W1GUH
12-17-2011, 12:29 PM
Mangling a quote by Hunter Thompson.....
Part of my studio is a mic preamp, brand is dbX. It's an excellent piece and works supremely well. Does all it needs to including phantom power.
BUT, and this blows my mind from such a well-respected company. It's got a wall wart. Well it is what is and there's no avoiding them. But dbX did crappy job with this one. It works just fine; no gripes there. But it's an off-brand and its voltage (20v) doesn't match the preamp (18v). Well, OK....the preamp specs probably say that's OK; that's not listed.
The problem is that I hadn't applied Sharpie-fu to the unit and, when I it pulled out after years of neglect last night I had to do a lot of soul-searching to determine it was the right one for the preamp. As it turned out, it was OK.
Just a rant...and a heads up if you run into this.
Actually an excuse to post this long-winded information.
I got that preamp at Manny's Music, and the sales guy there was excellent. I was picking up a large diaphragm studio mic for my workstation. After I decided on the Shure KSM-32 (Sweet!), then the guy told me the "facts of life."
He said the preamps in my workstation were more or less an afterthought, and probably cost about a dollar, and to get all out of the mic I could, I really needed to spend the extra $$$ for a preamp. Couldn't just get a phantom power supply. His reasons were compelling and I wound up with the dbX. It's a fine unit, just didn't catch on & he had one he could give me a good break on.
It was that experience that made me receptive when the guy in the high-end stereo shop told me about phono preampes. I was receptive to what he said and got the Creek. And, yes, I immediately heard the difference between that and any other hi-fi gear I've had, including a Dynakit PAS-3. It was breathtaking! That's why I'm such an evangelist about doing vinyl digitization correctly.
And, BTW, about leaving a preamp on all the time. dbX, also, recommends that. That's two for two from well-respected companies. I'm thinking that there IS something to that. OTOH, the potential for damage/fire is a compelling reason NOT to do that. Just make sure to allow for time for the preamp to come up!
And P.S.
A couple of years ago I picked up a Behringer B-1 at a hamfest for $65. Grabbed it! Looked and felt like the Shure...even came in it's own case with mount and wind guard. Didn't know at the time that they're only $100 new. Finally gave it a test drive last night and I LIKE it! It's also top-rated at Guitar Center. Damn site cheaper that the Shure, and sounds like a pair of those will do me right!
Part of my studio is a mic preamp, brand is dbX. It's an excellent piece and works supremely well. Does all it needs to including phantom power.
BUT, and this blows my mind from such a well-respected company. It's got a wall wart. Well it is what is and there's no avoiding them. But dbX did crappy job with this one. It works just fine; no gripes there. But it's an off-brand and its voltage (20v) doesn't match the preamp (18v). Well, OK....the preamp specs probably say that's OK; that's not listed.
The problem is that I hadn't applied Sharpie-fu to the unit and, when I it pulled out after years of neglect last night I had to do a lot of soul-searching to determine it was the right one for the preamp. As it turned out, it was OK.
Just a rant...and a heads up if you run into this.
Actually an excuse to post this long-winded information.
I got that preamp at Manny's Music, and the sales guy there was excellent. I was picking up a large diaphragm studio mic for my workstation. After I decided on the Shure KSM-32 (Sweet!), then the guy told me the "facts of life."
He said the preamps in my workstation were more or less an afterthought, and probably cost about a dollar, and to get all out of the mic I could, I really needed to spend the extra $$$ for a preamp. Couldn't just get a phantom power supply. His reasons were compelling and I wound up with the dbX. It's a fine unit, just didn't catch on & he had one he could give me a good break on.
It was that experience that made me receptive when the guy in the high-end stereo shop told me about phono preampes. I was receptive to what he said and got the Creek. And, yes, I immediately heard the difference between that and any other hi-fi gear I've had, including a Dynakit PAS-3. It was breathtaking! That's why I'm such an evangelist about doing vinyl digitization correctly.
And, BTW, about leaving a preamp on all the time. dbX, also, recommends that. That's two for two from well-respected companies. I'm thinking that there IS something to that. OTOH, the potential for damage/fire is a compelling reason NOT to do that. Just make sure to allow for time for the preamp to come up!
And P.S.
A couple of years ago I picked up a Behringer B-1 at a hamfest for $65. Grabbed it! Looked and felt like the Shure...even came in it's own case with mount and wind guard. Didn't know at the time that they're only $100 new. Finally gave it a test drive last night and I LIKE it! It's also top-rated at Guitar Center. Damn site cheaper that the Shure, and sounds like a pair of those will do me right!