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Richard Crowley Richard Crowley is offline
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Default Selecting 8-chan micpre/ADAT interface

Budget: $1K~3K
Use: Live, location recording, mostly classical choral & instrumental
Recorder: Alesis HD24
Priorities:
1) "tonally neutral" mic preamps
2) 8 channels
3) ADAT lightpipe output (44.1, 48K @ 24 bit)
4) 1 RU (if possible?)

Short list:
Mackie Onyx 800R
Focusrite OctoPre
Presonus Digimax

Any thoughts, advice, experience, recommendations?

I have a large, live recording project (150 voice men's
festival chorus + organ, brass, percussion) in about a
month from now that I would like to upgrade for.

I am also likely buying a matched pair of Josephson
C42 as my main stereo pair (since I can't justify the
$$$ for Schoeps or DPA) Open for suggestions.


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Mike Rivers Mike Rivers is offline
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Default Selecting 8-chan micpre/ADAT interface

On Mar 27, 2:03 pm, "Richard Crowley" wrote:

Priorities:
1) "tonally neutral" mic preamps
2) 8 channels
3) ADAT lightpipe output (44.1, 48K @ 24 bit)
4) 1 RU (if possible?)

Short list:
Mackie Onyx 800R
Focusrite OctoPre
Presonus Digimax


For what it's worth, I have a Mackie 800R and it sounds just fine. I
can't compare it to the others because I haven't heard them. I
actually found a use for the impedance switch that's on the first two
channels. The CAD 7000 ribbon mic that I reviewed sounded best when
switched to 500 ohms. Everything else around here sounds best when
switched to the highest impedance, so I guess it's no big deal, but
something to try.

The M-S matrix is pretty neat. Wish there were two pairs like that.

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WJ WJ is offline
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Default Selecting 8-chan micpre/ADAT interface


"Richard Crowley" wrote in message
...
Budget: $1K~3K
Use: Live, location recording, mostly classical choral & instrumental
Recorder: Alesis HD24
Priorities:
1) "tonally neutral" mic preamps
2) 8 channels
3) ADAT lightpipe output (44.1, 48K @ 24 bit)
4) 1 RU (if possible?)

Short list:
Mackie Onyx 800R
Focusrite OctoPre
Presonus Digimax

Any thoughts, advice, experience, recommendations?

I have a large, live recording project (150 voice men's
festival chorus + organ, brass, percussion) in about a
month from now that I would like to upgrade for.

I am also likely buying a matched pair of Josephson
C42 as my main stereo pair (since I can't justify the
$$$ for Schoeps or DPA) Open for suggestions.


I'm running Presonus Firepods, which are roughly the firewire-equipped
version of the Digimax. The preamps are fine. Nothing spectacular, but
clean and reliable for their price. For recording to my HD24 I run from the
line outputs and through a patchbay into the recorder. I decided to steer
away from the Lightpipe ports becasue I trust the A/D converters in the
Alesis unit a little more than the ones in the Presonus, and want the option
of recording to higher resolutions without sacrificing channels.

I"ve never played with an OctoPre. The focusrite has the onboard
compressors, of course, but with the HD24 I've rarely had to worry that much
about recording levels. A 2-channel outboard limiter would easily
accommodate the times I've needed to worry about getting good recording
levels without clipping.

I had a bad experience with Mackie's service, and so don't buy or recommend
them. That says nothing one way or the other about the quality or
performance of their gear; I just can't afford to be treated like mud when I
need to get something fixed.

It's on the extreme high end of your budget, and doesn't have the lightpipe
output, but the kind of recording you're doing is pretty demanding. If
you're going to be doing a lot of this kind of thing, you might consider the
True Systems Precision 8. I've only heard about them, but by reputation
they are remarkably transparent and quiet.

Cheers,
Walt


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AndyP AndyP is offline
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Default Selecting 8-chan micpre/ADAT interface


Mike Rivers wrote:

For what it's worth, I have a Mackie 800R and it sounds just fine. I
can't compare it to the others because I haven't heard them. I
actually found a use for the impedance switch that's on the first two
channels. The CAD 7000 ribbon mic that I reviewed sounded best when
switched to 500 ohms. Everything else around here sounds best when
switched to the highest impedance, so I guess it's no big deal, but
something to try.

