Topic: Newbie_ Batt box v pre-amp + cards v bin-Where do i start?

[resonatorman]

Ok large area to cover & undoubtedly has been done to death? However I need some help in fine tuning in what I should get to getting started. I have been enjoying reading posts here for the past few weeks & have learnt quite a bit (although still trying to get my head around alot of the details you guys are able to go into).

I am wanting to get into some stealth taping, & as a starting point just bought an MD MZ-NH1. Here in Australia, Sony are discontinuing MD & prices have been greatly reduced. I am looking at taping generally in smaller to medium size venues, with the occasional larger venue. Music will generally be folk/acoustic/blues/jazz/rock. I am on a budget of about $300US. I am considering the following as options but would be open for people to make suggestions, please. I was primarily looking at Sound Pro gear as I can get everything there + most people seem to talk highly of Chris. 

1. SP CMC2 mics; why, I was thinking of cards to help prevent aud noise to some degree.

2. Battery Box SP-SPSB-6 with bass roll off option or would I be better to go with the SP-PREAMP-1; from what I have read running into line-in is better then mic-in, but is a pre-amp or battery box better in this situation? This is where I am a bit confused so suggestions/advice welcome?
If I go pre-amp, as it has a gain control on it, does that mean I wouldn't need a bass roll off option? As I can adjust the level going into the MD & therefore not causing it to distort or 'brickwall'?

3. If I didn't go with the SP-PREAMP-1, I would possibly  have few $ left over should I get SP-TFB-2 to have & run in times of good acoustics & low crowd noise as an alternative to card's?

4. Is an attenuator cable needed at all with any of the above set-ups?

5. With my budget are there any other retailers that I may be overlooking?

Many Thanks in advance for your advice & patience (with more newbie questions),

Cheers
Jamie

[jeromejello]

i would spend as much as you can on the mics.  the battery box doesnt necessarily need the roll off.  the money on the preamp should go towards mics as a stealth set up.

the AT 853 or AT 943/33 are probably going to the best bang for the buck.  then you can run them with phantom power down the road too for a better dyanamic range

[resonatorman]

i would spend as much as you can on the mics.  the battery box doesnt necessarily need the roll off.  the money on the preamp should go towards mics as a stealth set up.

the AT 853 or AT 943/33 are probably going to the best bang for the buck.  then you can run them with phantom power down the road too for a better dyanamic range

Thanks. So  If I go the AT 853  would you still recommend a battery box? For the extra $20 should I get the bass roll off or just go straight battery box? For future reference is phantom power better than a mic pre-amp option?
Cheers
Jamie

[jeromejello]

i would spend as much as you can on the mics.  the battery box doesnt necessarily need the roll off.  the money on the preamp should go towards mics as a stealth set up.

the AT 853 or AT 943/33 are probably going to the best bang for the buck.  then you can run them with phantom power down the road too for a better dyanamic range

Thanks. So  If I go the AT 853  would you still recommend a battery box? For the extra $20 should I get the bass roll off or just go straight battery box? For future reference is phantom power better than a mic pre-amp option?
Cheers
Jamie

i would recommend a battery box as the cheapest way to get you going.  the rolloff feature is moot when going line in on a jb3, so you dont really need to spend money on that.  most pre's will provide phantom power.  in this situation, once you are able to run the mics via p48v, you can always just get lo-z to hi-z line transformers to boost the signal with some clean fixed gain.  also, nothing against chris or sound professionals (they have been great to me) but the sppreamp is weak sauce... dollar for dollar you are better off just going the ps-2 phantom power route with the addition of line transformers (if necessary) or saving up more for a ua-5/mp-2/mv-100

cheapest > more expensive > most expensive
battery box > phantom power supply (ps-2, et al) > pre-amp

[resonatorman]

Thanks for your help Jerome.

Cheers
Jamie