[microsound] Re: Archos 402 + SP-PREAMP-4 -- initial impressions

[Rob Danielson <type@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

At 10:46 AM -0700 4/5/06, Kim Cascone wrote:
> Rob D said:
> > If the ECM is self powered, you should be good to=20
> > go. Neither the mic nor the PIP-supplying-pre=20
> > will be adversely affected.
> which is strange because when I first tried my Sony ECM with the 
> SP-PREAMP-4 I got a low-freq 'motor-boating' type sound; the kind 
> you get when riding an audio signal on top of a lot of DC, i.e., 
> oscillation slamming against the rails...so I am not sure whether my 
> mic was in need of repair to start with (had been sitting in storage 
> for a couple of years) or plugging it into the PIP had damaged it in 
> some way (doubtful)...I have also tried the ECM in my iMic connected 
> to Peak on my iBook and I get some signal but it's distorted so it 
> might just be my mic is faulty...

Try the mics on working PIP first? If they work maybe something 
unusual with the SP-PREAMP-4? If you need to, yes! 10-100uF 
capactitors in-line, try lower first.


> > For some, wondrous, reason, the mic pres in the
> > lowly HiMD's have much better low noise and gain
> > performance than anyone would have guessed.
> this is very interesting and I would never had guessed that HiMD's 
> had such nice pre's! the only problem for me is the medium of 
> mini-disc...I swore to never using anything with moving parts again 
> (yes, I know the Archos uses a hard drive which invalidates my 
> argument ;) after years of DAT foul-ups and eaten tapes...so I was 
> looking for something that was stealth, small, quiet, high quality 
> and wouldn't break the bank...and the Archos SP preamp combo seemed 
> like a good choice...and I have been pleased with the results so 
> far...

The Archos is a fun tool, for sure.

Of course, MD/HiMD and DAT are not in the world in terms of 
unreliability.  HiMD is very small, the disk sounds can be silenced 
with a layer of leather or thick canvas, it has usb uploading, 
records uncompresssed 16.44.1K and in HiSp mode can record for 8 
hours on one $5, reusable disk (ATRAC3 quality).  The cheapest model 
recorder costs $165, the newest one is $300.  The phantom supply for 
condenser mics cost $45-$70. With such a great pre with very high 
gain, I'm very happy to accommodate the other inconveniences and buy 
two!


> > One just needs a portable phantom supply to enable
> > low noise condenser mics in order to enjoy the
> > ride.  Here's the comparison with a SD722 I keep
> > posting and posting and posting (sorry):
> > http://www.uwm.edu/~type/Mic%20Preamps/MicroTrack_NH900_722Compare2.mov
> no apologies needed...I appreciate - and need - a redundancy of information :)
> the 722 is known to have crap pre's

 I've not run across this claim yet. Compared to what?  Where did you 
come across this?

..
> > Thanks goes to Dan Dugan for the Shure WL- 183 discovery.
> > Apparently Sound Professionals used to package
> > the 183's several years ago.  They can be easily wired for PIP:
> > http://www.uwm.edu/~type/Mic%20Preamps/ShureWR-183WiringNoTA4M's.jpg

<snip>

> I think I'm going to try the 183's and am glad to hear that I don't 
> need to do any extensive mod's to the preamp...

Its pretty straight-forward to snip off the TAF4's and solder the 
leads into 3.5 stereo mini for PIP mic inputs. Doesn't your 
SP-PREAMP-4 supply PIP?  Dan's email sent to you off-list. Rob D.



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