The M-S matrix is pretty neat. Wish there were two pairs like that.



Hi Mike, do you know how the variable impedance is accomplished on the
Mackie 800R?

Thanks,
Andy


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Mike Rivers Mike Rivers is offline
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Default Selecting 8-chan micpre/ADAT interface

On Mar 28, 10:23 am, "AndyP" wrote:

Hi Mike, do you know how the variable impedance is accomplished on the
Mackie 800R?


Not exactly. I don't have the schematic, but it's not just resistors
and it's not a tapped transformer. There are a bunch of inductors and
capacitors on the circuit board in an area associated with those two
channels that aren't in the other channels. I think they're "faking"
it. G But it definitely makes a difference.

In addition to whatever it does in terms of loading the mic, the low
frequency rolloff changes as you change the impedance setting. At the
2.4K setting it's flat down to 10 Hz. At 500 ohms, it's down about 2
dB at 20 Hz, and it's about 4 dB down at 20 Hz at the 300 ohm
setting.





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AndyP AndyP is offline
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Default Selecting 8-chan micpre/ADAT interface


Mike Rivers wrote:

Not exactly. I don't have the schematic, but it's not just resistors
and it's not a tapped transformer. There are a bunch of inductors and
capacitors on the circuit board in an area associated with those two
channels that aren't in the other channels. I think they're "faking"
it. G But it definitely makes a difference.

In addition to whatever it does in terms of loading the mic, the low
frequency rolloff changes as you change the impedance setting. At the
2.4K setting it's flat down to 10 Hz. At 500 ohms, it's down about 2
dB at 20 Hz, and it's about 4 dB down at 20 Hz at the 300 ohm
setting.



Interesting. Thanks Mike.

Andy


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Richard Crowley Richard Crowley is offline
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Default Selecting 8-chan micpre/ADAT interface

Mike Rivers wrote:
Not exactly. I don't have the schematic, but it's not just resistors
and it's not a tapped transformer. There are a bunch of inductors and
capacitors on the circuit board in an area associated with those two
channels that aren't in the other channels. I think they're "faking"
it. G But it definitely makes a difference.

In addition to whatever it does in terms of loading the mic, the low
frequency rolloff changes as you change the impedance setting. At the
2.4K setting it's flat down to 10 Hz. At 500 ohms, it's down about 2
dB at 20 Hz, and it's about 4 dB down at 20 Hz at the 300 ohm
setting.


Almost sounds like the extra loading was applied AFTER the
phantom-power decoupling capacitors (thereby effectively
forming a high-pass filter).


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Mike Rivers Mike Rivers is offline
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Default Selecting 8-chan micpre/ADAT interface

On Mar 28, 6:02 pm, "Richard Crowley" wrote:

Almost sounds like the extra loading was applied AFTER the
phantom-power decoupling capacitors (thereby effectively
forming a high-pass filter).


Or maybe a shunt inductance of a few Hy?

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max rock max rock is offline
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Default Selecting 8-chan micpre/ADAT interface

I picked up an OctoPre a couple of months ago. The pres sound fine to
me (actually really good for the $$$) but the compression is another
thing entirely. It's a one knob deal with a yellow light showing the
"compression level". If the light is just blinking a bit or barely
blinking it sounds OK. The light gets steady and darker as the
compression increases and it sounds pretty bad once that happens. But
since I use it primarily for drum kit tracking (minus BD/snare which
go through an RNC) and only use light compression if any on the
remaining kit I have no problem with it.

I'm recording heavy rock stuff most of the time if that makes a diff.

max rock


On Mar 27, 3:49 pm, "soundhaspriority" wrote:
"Richard Crowley" wrote in message

... Budget: $1K~3K
Use: Live, location recording, mostly classical choral & instrumental
Recorder: Alesis HD24
Priorities:
1) "tonally neutral" mic preamps
2) 8 channels
3) ADAT lightpipe output (44.1, 48K @ 24 bit)
4) 1 RU (if possible?)


Short list:
Mackie Onyx 800R
Focusrite OctoPre
Presonus Digimax


I want to pick up an Octopre. The compressors are supposedly a useful
anti-clipping aid. My only concerns are the vague rumors about bad internal
construction, but I can't find anything definite. One high end Australia
dealer claims he opened one up for repair and found that a bad trace had
been replaced by a jumper. This is not likely if the circuit board is good
quality epoxy.
???

