Jonny Durango wrote:
Okay for my first field recording rig, it's come down to two choices:

MK012's Denecke PS2 Denecke AD-20 NJB3

OR

R1, PMD660 or Microtrack2496 with MK012's

My main concern is overall sound quality. I'd like to get the best
possible sound with the least noise. Intuition would say that the first
setup, with more dedicated (and more expensive) components would sound
the best, and would be capable of doing broadcast quality recordings.

I have never even heard of the Microtrack 2496, and I have never used the
PMD660. But I was not all that impressed with the AD-20.... the mike
preamps could have been a lot better, and the gain controls were very
fiddly and difficult to match.

But would all these seperate components and cables actually increase the
overall noise compared to the dedicated CF recorders? Also, would the
added headroom of 24/96 recordings actually make for a better S/N ratio?
If you had the choice, which would you choose? Thanks a ton!

If it were my choice, I'd spend all my money on the best possible microphones
and borrow a cheap DAT deck like the old DA P-20 until I could get better.

The converters in the DA P-20 stink for the most part and the mike preamps
are just godawful. But listen to the stuff I made on them for the RAP CD set.
Money spent on mikes will buy you more than on anything else, I think.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."