Anybody using one of these? What do you think of its performance?

I'm considering one as well, would like to hear some opinions too

I wanted info on the Mico as well and it was very hard to find. Now that I've spent a little time with one, I wanted to put some info here in case anyone else is interested.

First off, very happy with it, good simple build quality, and the sound is both defined and rich at the same time. If I had to pick one word - Refined. Smooth rounded low mids and bass, punchy high mids, like it reaches out and pulls you in, a 3D feel. Reminds me somewhat of the FMR RNP with the punchy thing, but the Mico is a little creamier (YMMV). It doesn't have the homogenized evened out feel of an API type pre or a BG1, but it almost sounds like there's a transformer in there somewhere. An interesting marriage of old and new sound concepts (to my ear, anyway) and certainly has broad applications, especially if you want a sound that can be gently aggressive but rich and open at the same time.

The A/D converter sounds very nice! Compared it to the converters in the 003 by sending an analog output from the Mico to an 003 line in at the same time as spdif optical to another channel. The difference was startling on an acoustic guitar. I knew the 003 converters were nothing great, but the Mico made the 003 converters sound like dogfood, truly.

The HMX feature is useful if you want a little tubey/transformerish thickness. Very little definition is lost and the clarity of the natural signal still shines through the added warmth. Nice to have another color in the palette if desired.

Haven't needed the phase adjust yet so no comments there.

Considering the sound quality of the pres and the super clean A/D, it's a great value. It has a subtle "glow" mojo thing going on that I associate with the sound of a high end pre, just enough character to be interesting and still provide excellent reproduction of the source.

I have one. Nice sounding, and with the AD functionality the perfect expansion for a basic DAW setup!

Sven

After using it for few days I bought ASP008 to have 8 channels of them, I did not like HMX feature that much, pres themselves were good enough. Great on acoustic instruments. Maybe it was only the one that I used, but there was a high pitched noise coming from PSU which was distracting and when tracking in the same room as Mico I had to put it in some box. ASP008 is better in this regard, there is a fan inside though, so it is not noiseless as well (but sound of it is not distracting).

Thanks for posting this. I've been looking for info on this unit and it just seems like there is nothing out there.

Could you by chance post a clip of it in use? Just a few chords on a guitar or something would be cool. Perhaps an A/B with it in use and not?

I've still yet to hear a single clip of it anywhere.

No noises from mine, totally silent.

I am very interested. Do you meant, External noise from PSU or intrinsic noise ?

There is at least one clip of it in a mic pre shootout with a bunch of others, not sure if it was here or another recording site. Not easy to find but it's out there. If I get a chance I'll post some clips but it might take a while.

A very highly-regarded unit. I almost got one during my search for preamps a few months ago. Definately worth it if you need to upgrade your converters as well!

As an Audient dealer I suppose I'm kind of biased in saying the Mico is an excellent preamp.

That being said, my side business uses Audient (ASP-008 and Mico) for all our multitrack work and the Mico has equalled or blown away comparably priced preamps and much more expensive ones. I won't name names publicly, but you'd be surprised at what preamps we thought the Mico destroyed...!

As for the PSU issue, I've never experienced that with any that we have owned or any of the ones I've sold. Sounds like a flaky power supply - which can certainly happen with any gear!

I have a number a guerrilla field recordings (2 channel) that I have posted here and there in the past. If anyone is interested I will see if I can dig them up and post them here.

Dirk

How would you say the A/D converters in the mico are compared to RME? I've been looking at grabbing an RME Babyface and was thinking the Mico (since it has ADAT) would be a good way to add two more channels to it.

I'd love to get more info on the Mico. Everyone talks about it but not many people actually own them. This is the first thread where I've seen feedback from more than one owner!

To be more accurate the Mico has a toslink output (2 channel) and not a full ADAT output. If the Babyface can handle toslink on it's ADAT input (it should) then it's a great way to add 2 more channels.

As far as converters go, I've never compared RME and Audient directly. I've owned a Multiface, Digiface and an Octamic-D in the past. All have been great for what I needed at the time but if I had to make a decision today on one I would choose the Audient.