Bob Morein
Dresher, PA
(215) 646-4894



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max rock max rock is offline
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Default Selecting 8-chan micpre/ADAT interface

Cool. Let us know what you think. I'd be particularly interested in
your take on the compression.

max rock

On Mar 29, 12:43 pm, "Soundhaspriority" wrote:
Thanks, interesting. Mine arrives tomorrow.
My main interest in the compression is to prevent clipping in live
situations.

Bob Morein
Dresher, PA
(215) 646-4894

"max rock" wrote in message

ups.com...



I picked up an OctoPre a couple of months ago. The pres sound fine to
me (actually really good for the $$$) but the compression is another
thing entirely. It's a one knob deal with a yellow light showing the
"compression level". If the light is just blinking a bit or barely
blinking it sounds OK. The light gets steady and darker as the
compression increases and it sounds pretty bad once that happens. But
since I use it primarily for drum kit tracking (minus BD/snare which
go through an RNC) and only use light compression if any on the
remaining kit I have no problem with it.


I'm recording heavy rock stuff most of the time if that makes a diff.


max rock


On Mar 27, 3:49 pm, "soundhaspriority" wrote:
"Richard Crowley" wrote in message


... Budget: $1K~3K
Use: Live, location recording, mostly classical choral & instrumental
Recorder: Alesis HD24
Priorities:
1) "tonally neutral" mic preamps
2) 8 channels
3) ADAT lightpipe output (44.1, 48K @ 24 bit)
4) 1 RU (if possible?)


Short list:
Mackie Onyx 800R
Focusrite OctoPre
Presonus Digimax


I want to pick up an Octopre. The compressors are supposedly a useful
anti-clipping aid. My only concerns are the vague rumors about bad
internal
construction, but I can't find anything definite. One high end Australia
dealer claims he opened one up for repair and found that a bad trace had
been replaced by a jumper. This is not likely if the circuit board is
good
quality epoxy.
???


Bob Morein
Dresher, PA
(215) 646-4894- Hide quoted text -


- Show quoted text -





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Richard Crowley Richard Crowley is offline
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Default Selecting 8-chan micpre/ADAT interface

I want to pick up an Octopre. The compressors are supposedly
a useful anti-clipping aid. My only concerns are the vague rumors
about bad internal construction, but I can't find anything definite.


One report I read was that the after-market, field add-in Lightpipe
board was difficult to install and had to be "bent" to get it into its
designated spot. This doesn't particularly trouble me, YMMV.

One high end Australia dealer claims he opened one up for repair
and found that a bad trace had been replaced by a jumper. This is
not likely if the circuit board is good quality epoxy.


I think he has no experience with PC boards. Repairing a trace (or even
implementing an engineering change) with a soldered jumper wire
is very common and sure beats throwing out a board worth hundreds
(or thousands) of $$$ for a trivial fix.


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Scott Fraser Scott Fraser is offline
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Default Selecting 8-chan micpre/ADAT interface

1) "tonally neutral" mic preamps
2) 8 channels
3) ADAT lightpipe output (44.1, 48K @ 24 bit)
4) 1 RU (if possible?)
Short list:
Mackie Onyx 800R
Focusrite OctoPre
Presonus Digimax

Add to the list the MOTU 8Pre. "Tonally neutral" covers a bit of
territory but if you can get by with something less than an 8 channel
Millennia, the MOTU mic pre is pretty much non-colored, though
certainly not an audiophile level device. The price sure is right.

Scott Fraser

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RD Jones RD Jones is offline
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Location: Nashville
Posts: 393
Default Selecting 8-chan micpre/ADAT interface

"Richard Crowley" wrote:

Budget: $1K~3K
Use: Live, location recording, mostly classical choral & instrumental
Recorder: Alesis HD24
Priorities:
1) "tonally neutral" mic preamps
2) 8 channels
3) ADAT lightpipe output (44.1, 48K @ 24 bit)
4) 1 RU (if possible?)

Short list:
Mackie Onyx 800R
Focusrite OctoPre
Presonus Digimax


The Ramsa (Panasonic) WZ AD96M 8-channel mic preamp/A-D
converter may meet your requirements, if you can find one.

rd

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