The options for battery-powered preamps?

Brackish 🎙️ · 14th November 2006

Wondering what decent preamp models there are.
Looking for something that runs on batteries
such as AA, 9V, etc.

bishopthomas · 14th November 2006

Do you have any kind of budget? How many channels? The Grace Lunatec V3 is highly regarded and does just this. I used an RME QuadMic for a while and it worked great. It ran off a 12 volt.

tnjazz · 14th November 2006

If you don't need the A/D conversion, I'd recommend the Sonosax SX-M2 over the V3 (any day of the week!) Although the V3 is a quiality piece of gear as well.

Other options abound, for sure. Try http://www.taperssection.com for more information. They're mostly field recordists over there so it's all about battery powered everything.

Brackish 🎙️ · 14th November 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by tnjazz ➡️

If you don't need the A/D conversion, I'd recommend the Sonosax SX-M2 over the V3 (any day of the week!)

Thanks. No, I don't need A/D conversion. Just looking
for 1 or 2 channels, XLR in and analog out, with phantom.

tnjazz · 14th November 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brackish ➡️

Thanks. No, I don't need A/D conversion. Just looking
for 1 or 2 channels, XLR in and analog out, with phantom.

Sonosax SX-M2. Runs 4-5 hours on 2x9V batteries with phantom power. Variable gain, low cut, and 3 position gain switch. Very small, very portable.

feyshay · 14th November 2006

When mobile or in the field I've run my Apogee Mini-me off a battery (purchased from Cascade Media for $150). I imagine you could run the Mini-MP off the battery too. That will certainly get you two very nice and clean preamps.

tnjazz · 14th November 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by feyshay ➡️

When mobile or in the field I've run my Apogee Mini-me off a battery (purchased from Cascade Media for $150). I imagine you could run the Mini-MP off the battery too. That will certainly get you two very nice and clean preamps.

V3 and MiniMe are battery powerable, but only by SLAs or LiIon. Original post indicated a desire to use a preamp that runs on Alkaline-type batteries.

portobellovcs3 · 14th November 2006

Sound devices MP-1 and MM-1 can run on AA batteries I believe.

Jim vanBergen · 15th November 2006

How about using a cooper mixer? Run on D cells.

Personally, I'd invest in a decent DC supply and design a PSU for Neve Porticos. Sound great, and run on anything from 9-18vDC. Can you say Anton Bauer DC bricks?

Jim

Brackish 🎙️ · 15th November 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by tnjazz ➡️

V3 and MiniMe are battery powerable, but only by SLAs or LiIon.

SLA's? What's that?

Baithak · 15th November 2006

Jerry at Posthorn carries a wide variety of Battery powered pres - in addition to the aforementioned Sonosax and SoundDevices, there is also the Schoeps box and one by Denecke although that only has a digital output as far as I know.

scroll to the bottom of:

http://www.posthorn.com/Prod_1.html

I currently use the Sounddevices 442 mixer which is also battery powered and has pretty high quality pres.

Good luck,
Baithak

Brackish 🎙️ · 16th November 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim vanBergen ➡️

How about using a cooper mixer? Run on D cells.

I'll have to look into the Cooper mixers. How are the pre's on
the D-cell Coopers? Any particular models you'd recommend?

I know Behringer makes at least one mixer that runs
on batteries but have heard that Behringer gear isn't
too good.

Brackish 🎙️ · 16th November 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim vanBergen ➡️

How about using a cooper mixer? Run on D cells.

Haha. I take it that was a joke. I just checked the prices
on those Coopers and it's $5000 for a 4-channel mixer
and $15,000 for an 8-channel.

Jim vanBergen · 16th November 2006

Sorry, you did not specify a price range. Cooper is THE console for film production. Yes, they are expensive, because they sound great. The pre's are quite nice.

I only know of two people who use them for remote work, and they also use them for film production audio so the price was not an issue.

Sometimes serious gear takes serious $$. I prefer Cadac but no DC options. This stuff and the B-word do not belong in the same sentence.

tnjazz · 16th November 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brackish ➡️

SLA's? What's that?

sealed lead acid. The heavy ones about the size of a paperback book.

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