revolutionary, portable, handheld, battery-powered, four-channel, 24/192 microphone pre-amp/A-D converter.  It offers true 24-bit noise, distortion and crosstalk specifications.  With both coaxial and optical S/PDIF interfaces, it provides four discrete output channels.  It can also multiplex the four microphone channels into two recorder channels, turning a two-channel 24/192 recorder into a four-channel 24/96 recorder.  When paired with Core Sound’s PDAudio handheld portable digital audio recorder, it turns a PDA like HP’s iPAQ or Dell’s Axim into a four-channel, high-resolution digital audio recorder.  And by providing professional-class microphone pre-amps and A-D converters, it turns any two-channel 24/96 recorder with an S/PDIF input into a truly professional, high-resolution four-channel recorder.  It also includes a few important features that allow it to be used for Ambisonics-type surround-sound recordings, creating for the first time the possiblity of a handheld, high-resolution, surround sound recording system.  It is the only handheld, battery-powered microphone pre-amp that can provide a full ten milliamps of 48 Volt phantom power per channel, allowing it to be used with Earthworks, Schoeps and other high current requirement microphones.  It will run on primary and rechargeable batteries for more than four hours and accepts external battery packs and AC power supplies. 4Mic is expected to ship in November 2005 and will carry an MSRP of $750.

HeadLine is a handheld, portable, combined DAC and headphone amplifier, offering both headphone and Line-level outputs.  Now you can listen to your digital audio sources in the field over headphones or speakers with high-end sound quality.  Noise is down 135 dB.  HeadLine also can add a live monitoring function to the Core Sound Mic2496 dual microphone pre-amp/A-D.  Using only the finest components and powered by two nine-Volt batteries, it accepts digital audio data from coaxial and optical S/PDIF inputs, analog audio from Line-level inputs, and feeds its very high quality analog signal to headphone and Line-level outputs.  It is expected to ship in November 2005 and will carry an MSRP of $350.

2Phant is a portable, battery-powered, two channel 48 Volt (P48V) Phantom Power supply.  Unlike almost all battery-powered phantom power supplies, it can provide 10 milliamps of current to both microphones simultaneously.  This allows it to power Earthworks, Schoeps, Neumann, AKG and other high current requirement microphones.  It’s perfect for your 24-bit recordings, as its noise levels are down over 150 dB, considerably better than other phantom supplies currently on the market.  It will run on two nine-Volt batteries for more than four hours, and the batteries can be hot-swapped during operation for extended continuous operating times.  It is expected to ship in November 2005 and will carry an MSRP of $275.

[dmonterisi]

does Len really believe that simply by repeating the words "professional" "high-end" and "high-resolution" that his gear will actually be those things?

[poorlyconditioned]

I know that there are folks around here that don't like Len or his products.  I like my Core Sound gear, but I am not trying to pimp for Len.  Y'all can make up you own minds.

Anyway, this is from Len's press release:

4Mic is a revolutionary, portable, handheld, battery-powered, four-channel, 24/192 microphone pre-amp/A-D converter.  It offers true 24-bit noise, distortion and crosstalk specifications.  With both coaxial and optical S/PDIF interfaces, it provides four discrete output channels.  It can also multiplex the four microphone channels into two recorder channels, turning a two-channel 24/192 recorder into a four-channel 24/96 recorder.  When paired with Core Sound’s PDAudio handheld portable digital audio recorder, it turns a PDA like HP’s iPAQ or Dell’s Axim into a four-channel, high-resolution digital audio recorder.  And by providing professional-class microphone pre-amps and A-D converters, it turns any two-channel 24/96 recorder with an S/PDIF input into a truly professional, high-resolution four-channel recorder.  It also includes a few important features that allow it to be used for Ambisonics-type surround-sound recordings, creating for the first time the possiblity of a handheld, high-resolution, surround sound recording system.  It is the only handheld, battery-powered microphone pre-amp that can provide a full ten milliamps of 48 Volt phantom power per channel, allowing it to be used with Earthworks, Schoeps and other high current requirement microphones.  It will run on primary and rechargeable batteries for more than four hours and accepts external battery packs and AC power supplies. 4Mic is expected to ship in November 2005 and will carry an MSRP of $750.

HeadLine is a handheld, portable, combined DAC and headphone amplifier, offering both headphone and Line-level outputs.  Now you can listen to your digital audio sources in the field over headphones or speakers with high-end sound quality.  Noise is down 135 dB.  HeadLine also can add a live monitoring function to the Core Sound Mic2496 dual microphone pre-amp/A-D.  Using only the finest components and powered by two nine-Volt batteries, it accepts digital audio data from coaxial and optical S/PDIF inputs, analog audio from Line-level inputs, and feeds its very high quality analog signal to headphone and Line-level outputs.  It is expected to ship in November 2005 and will carry an MSRP of $350.

2Phant is a portable, battery-powered, two channel 48 Volt (P48V) Phantom Power supply.  Unlike almost all battery-powered phantom power supplies, it can provide 10 milliamps of current to both microphones simultaneously.  This allows it to power Earthworks, Schoeps, Neumann, AKG and other high current requirement microphones.  It’s perfect for your 24-bit recordings, as its noise levels are down over 150 dB, considerably better than other phantom supplies currently on the market.  It will run on two nine-Volt batteries for more than four hours, and the batteries can be hot-swapped during operation for extended continuous operating times.  It is expected to ship in November 2005 and will carry an MSRP of $275.

