Samples: UA5 vs. MD (battbox/pre)

[poorlyconditioned]

I got around to running some comparisons.  Here I compare my UA5 (self-mod with AD712 + AD8620 opamps) vs. a MD with self-made preamp (LT6234 opamp), recording HiSP (256kbps) ATRAC:

  www.cs.uwaterloo.ca/~mannr/Samples/samp_ua5.mp3
  www.cs.uwaterloo.ca/~mannr/Samples/samp_mdpre.mp3

Both used the same set of CK91 self-made actives, on 6' stand, about 20' back and right side of room (at wall) pointing to stage.  I think the UA5 sounds better, but the mdpre is not bad.  I *think* the limitation is the ADC stage in the MD and not the compression, but I didn't have time to really check this.

Oh yeah, just for fun, here is a matrix using CK93 (hypers) about 45' back on a balcony with a smidgen of SBD mixed in.  Recorded with a Presonus Firepod:

  www.cs.uwaterloo.ca/~mannr/Samples/samp_matrix.mp3

Comments welcome...

  Richard

PS: The performer is Kate Schutt (www.kateschutt.com), playing an eight string, combined bass and guitar.  She has a drummer and sax player with her.

[graemecogger]

I reckon the UA5 version has a little more presence and is a little better in the treble, but there's not a huge difference.  I'm not too familiar with the kit - isn't the UA5 just a pre-amp?  If so, what was used to record the UA5 version?

[poorlyconditioned]

I reckon the UA5 version has a little more presence and is a little better in the treble, but there's not a huge difference.  I'm not too familiar with the kit - isn't the UA5 just a pre-amp?  If so, what was used to record the UA5 version?

Thanks for listening.  I'd like others' comments too!

The UA5 is a preamp+ADC.  It outputs SPDIF (optical).  The recorder is a Creative Nomad Jukebox 3 (NJB3)  (It can record both digital and analog, at line level.)  Both are standard here...

I'm thinking the UA5 has more presence too.  That is exactly the word I would use.  The MD sounds good.  It just "opens up" when I use the UA5.  My guess is it is due to the better ADC in the UA5.

My point is that if you're recording with Analog in on these things (MD, iRiver, NJB3) you're probably not getting as good of sound as you could.  That is why I'm getting an AD20 to put in front of my MD/NJB3 for stealth situations.

  Richard

[tms]

I got around to running some comparisons.  Here I compare my UA5 (self-mod with AD712 + AD8620 opamps) vs. a MD with self-made preamp (LT6234 opamp), recording HiSP (256kbps) ATRAC:

  www.cs.uwaterloo.ca/~mannr/Samples/samp_ua5.mp3
  www.cs.uwaterloo.ca/~mannr/Samples/samp_mdpre.mp3

Both used the same set of CK91 self-made actives, on 6' stand, about 20' back and right side of room (at wall) pointing to stage.  I think the UA5 sounds better, but the mdpre is not bad.  I *think* the limitation is the ADC stage in the MD and not the compression, but I didn't have time to really check this.

Oh yeah, just for fun, here is a matrix using CK93 (hypers) about 45' back on a balcony with a smidgen of SBD mixed in.  Recorded with a Presonus Firepod:

  www.cs.uwaterloo.ca/~mannr/Samples/samp_matrix.mp3

Comments welcome...

  Richard

PS: The performer is Kate Schutt (www.kateschutt.com), playing an eight string, combined bass and guitar.  She has a drummer and sax player with her.

Cool comp!   How did you get the audio off the MD? 

[graemecogger]

If that's the Hi-MD recorder, they have a USB connection.

[tms]

If that's the Hi-MD recorder, they have a USB connection.

True, but then that wouldn't be a fair comparison vs. the UA-5>JB3 which is uncompressed.  If it were a Hi-MD he would have used uncompressed PCM, not ATRAC compressed, to compare the A/D's. 

[poorlyconditioned]

If that's the Hi-MD recorder, they have a USB connection.

True, but then that wouldn't be a fair comparison vs. the UA-5>JB3 which is uncompressed.  If it were a Hi-MD he would have used uncompressed PCM, not ATRAC compressed, to compare the A/D's. 

It was an HiMD.  But I neglected to use uncompressed mode.  I used HiSP, which is ATRAC at 256kbps.

I guess I could do some post processing, like play the NJB3 recording thru a digital out soundcard, and record it compressed on my MD too.

I still think it is the ADC, but you're right, the verdict is not 100%.

  Richard

[tms]

If that's the Hi-MD recorder, they have a USB connection.

True, but then that wouldn't be a fair comparison vs. the UA-5>JB3 which is uncompressed.  If it were a Hi-MD he would have used uncompressed PCM, not ATRAC compressed, to compare the A/D's. 

It was an HiMD.  But I neglected to use uncompressed mode.  I used HiSP, which is ATRAC at 256kbps.

I guess I could do some post processing, like play the NJB3 recording thru a digital out soundcard, and record it compressed on my MD too.

I still think it is the ADC, but you're right, the verdict is not 100%.

  Richard

That's too bad, kind of an apples to oranges comparison, I don't think you can blame the HiMD A/D for any difference heard when the audio was captured using about 1/20th the bandwidth.

Also, from what I remember bad things happen when you compress music that's already been compressed.  So going from ATRAC3+ to mp3 might have introduced some artifacts.

Can you do another one using uncompressed .wav on the Hi-MD and a stock UA-5 to a JB3?  _That_ would be really awesome, I don't think it's been done yet.

Actually a 3 way comp of HiMD, JB3, and a diy digimod UA-5 would be awesome.  I think you're one of the few out there with the HiMD and UA-5!   Please, please, please!!!  Can you simply split the signal and get simultaneous A/D comparisons?