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

[Kim Cascone <kim@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

from post 38726 by Rob Danielson:
> For small, phantom powered four channel at that price point, the RME
> quad mic would be my choice
> http://www.rme-audio.com/english/micpreamps/quadmic.htm Looking at
> spec's, the RME is much quieter than the Rolls 442 and on par with
> the Wendt. I've no experience with the Wendt and SD and, ouch, the SD
> is so pricey.
yes the RME does have nice specs on the pre's but it is not a  
mixer...but your point w/r/t noise is well taken...
also, while the SD mixers/pre's are very very nice (I used the SD 3  
ch. mixer on a doc shoot last winter) they are way too expensive for  
my budget...I'd rather go with a small battery-powered Behringer  
mixer (like the new UBB 1002) if I were seated at a station doing  
location recording...

>
> Even if one feels that "portable" includes hands-free, body-worn
> mics, I don't know of any body wearable electret mics that have self
> noise performance low enough to render the Rolls MX34's -110 dBu
> noise floor a problem (if it performs as advertised).
Sanken COS-22 ENL is < 28dBA
$650 USD

Core Audio - High End Binaural stereo mic -- using DPA 4060 capsules
equivalent noise level A-weighted:
Typ. 23 dB(A) re. 20 µPa (max. 26 dB(A))
$1000 USD

don't remember how to convert dBu <-> dBA in terms of noise  
measurements...but both of these mics are hella-expensive...and most  
electret condensers are rated at around 30dBA ENL...


> The MX34 is
> made for condenser mics so running an electret pair on its 18 volt
> phantom inputs would require some research and a mod.
yeah, I wasn't suggesting using these mixers/pre's for 'plug-in  
powered' electrets but this does raise an interesting question:
- how do I use a self-powered electret (like a Sony ECM-737 stereo  
mic) with a preamp that provides 'plug-in power' like the SP- 
PREAMP-4? is there a DC blocking adapter/cable for this purpose?


> 30dB gain is adequate for recording concerts and other loud sources.
> The Rolls MX34 and RME Quadmic's  60dB gain is more typical for field
> recording.
agreed...the SP-PREAMP-4 does have a 50dB gain setting which I have  
tried with my crap JVC single point stereo electrets and I got some  
nice recordings...I haven't put the files up on an audio test bench  
or anything though ;)

> Its fairly unlikely that any of the cheaper outboard mic
> preamps one comes across will match the noise and gain performance of
> the mic preamp in the HiMD recorders.
yes this may be true but I'm fairly certain the SP-PREAMP-4 would  
match/exceed most HiMD pre's...

>> has anyone used the CHURCH-AUDIO stereo mics? comments?
>>
>
> Seems to be a line of electret grade products. The top of the line,
> $250 mics http://tinyurl.com/pcmst claim a self noise of "27dBA."
> That's about 5 dBA less noise than Panasonic WM61A's which you can
> build yourself for $15-30 a pair and about 5dBA noisier than the
> WL-183 Shures which run $190 a pair.
very interesting! the Sures WL-183's are rated at ~ 22.5dBA which  
even beats the $1000 DPA 4060 capsules by 0.5 dBA and are quite a bit  
cheaper...thanks for the tip!


> http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/WL183/  No sensitivity specs
> are provided for the Church mics and given the mention of "concert
> recording" the antennas might go up here too. Rob D.
yes...most of the 'plug-in powered' electrets weigh in (no pun  
intended) at ~30dbA more or less...I'm going to consider the Sure's  
if my Reactive Sound Auris mics don't cut it...