The four-channel unit sounds interesting.  I can't tell whether it has two or four outputs?  Can you put more than two on an SPDIF?  Does it have two SPDIF?  What could record those four channels anyway.

By the way, I've been looking at ADAT, eg., the Behringer ADA8000, but I can't find any inexpensive way to get this into a laptop or other portable device.  I asked over at rec.audio.pro too.  It seems ADAT is half-proprietary.  If I could get a PCMCIA or flash card to take ADAT that would be really cool.

  Richard

[MattD]

I'd stay away from ADAT, as some manufacturers like to create their own spec for that format, which can lead to plenty of incompatibility problems. My sound card has the capability, but I think I've only ever used it once, with my Metric Halo MIO.

All Len-bashing aside, has anyone run a comparison between his AD2496 or whatever that unit is called and one of the better-known pre/adc units?

[dmonterisi]

All Len-bashing aside,

now what fun would that be?

[JasonSobel]

All Len-bashing aside, has anyone run a comparison between his AD2496 or whatever that unit is called and one of the better-known pre/adc units?

I don't think I've ever seen a direct comparison between the Mic2496 and anything else, but I've got a few 24 bit shows with it, if anyone is interested, I'd be happy to burn some DVD's for people, all thanks to Larry Sanders

Benevento/Russo Duo with Mike Gordon
04-28-05
The Variety Playhouse
Atlanta, GA

Source: Studio Projects C1's (ROB/ORTF @ 8.5') > Mic2496 > PDAudio-CF (IPAQ5555) > HD
Transfer: CD Wave (tracking) > FLAC frontend
Taper: L. Sanders

Hot Tuna
January 15, 2005
Variety Playhouse
Atlanta, GA

source:
Studio Projects C-1's -> Mic2496 -> PDAudio-CF (IPAQ 5555) -> HD
(from the taper section, next to the soundboard)

notes:
* taped by Larry Sanders
* recorded at 24 bit / 96 kHz
* no post processing or resampling has been done
* tracks cut in CD Wave

Leo Kottke & Mike Gordon
9-21-05
Variety Playhouse
Atlanta, GA


Source: Studio Projects C-1 (Right of Board, ORTF, 8') > Mic2496 > PDAudio-CF (IPAQ 5555) > HD
Transfer: Goldwave (adjust levels between songs) > CDWave (tracks) > FLAC
Taper: L. Sanders

Peter Rowan/Tony Rice Quartet
January 14, 2005
The Variety Playhouse
Atlanta, GA

Source: Studio Projects C-1s (ORTF, DFC) > Mic2496 > PDAudio-CF (IPAQ 5555) > HD
Processing: Gold Wave (Fades, Hard limiting between songs)
CD Wave (tracking)
Flac Frontend
Taper: L. Sanders (LDS490@yahoo.com)

Phil Lesh & Friends
December 18, 2004
Warfield Theater
San Francisco, CA

source:
Rode NT-4 -> Mic2496 -> PDAudio-CF (IPAQ 5555) -> HD
(Balcony row A, DFC, clamped to rail)

notes:
* taped by Larry Sanders
* recorded at 24 bit / 48 kHz
* no post processing or resampling has been done
* tracks cut in CD Wave

Phil Lesh & Friends
December 19, 2004
Warfield Theater
San Francisco, CA

source:
Rode NT-4 -> Mic2496 -> PDAudio-CF (IPAQ 5555) -> HD
(Balcony row A, DFC, clamped to rail)

notes:
* taped by Larry Sanders
* recorded at 24 bit / 48 kHz
* no post processing or resampling has been done
* tracks cut in CD Wave

Wilco
September 23, 2004
Fox Theatre
Atlanta, GA

source:
AT 831s-> -> Mic2496 -> PDAudio-CF (IPAQ 5555) -> HD
(mics mounted in croakies, Row H, Stage Right)

notes:
* taped by Larry Sanders
* recorded at 24 bit / 48 kHz
* no post processing or resampling has been done
* tracks cut in CD Wave

[marc0789]

does Len really believe that simply by repeating the words "professional" "high-end" and "high-resolution" that his gear will actually be those things?

normally those terms have their standard meaning, but when uttered by Len, they mean:

C
R
A
P
 

[scb]

i love how he says this:

>> It is the only handheld, battery-powered microphone pre-amp that can provide a full ten milliamps of 48 Volt phantom power per channel, allowing it to be used with Earthworks, Schoeps and other high current requirement microphones.<<


apparently the preamps we use don't exist and core sound has the first ever portable preamp with phantom power. 

i corrected him on it and he said "woops" but i doubt he'll change his press release

[madman]

Did Len really write that?  It didn't bash any competition.

[jpschust]

dide he leave out where you have to connect the spdif cable to the unit via a core sound 7 pin cable?

[BLOODYJACK]

I did not notice any new stuff from core at the AES show I will check there booth tommorrow

[scb]

>>Did Len really write that?  It didn't bash any competition.<<


well it did claim that there isn't any competition in the portable preamp market, as no one's ever made one but core sound

[spyder9]

For sh&ts and giggles, does anybody have a picture of this amazing preamp?   

[WiFiJeff]

For sh&ts and giggles, does anybody have a picture of this amazing preamp?   

It's bigger than the Mic24/96, Len says.  Needs two 9V batteries, no word yet on how long they run it w or w/o phantom.

Jeff