Topic: Mics -or- Pre ? Which to Upgrade?

[deeputahpowder]

Currently I'm running AT853rx -> M-Audio MobilePre ->usb-> Ibook g4 Soundstudio.  I am condsidering replacing the mobilepre with the Sound Devices USBpre.  I would like to stay with usb powered pre's, so i'm only concerned with power for the ibook. I also have the m-audio transit that allows me to do optical in via the usb to the ibook
http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/Transit-main.html which opens up some other options however, moves away from the goal of staying with usb powered pre's.

So...if you were running this rig and had the cash to get the USbpre, would you? or would you replace the mics and keep the mobilepre?  With maybe the studio projects c-4's, or whatever else is in this price range? 

Or would you do something completely different?
Thanks,
dave

[Wiggle]

I had a similar rig not too long ago (C4s > MobilePre > iBook) and scrapped the whole thing for a UA5 > iRiver set up. I thought about the USBpre too but there was some sort of issue with it (phantom?) that made me change my mind. There's a thread somewhere around here with aberg describing the issue.

For the money that you would spend on a SD USBpre you could probably pick up an iRiver and UA5 off ebay. Spend the extra coin to get the UA5 modded by Busman and you'll wonder why you ever spent time mucking around with a laptop at a show.

[deeputahpowder]

well, now that sounds like an excellent "something completely different" idea.  it does concern me having the ibook at a show, however, in the past several years going to a club and taping a band has been become rather rare...i know shame on me...i've been taping mostly festivals and my own bands. with the festival taping everything is automated on the ibook so i don't have to be there to start and stop each band. Which is freakin spectacular!  One of the features that some of the solid state recorders have is auto splitting files at set sizes, 1gb mark and seamlessly, continually recording.  This would have to be a feature in replacing the ibook with the iriver, etc. so i can still record all day long festivals and not worry about it. 
thanks for the advice.
dave

[landshark]

You will want to check on this, but my understanding is the USBPre will NOT run on the USB power only, you'll still need a power source.  I think the USB is data transfer only because the USBPre pulls more than the USB power specification provides.  There was a long post in the ADs and Pre's section where people were discussing how to get around that issue.  I'd do a search on USB Pre and check out the thread, I think it will be relevant to your decision.

Good luck!

Mike

[J.Maye]

You could get a stock non-digi modded UA5 and run it with the laptop. I don’t think you can power the UA5 from the USB (I don’t know), but a $35 battery and cable wouldn’t be that much more bulky. You could digi-mod, or busman mod it later, or if you want more options I saw a guy with a UA5 where he can turn the digi mod on or off via a switch he added. That way you could run it with the laptop, or break it off separately for an iriver/whatever bit bucket behind it later if your needs change.   

[nic]

fyi, for less than the price of the SD USBPre, you could get a Presonus Firebox or numerous other interfaces (firewire and usb).

[bluevolvo]

You could get a stock non-digi modded UA5 and run it with the laptop.  

FYI digi mod usb IN to lappy still works.

Record = YES
Playback = NO

[Jamos]

You will want to check on this, but my understanding is the USBPre will NOT run on the USB power only, you'll still need a power source.  I think the USB is data transfer only because the USBPre pulls more than the USB power specification provides.  There was a long post in the ADs and Pre's section where people were discussing how to get around that issue.  I'd do a search on USB Pre and check out the thread, I think it will be relevant to your decision.

Good luck!

Mike

This is false...
although it may depend on your specific computer (some powerbooks put out a limited USB voltage), I and many others I know have run a USBPre w/phantom on many times.

[landshark]

Um, yup, re-read the post I was thinking of, they were trying to get a USBPre to run WITHOUT a computer attached, not with...

http://taperssection.com/index.php/topic,86077.0.html

Sorry about that.

Mike

[larrysellers]

You will want to check on this, but my understanding is the USBPre will NOT run on the USB power only, you'll still need a power source.  I think the USB is data transfer only because the USBPre pulls more than the USB power specification provides.  There was a long post in the ADs and Pre's section where people were discussing how to get around that issue.  I'd do a search on USB Pre and check out the thread, I think it will be relevant to your decision.

Good luck!

Mike

This is false...
although it may depend on your specific computer (some powerbooks put out a limited USB voltage), I and many others I know have run a USBPre w/phantom on many times.

Yeah, I ran mine with a fujitsu lifebook for 2 years and never had 1 problem (running dual boot but win2k for taping) using the bus power.

[BC]

IMHO upgrade the mics first

[deeputahpowder]

well it sounds like the usbpre is a fine option.  also the ua5 would provide me an alternative now as well as getting the mod to run later if i go with a bitbucket.  and one solid vote for upgrading the mics first.  which is what i've been looking into a bit more at the moment than the pre.  like the josephson c42's in the yardsale - but they don't have interchangeable elements...which is something i've enjoyed with my at853's with the cards and hypers however, i pretty much only run the cards at this point. although i'm wanting to have omni's for festivals and cards for other options.  which leads me away from the c42's.  however, i've read positive things about them.
and the avantone ck-1's come with 3 elements - however not being a much higher price point than the 853's i wonder if the sound quality is any different.  and the sp c4's are actually in that same price point and get good reviews...i'm Confused...Just starting searching the archive looking for shows with these mics...to get some comparison...my gut tells me upgrade the mics first b/c the mobilepre is a fine solution for now. and higher quality mics will improve what i'm recording more than running the 853';s and changing the pre.  Maybe i should just upgrade everything and then run both rigs and make the real comparison. ;-)
thanks dave

[Jamos]

I also think you should upgrade your mics first.  Running mics that don't sound so great into excellent equipment behind it will end up being less pleasing than running great mics even into consumer equipment. 

That being said, the Josephsons I have for sale are fantastic cardioid mics...if you want extra caps on a budget, the avantone ck-1's would be my first recommendation.  They are relatively new mics, so they don't have a lot of exposure yet, but I would pick them over the C-4's even though they are close to the same price point.

I'd also second the presonus firebox recommendation if you want to stick w/laptop recording.  That w/the Josephsons, avantones, or any other decent mic should yield results better than what you have been getting now.

just my .02

[kozakz]

be careful with the presonus usb / firewire preamps. they have several compatibility issues with notebooks. read presonus site for more details.

[Will_S]

be careful with the presonus usb / firewire preamps. they have several compatibility issues with notebooks. read presonus site for more details.

Could you be more specific as to where to look for these issues?

FWIW, the original poster seems to be running an iBook G4 and Sound Studio and I have had no problems with my Firebox using the same combination.