Ok here's my contribution to the R44 vs Rest-of-world mic preamps
Edirol R44 internal mic preamps vs Sound Devices MixPreGear used1. Sound source = Battery powered wall-clock (specially selected from a sample of 3 for it's broad-spectrum tick
).
2. R44 recording @ 24 bit 44.1 kHz (internal batteries). Recordings were post-converted to 16 bit.
3. Mic = Rode NT1-A large diaphragm condenser (worlds quietest condenser, so Rode claim)
4. External preamp = Sound Devices MixPre, running on internal batteries (benchmark quiet preamp?).
5. Location = Vocal booth.
Method1. Rode NT1-A on mic stand, Clock on second stand.
2. Distance was adjusted (~ 10 cm, 4") so that the R44 achieved -12 dB with the max sensitivity (-56 dB).
3. Recording made while I crouched on the floor holding my breath (and believe me I had to, on my first attempt I could hear my nose whistling, I was about 1.5 meters away from and below the mic level. Serious amplification, or loud nose
)
4. Mix-Pre was then connected NT1-A --> MixPre --> R44 into the same channel as used previously (Ch1). R44 sensitivity was dropped to minimum (+4 dB).
5. The gain on the MixPre was then adjusted to match the same peak levels on the R44, as the R44 internal mic-pres gave at when they were at Max sensitivity (-12 dB peaks).
6. Recording made. Recording made while I crouched on the floor holding my breath.
NT1-A --> R44: R44 preamp max sensitivity @ -56 dB (Level @ 12 O'Clock). Low cut off, limiter off, phantom on. Peaks on R44 ~ -12 dB
NT1-A --> MixPre --> R44: R44 preamp Min sensitivity @ +4 dB (level @12 O'Clock), Lo cut off, limiter off, phantom off - MixPre (set to second highest level mark). Low cut off, phantom on. Peaks on R44 ~ -12 dB
...so the R44 was on a setting of 10/10 while the MixPre was operating on a setting 9/10.
ResultsThe following recording is 10 ticks R44 then 10 ticks MixPre
Click here to download WAV file (3 Meg)ConclusionsRemembering that the test above is for the highest gain setting on the R44, it is clear that from a noise perspective the Edirol R44 mic preamps are no match for the Sound Devices MixPre, and nor would we expect them to be. The MixPre alone is about the same cost as the R44.
The question then is whether the stock R44 mic-pres are good enough for music and field recording?
For music recording, I have no doubt that the R44 pres are capable of delivering noise-free high-quality results (as demonstrated elsewhere in this thread). Certainly if you are recording any 'normal' musical instrument the stock R44 will deliver a professional result. To hear the difference between the MixPre and R44 you would need to be in a studio, and then the playback gain would need to be artificially boosted. If you are recording bands, then the sound is an order of magnitude louder so inherent MixPre vs R44 noise level comparisons are simply irrelevant. It will come down to whether you think the R44 pres have a 'sound' that you like rather than noise.
For field-recording, based on my own limited experiences with the R44 so far, the R44 will provide similarly excellent recordings in the majority of circumstances. I have been using settings of -44 dB max (2 steps or 12 dB down from the level heard above) and don't hear any noticeable hiss above the background noise. The hiss does become noticeable (compared to the MixPre) if I start normalizing gain on recordings and boosting playback-levels while listening with headphones or run the R44 at -50~56 dB in a quiet location. So, for extreme quietude locations recording distant sources, the R44 pres are marginal in comparison to the MixPre. Noise obsessed 'quietude' field-recordists will find that the R44 is not a 1-box solution. Sound Devices is still king of that hill IMO. Perhaps the modders will change that.
Here's a thought, if you don't mind a little clutter and need a world-class 4 channel field-recording solution (on a 'budget'), an R44 + 2 x MixPres will cost about $2000 USD. For that you get 4 channels of pristine mic-pres + 4 channel superb digital recording at 24 bit, 88.2 kHz.
PS: Don't forget to take the S/N or your mics into account too, the NT1-A used here is a very, very quiet mic (~ 5 dB-A self noise). Once you add in some significant hiss from your microphones then the differences may not be as noticeable as demonstrated above.
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