Topic: M-Audio MicroTracker details **PART II**

[thegreatgumbino]

if the price of the mod isn't too much this might be a great option.  definitely smaller than the fr2, and costs a little less too!

Actually, the pmd 671 really isn't that much smaller than the FR-2.

pmd 671 = 10.4"w  x  2.0"h  x  7.3"d , weight = 2 lbs 14 oz.

fr-2 =          9.8"w  x  3.0"h  x  8.7"d , weight = 3.3 lbs

[thegreatgumbino]

100 dB dynamic range is under 17 bits.

For reference, A-weighted dyn range specs for some other gear:

Dyn Range | Corresponding bit-depth | Device
114 | 19.0 | Sound Devices 722
110 | 18.3 | Grace Design Lunatec V3
105 | 17.5 | Apogee MiniMe *
100 | 16.6 | M-Audio MicroTrack
 87 | 14.5 | Sony M1
 83 | 13.8 | Edirol R1

FR-2 Dynamic Range 100dB (ADC-DAC, 24bit, ref:-20dB, fs:48kHz) typical

[desertsky]

A few questions for the experts....    The microphones I'll be using with my MicroTrack are Sound Pro SP-CMC-4 AT853's.  Up til now I've been recording to minidisc with these mics and a battery box w/ bass rolloff.  Will I still need to continue using the battery box when recording loud concerts with the MicroTrack?  Or will I be able to plug the mics directly into the MicroTrack's mic input?  If I do need to continue using the battery box, would I then need to buy an adapter to plug the microphones with battery box into the MicroTrack's 1/4" line inputs?  Or do I plug the battery box into the 1/8" mic input?   Thanks in advance...

[greenone]

The mic input is powered, so you *could* power your mics with it, but I think it's only 5 volts, so they'll likely be underpowered and prone to overloading easily. If you use the battery box, you'll need to use the 1/4" line ins...and get all sorts of adapters.

[WiFiJeff]

The mic input is powered, so you *could* power your mics with it, but I think it's only 5 volts, so they'll likely be underpowered and prone to overloading easily. If you use the battery box, you'll need to use the 1/4" line ins...and get all sorts of adapters.

Thinking of one of these, to run from an MMA6000:

[Ray76]

The mic input is powered, so you *could* power your mics with it, but I think it's only 5 volts, so they'll likely be underpowered and prone to overloading easily. If you use the battery box, you'll need to use the 1/4" line ins...and get all sorts of adapters.

Thinking of one of these, to run from an MMA6000:

that looks like itll work Jeff. I just ordered a 2xlrm>stereo mini for my mma6000 from SP. had enough points and with the taperssection discount I got it for like 5 bucks..

speaking of which...Jeff, the coupon for SP is taperssection. type it in the code box.

[Brian Skalinder]

The microphones I'll be using with my MicroTrack are Sound Pro SP-CMC-4 AT853's. 

Or you could lose the battery box, convert the mics to accept phantom power, and run mics > phantom power adapter > MicroTracker.  I'm not real familiar with your mics, so depending on the connectors, you may need adapters to switch around from1/8" mini,XLR, 1/4", etc.

[Ray76]

The microphones I'll be using with my MicroTrack are Sound Pro SP-CMC-4 AT853's. 

Or you could lose the battery box, convert the mics to accept phantom power, and run mics > phantom power adapter > MicroTracker.  I'm not real familiar with your mics, so depending on the connectors, you may need adapters to switch around from1/8" mini,XLR, 1/4", etc.

yep, its 1/8 stereo mini...the mics have their fullest potential when modded for phantom anyway..
the difference is night and day.

[Todd R]

A couple of things:

First, I've got the parts on order and will be making custom Segue Dogstar silver-clad cables to go into the Microtrack.  1/8" mini to 1/8" mini, 1/8" mini to dual 1/4", RCA to 1/4", whatever.  I've also have right angle 1/8" mini and right-angle RCA, if you prefer.  I haven't yet ordered, but if there is interest, I can get right-angle 1/4" connectors that I believe will fit into the Microtrack.  I'm waiting to get my microtrack to make sure there'll be room.  Folks should drop me a line if they're interested in these custom cables.

Second, I'd guess that you can go from battery box to the 1/8" mini mic input on the Microtrack.  I don't think the 5v plug-in power on the 1/8" mic input will be an issue, but depending on the circuitry within the Microtrack, it might overload if getting as hot of a mic signal as PA recording generates going into the mic input (that is, with that hot of a signal, you might need to be going into the 1/4" inputs, that are built to withstand line level signals).

A battery box, say a 9v box, has capacitors inside that block the 9v DC voltage from going through the outputs to the downstream device, in this case the Microtrack.  These same capacitors which block the 9v voltage generated by the battery box from going to the Microtracker will block the 5v plug-in power generated by the Microtracker.  So it shouldn't be an issue to run your mics > battery box> the 1/8" mic input of the Microtracker.  Only issue is that your signal will be running through two sets of capacitors, one set inside the battery box, and one set attached to the 1/8" mic input of the Microtracker.  But you'll probably have this anyway, since the Microtracker probably has capacitors attached to its 1/4" inputs as well (it would need them to block the 48v phantom it provides via those inputs, though it might be designed to take those capacitors out of the signal path if phantom is not used, though I doubt it).  Going through two sets of capacitors isn't a problem per se, it's just that the capacitors will color your signal that much more.

Anyway, not sure everyone is following this, but we should test to see if we can use the 1/8" mic input with mics + battery box, before we assume that the 1/4" inputs must be used.

[Todd R]

Oh, also, those cables that WifiJeff has pictured may not fit in the Microtracker.  I'm not saying they won't, but the microtracker is pretty small and its 1/4" inputs are pretty close together.  Those cables have pretty large bodies for the 1/4" plugs, so I'm just wondering whether they can fit side by side in the Microtracker.

[udovdh]

This was posted here before:

It may come in handy?

[The Kilted Taper]

This was posted here before:

It may come in handy?

Only problem I see with that is it isn't TRS.

[Todd R]

The specs say "Maximum Input Level: +4.3dBu, balanced; +2.1dBV, unbalanced ", so I guessing that you can use unbalanced TS 1/4" inputs, and not just balanced TRS 1/4" inputs.

[WiFiJeff]

Oh, also, those cables that WifiJeff has pictured may not fit in the Microtracker.  I'm not saying they won't, but the microtracker is pretty small and its 1/4" inputs are pretty close together.  Those cables have pretty large bodies for the 1/4" plugs, so I'm just wondering whether they can fit side by side in the Microtracker.

Good point.  I'll have to ask SP to test them when the Microtrack comes in, and make up some custom ones if the fit is too tight.  Don't want to disembowel the machine when I pull them out.

Jeff

[detroit lightning]

yes you can connect a sbm1 but sbm1 is only good for 16 bits.

cool - what connection would i use from sbm1 -> m-audio?