Marantz PMD-706 Six Channel Recorder?

[datbrad]

Update to my update:

Got this message from Doug last night:

"If the 706 proves capable, I'll use a neutral sounding op amp for the TRS as it's most likely to be used for a board feed. The stock chip, SGM8272, has a dynamic range of only 80dB. That sucks !"

If this additional option proves workable, I've asked Doug to go Warm Mod using FETs for channels 1 & 2, Concert Mod for 3 &4, and whatever neutral op amp chips he ends up selecting for the TRS inputs on 5 & 6. That way I can still run 2 pairs of mics into the XLRs with a SBD feed going into the 1/4" inputs that can accept either a balanced or unbalanced feed.

I guess my unit will end up being a Guinee pig for these upgrades, but I'm certain the final result will be well worth it. This is probably going to be the last portable recorder I'll ever buy and after almost 34 years of taping and gear purchases along the way, I can't think of any other deck I'd rather have in this position.

Merry Christmas!!!

[datbrad]

I'm not big on buying things that need upgrades to work but for $100 you can't beat it

^
I'm pretty sure that the ~$399 price quote from Doug is for the 4 channel mods and does not include the purchase of the recorder.

I don't think so. I think Doug means $399 total, plus shipping, for a unit with upgrades on the 4 XLR channels. Doug has always told me that a large chunk of the labor involved with upgrades is to disassemble and reassemble the deck properly. I think it's similar to the additional service work that is always recommended to be done to a car when the timing belt has to be replaced, because of the labor involved to strip down the engine to get to it makes it economically a no-brainer to go ahead and take care of anything else in that deep at the same time. It probably only takes a little bit longer to modify 4 channels compared to only modifying 2 channels, but the same labor is required to get access to do it.

I expect it could be a little more expensive for a unit with all 6 channels upgraded if the options for the TRS he told me about last night prove doable, but I definiately don't think Doug means $399 on top of a $299 stock price. That just doesn't make good business sense to me, but I may be wrong. I'll ask him during our next exchange to clarify this.

[spyder9]

Hey Brad,

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the only difference between a "Warm mod" and a "Concert mod" is the warmth?  Therefore, a "Warm mod" is a "Concert mod" also.

[yug du nord]

^At least with all of the other Oade modded units, a Concert MOD is transparent..  and a Warm MOD is warm colored (tube-ishly fatter).
Both are suited for concert recording if that is what you are asking.

[spyder9]

^At least with all of the other Oade modded units, a Concert MOD is transparent..  and a Warm MOD is warm colored (tube-ishly fatter).
Both are suited for concert recording if that is what you are asking.

Yes, exactly.  Thank you for confirming.

[dactylus]

I'm not big on buying things that need upgrades to work but for $100 you can't beat it

^
I'm pretty sure that the ~$399 price quote from Doug is for the 4 channel mods and does not include the purchase of the recorder.

I don't think so. I think Doug means $399 total, plus shipping, for a unit with upgrades on the 4 XLR channels. Doug has always told me that a large chunk of the labor involved with upgrades is to disassemble and reassemble the deck properly. I think it's similar to the additional service work that is always recommended to be done to a car when the timing belt has to be replaced, because of the labor involved to strip down the engine to get to it makes it economically a no-brainer to go ahead and take care of anything else in that deep at the same time. It probably only takes a little bit longer to modify 4 channels compared to only modifying 2 channels, but the same labor is required to get access to do it.

I expect it could be a little more expensive for a unit with all 6 channels upgraded if the options for the TRS he told me about last night prove doable, but I definiately don't think Doug means $399 on top of a $299 stock price. That just doesn't make good business sense to me, but I may be wrong. I'll ask him during our next exchange to clarify this.

^
Thanks for checking on the pricing!

[2manyrocks]

$399 on top of $299 wouldn't be attractive, IMO. 

The warm vs. concert aspect doesn't make that much sense to me because you can always add flavor to taste in processing.

I'd be more interested in whether the modifications help tame digital harshness that you sometimes hear in situations like when you record a piano with nothing else.   

[goodcooker]

I think  I'll run my stock deck a few more times before I would consider getting it modded. I think the comment about getting it modified to "work" is inaccurate. This deck works just fine so far right out of the box and sounds good in my first few tests. Of course there is always room for improvement I haven't tried taking a hot sbd feed yet so only time will tell. Using the dual function may avoid a total failure and that's how I'll probably run it on NYE.

Sometimes Doug's mods disable some functions. Can someone who is talking to him about this deck ask him if all stock features and functions remain intact after modifying it?

[datbrad]

$399 on top of $299 wouldn't be attractive, IMO. 

The warm vs. concert aspect doesn't make that much sense to me because you can always add flavor to taste in processing.

I'd be more interested in whether the modifications help tame digital harshness that you sometimes hear in situations like when you record a piano with nothing else.

Here is answer to the $399 4 XLR channel upgrade question:

"Hi Brad, no, that's for the deck with the upgrade installed.
thanks....Doug"

[dactylus]

^
Wow.  That sounds like a bargain!!

[heva]

Though intrigued by these mods, how about the soundquality for (classical) concert recording?
How are the micpres? How is the ADC?
Compared to? ie. Tascams, FostexFR2le, etc.

[2manyrocks]

^exactly.  Voltronic's assessment of his 70d mod, for example, was it made his piano recording sound more pleasant.  http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=174046.msg2154688#msg2154688. When I listed to his test recording, his mod seemed to have improved smoothness and a more natural piano sound.

[datbrad]

Hey Brad,

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the only difference between a "Warm mod" and a "Concert mod" is the warmth?  Therefore, a "Warm mod" is a "Concert mod" also.

Yes, both the concert and warm mods optimize recorders for the kind of high sound pressure recording concert tapers primary do. The headroom provided by the stock analog inputs is too low for taping very loud sources, but they are just fine for the type of recording the target customers, dslr users, would encounter 99% of the time.

In the Concert Mod, the opamps are upgraded and are still using bipolar transistors, but are better chips with lower noise and higher overload points. The Warm Mod produces the same headroom extension, but use FETs which are warmer in tone. The preamps in recorders and mixing desks during the 1980's and earlier used transformers and the first transistors considered viable replacements for tubes were FETs. Because of this, many tapers using older microphone models from that period find that FET driven preamps are a better match with these older designs.

The Concert Mod uses bipolar transistors with more headroom and lower noise, but are transparent like the stock chips, which makes them a better match with certain mics than the Warm Mod.

Doug also does a FET and Super Mod for ambient sound recording that does not increase the headroom as much, but are even lower in noise and THD.

[IronFilm]

Gave it a quick run with my Schoeps MK41 > nBob > PFA setup and it did what I expected. It saves a separate 2 channel file for each stereo input and the mix- so 4 wav files total. I hope there is a way to change it so that only files that are actually recorded are saved but probably not.

No option to do a single BWF file per recording (no matter how many tracks)?

Seems like the Zoom F4 is the only low end recorder that can do this.

If you are recording mosquito farts in an anechoic chamber I recommend that you buy a Sound Devices MixPre or 788. This Marantz recorder is aimed at and marketed towards amateur DSLR film recordists...not specialists.

Even amateur film recordists need quiet pre amps so they can capture whispered dialogue with a boom at a sub optimal position (as amateur boom ops, and even semi pros, are not the greatest at riding the edge of the frame with their boom).

[jbell]

^  The majority of people here aren't using their recorders for working on films, but for concert taping!!