I want to clarify that although I am a dealer, I do not make my living pimping gear or recording so I have made a conscious decision to sell and promote only gear that I currently use or have used in the past. My goal is to try to raise awareness of some of the lesser known brands and pass along great deals on them to people who are willing to take the chance on them.

I like RME products a lot and would not hesitate to use anything they produce, but if I had to choose I would go with Audient gear first every time.

Just My .02

Yeah, this unit seems like it has never really made a name for itself in the slut community. Which is a shame, because with AD conversion, S/PDIF (TOSlink and coax) and AES connectivity, it really is the perfect unit for improving and expanding a small project setup!

Sven

It was coming directly from PSU box, so external. But seems like it was just this unit so no worries

The pres really do sound great and deserve more play around here. And the overall package is very forward thinking with high quality connectivity and a few extra features that you may or may not use, but they help make it more than a one trick pony.

A shame it does not go to 192k on its own clock - a very useful setting for sound designers.

There are only 2 things about the Mico I would change. One is the 192kHz capability, the other is the shape. It's an ideal desktop or racked up unit, but it doesn't fit well in portable setups if you have to run it out of a bag. Kind of like the Apogee portable gear. If it had a smaller and not as deep form factor it would be flying off the shelves in the field recording community I'm sure...

Still, for a unit around $600 US it just can't be beaten by anything in its price range right now.

Dirk

Maybe slightly off topic, but this is something that i was wondering about: how would you power devices like this from a bag? Obviously if you have a power socket nearby that would be easy, but are you talking about batteries? (was planning to record some things in a location without power: mic mico laptop+ battery or something like that... usb hack maybe?)

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On another note, i had some questions about the ADC and line ins, but im not sure if its correct to ask them here? I had already made a thread for it.

We have a 12-18V laptop battery AND we have a BatteryGeek 10-14-88 portable battery. Both are Li-Ion and run the thing for DAYS...

It must have 10V power or phantom power will not supply. It will power up with the more common 9V DVD batteries but since we could never get it to engage phantom we never tested any more so I don't know what the signal is like. It specs at 10-16V so anything in that range will work. USB will not as it's only 5V.

"USB will not as it's only 5V" was kinda where I had my hack in mind: combining power from 2 usb ports heh But i think i will just go for a laptop battery.
Great, thanks for the answer tnjazz!

I wondered about that possibility after I wrote it actually, but I can't say I've ever tried it or know anyone else who has. If the power can be combined from 2 ports to reach a minimum of 10V there's no reason it shouldn't work though.

Thanks for the feedback. The Mico has been on my "I want it but know nothing about it" list for awhile...it's good to hear from people who have used it.

I have the Babyface, combined with a Mico. It's a perfect combination and gives you 4 high-quality recording channels. Toslink works perfectly.

I've found it hard to hear clear differences in terms of A/D conversion. The preamps on the Babyface hold their own next to the Mico, with the Mico sounding a bit more rounded. The Babyface pres sound very detailed.

I've had a mico for a couple of months now. I love it. I was using the digital output from this to feed into an m-audio project mix. I've upgraded my setup to use an A&H Zed r16 mixer and I'm running analog out into a channel insert to bypass the zed pre. In either situation I've been very happy with the sound I'm getting with an audio-technic a at4060 tube mic on my voice, as well as mixing acoustic and even using it as a hi-z input for guitar and bass. It sounds very open and clean to my ears.

The users have spoken!

So now RUN, don't walk, to your

<--
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<-- nearest Audient dealer
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and get a Mico today!








j/k! If you haven't tried one it's well worth the investment though. 4 out of 5 gearslutz recommend it! heh

This thread makes me want one even more now and I am in the market for new pre too...

Most of the gear in my studio is high-end BUT I also have a Mico and I guess it is one of the best quality/price ration machine I have ever owned.
I use it all the time and its performances equal those of much pricier boutique pres.
Excellent on almost anything you throw at it.
Go for it.

Very cool to hear. I just need to get me one. heh

How would you describe its sound? I know (from what I've read) it's not overly colored. What would you typically use it on, vocals?