Topic: SP-CMC-4U / SP-SPSB-10/ Tascam DR-05

[tapegirl75]

hi everybody
i want buy my first equipment
SP-CMC-4U / SP-SPSB-10/ Tascam DR-05
my questions are:
is it a good package to start with? or any special things i have to consider?
is there any other way to buy the SP-CMC-4U than the soundprofessionals HP? ebay didn't help either...
just curious to know...i'm from germany
thanks for your helping hand
tapegirl

[F.O.Bean]

You should also look into Church Audio mics/battery boxes/preamps, as well. VERY good quality for the price The Tascam DR5 should do just fine for you tho

[Humbug]

Make sure you specify Info on SP-ATMIC-MODIF if you record loud gigs.

Please read this thread also:

http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=144934.0

For acoustic, they're fine.

I wish SP were more active on these forums so that they could respond to threads like this.

[Humbug]

I am in the UK and have no problems dealing with SP. Have been buying from them for 10 years without a problem, and they reply to emails promptly.

You will get whacked for import duty (approx 30%??) when you import the gear.

[fandelive]

You will get whacked for import duty (approx 30%??) when you import the gear.

I ordered from different manufacturers thru the years (Giant Squid, Sound Professionals, Microphone Madness, Church Audio) and SP stuff happened to be the only ones I got whacked for import duty.
I'm pretty sure they can do something with the package that will avoid you from paying additionnal duties. Just ask them...

You might want to replace the SP-SPSB-10 battery-box for a Church Audio Preamp which will give you more options (recording quiet stuff with that useful SP-ATMIC-MODIF).


 

[pillowman]

hi everybody
i want buy my first equipment
SP-CMC-4U / SP-SPSB-10/ Tascam DR-05
my questions are:
is it a good package to start with? or any special things i have to consider?
is there any other way to buy the SP-CMC-4U than the soundprofessionals HP? ebay didn't help either...
just curious to know...i'm from germany
thanks for your helping hand
tapegirl

I'm using the same capsules the SP-CMC-4U were made from -> ATU853 - only difference is that
I'm using them with the CMC-8 bodies  and I really like the sound they produce.
Most of the times I'm using the hyper caps but I also have some card caps.
also have the same SP-SPSB-10 bbox ... I think the 12v are ideally for the mics.
Really a nice set up for live recording but if you will tape some loud stuff you need the low-sense mod !!!
greetings
pillowman
also from germany 

[acidjack]

I'd add only:

1. People here love to fluff Church mics, in no small part because Chris is a friendly and active member here.  They're good, but they do have long build times because they are homemade.  The positive tradeoff is they cost less than SP gear.  Sound-wise it's a tossup - some prefer Church, some prefer the AT853s (the actual designation of the SP-CMC-4U).  But keep that in mind, whatever you decide.

2. As noted, assuming you are recording loud music, DO NOT buy the SP mics without the AT-MIC-MODIF modification, or they will not be capable of handling loud sounds.

3. Although I own one, I tend to disagree with the advice to first time (?) users to buy Church preamps instead of sticking with a simple battery box, if you are recording loud music.  First of all, ANY amplification will add SOME noise - doesn't matter if you're talking a Church pre, the preamp inside your recorder, or whatnot - so the question is whether you'll be able to hear that additional noise in the program being recorded.  If you record classical music or nature sounds, an ultraquiet preamp is of utmost importance. If you stealth tape loud rock shows (the preferred application of 90% of people who are buying these types of setups), it is quite doubtful that you will.  The Church preamp (or any other preamp) may provide an improvement in sound quality that you perceive, but it may not (and I've never seen a comp of a Church pre vs. BB>recorder for a loud show).  What adding a preamp (vs a battery box) will DEFINITELY add is a) more cost, b) more knobs to fiddle with and c) a bit more size to your rig.  Again, I own one of these; I'm not knocking the product.  But I also own a wide variety of gear and I've recorded quite a lot of shows at this point.  If I were new, or relatively new, to this, I'd want the simplest thing possible. 

The one thing I would consider replacing, if cost is not a big issue, is the Sony PCM-M10 instead of the Tascam DR-05.  I believe the inputs of the Tascams tend to be a bit less tolerant than those on the Sony, which is the preferred choice (along with the older Edirol R-09HR) of most of folks on this board for small decks.  I haven't owned the DR-05, but I have had issues with Tascam products, and my M10 (and everybody else's that I am aware of) has been very, very consistent.

hi everybody
i want buy my first equipment
SP-CMC-4U / SP-SPSB-10/ Tascam DR-05
my questions are:
is it a good package to start with? or any special things i have to consider?
is there any other way to buy the SP-CMC-4U than the soundprofessionals HP? ebay didn't help either...
just curious to know...i'm from germany
thanks for your helping hand
tapegirl

[tapegirl75]

thanks all for your help, thoughts and tips!
appreciated!

[Humbug]

The Church preamp (or any other preamp) may provide an improvement in sound quality that you perceive, but it may not (and I've never seen a comp of a Church pre vs. BB>recorder for a loud show).  What adding a preamp (vs a battery box) will DEFINITELY add is a) more cost, b) more knobs to fiddle with and c) a bit more size to your rig.  Again, I own one of these; I'm not knocking the product.  But I also own a wide variety of gear and I've recorded quite a lot of shows at this point.  If I were new, or relatively new, to this, I'd want the simplest thing possible. 

That's really good advice.

I can respond to your question above. I have run a side by side comparison of a three wire battery box and the 3-wire CA-9100, using the same mics - AT933s (small bodies + 853 caps), and two iRiver recorders, on a stand in DIN config, for a loud rock show. My impression is that although sound quality is very similar, the CA-9100 colours the sound a little, and I preferred the sound through the 3 wire battery box.

However I cannot rule out other factors - particularly the different age / use history of the mics.

I hope to do some more comparisons now I have rebuilt my old H120 with a CF drive. One thing I would like to test is quiet acoustic shows.

[acidjack]

Thanks - that's very helpful to know actually.  I would suspect that at a reasonably quiet show, there would be a bit more of a difference.  I just recorded a fairly quiet show myself (Bill Callahan) using 4061>CA9200>M10.  Of course, I can't a/b it, but the recording is quiet even on softer parts, with the only really audible hiss being the first 10 or so seconds where the levels were low and I was increasing the gain gradually. 

The other advantage of using the Church pre, I suppose, is you can tape down the M10s gain knob that way and not worry about it getting moved.  Of course, that could still happen to the knobs on the pre....