Arpangel wrote:...the A&H is a great line mixer, but as usual, on a lot of mixers, the mic amps aren’t anything to write home about, a bit noisy, with quite bad gain bunching, they only give me a usable range when turned up full, with a 201.
Gain bunching is almost inevitable with preamps using continuous gain pots, and the more gain on offer, the more bunching there tends to be.
But I wouldn't have said the mixwizard preamps are noisy at all. In comparison to many low-cost consoles I'd say they were pretty good. The spec claims -127dB which is better than many 'classic' preamps that people get all moist and gooey about!
In my experience, most claims that 'these preamps are noisy' come from poor mic technique and noisy environments, rather than noisy electronics.
Technical Editor, Sound On Sound...
(But generally posting my own personal views and not necessarily those of SOS, the company or the magazine!)
In my world, things get less strange when I read the manual...
Hugh Robjohns wrote:
But I wouldn't have said the mixwizard preamps are noisy at all. In comparison to many low-cost consoles I'd say they were pretty good. The spec claims -127dB which is better than many 'classic' preamps that people get all moist and gooey about!
I'd have to agree with Hugh on this - the preamps in my A&H desk are very similar to those in the Mixwizard and preamp noise has never been a problem. I have a very quiet vocal booth where microphone noise from the old style U87 is probably the biggest noise source I encounter.
Arpangel wrote:...the A&H is a great line mixer, but as usual, on a lot of mixers, the mic amps aren’t anything to write home about, a bit noisy, with quite bad gain bunching, they only give me a usable range when turned up full, with a 201.
Gain bunching is almost inevitable with preamps using continuous gain pots, and the more gain on offer, the more bunching there tends to be.
But I wouldn't have said the mixwizard preamps are noisy at all. In comparison to many low-cost consoles I'd say they were pretty good. The spec claims -127dB which is better than many 'classic' preamps that people get all moist and gooey about!
In my experience, most claims that 'these preamps are noisy' come from poor mic technique and noisy environments, rather than noisy electronics.
You’re right, there is a fridge in the basement, and it’s so quiet, you can’t hear it normally with your ears, but because I was using so much gain, the mic was amplifying it, and producing a buzzing, humming sound.
I tried the Skeet preamp, and it was the same, but there was definitely no gain bunching!
More than enough gain for the 201 at a setting of 12 o’clock, I’m going to stick with this, I just need a good pop shield, just in case, and I just have to turn the fridge off when recording.
Last edited by Arpangel on Mon May 17, 2021 7:44 am, edited 2 times in total.
Airfix wrote:Ribbons are sweet - they have a 'neutrally' slow response - that sharp attack - you would not notice with a ribbon - sweet mics. They are not like LDCs - which are open and honest - I have an old se2200 which is is fantastic
Ribbons have a very fast transient response due to the very low mass of the ribbon element. Much faster than moving coil dynamic mics.
Yes, they also have a subdued top end, but that’s not tied in with the transient respone.
Airfix wrote:Ribbons are sweet - they have a 'neutrally' slow response - that sharp attack - you would not notice with a ribbon - sweet mics. They are not like LDCs - which are open and honest - I have an old se2200 which is is fantastic
Ribbons have a very fast transient response due to the very low mass of the ribbon element. Much faster than moving coil dynamic mics.
Yes, they also have a subdued top end, but that’s not tied in with the transient respone.
I can appreciate ribbons, they have their uses, but I’ve never got on with them myself, always found them to sound a bit dead and lifeless.
Technical Editor, Sound On Sound...
(But generally posting my own personal views and not necessarily those of SOS, the company or the magazine!)
In my world, things get less strange when I read the manual...
Hugh Robjohns wrote:For balance, I love ribbons and find them beautifully natural sounding mics. I much prefer them to most LDCs in many roles!
I would also agree. I use my ribbon mics for voice narration more than any other mic at present, and that is also because they sound so natural. (Royer R1901)
Technical Editor, Sound On Sound...
(But generally posting my own personal views and not necessarily those of SOS, the company or the magazine!)
In my world, things get less strange when I read the manual...
Technical Editor, Sound On Sound...
(But generally posting my own personal views and not necessarily those of SOS, the company or the magazine!)
In my world, things get less strange when I read the manual...
The Red Bladder wrote:Tone, the time I recorded you here, I put an M149 in front of your mouth. Is that the sound you are after?
Could be, I’ll have to listen to those recordings, I’m not sure about the material, that was more straight dialogue, it suited that, just very clear and warm, now I’m using my singing voice a bit more, with noises, so something that emphasises mouth noise would be good, the 201 isn’t bad, and cheaper than a 149!
