Small remote and/or field recording rig - any ideas?

[airmate]

hey guys,

i'm starting to think about buying a small remote recording rig, and i'd like to get some input and ideas.

my studio is pretty well equipped, i own a couple of vintage telefunken modules (v72...), some urei, teletronix, manley, eli and chandler stuff, vintage neumann tube mics, etc.

the remote rig i'm thinking of doesn't have to be exactly in the same league, but it should provide good audio quality that is more or less on par with the gear mentioned above.
that being said, i simply don't want to go the hi-end route this time and spend a couple 1000 bucks...

i want to be able to record two tracks in decent quality on remote locations. perhaps even 3-4 tracks, but this isn't mandatory for the very first time. think of grand piano overdubs recorded in a living room and stuff like that...

i already have a powerbook + rme multiface that i'm probably going to use.

this is some options i already thought of:

- fmr rnp
- alternatively a small portable rack for two siemens/telefunken v276 modules
(i already have them, i would just need the rack)
- 2x neumann km184
- 2x akg c-411 l piezo mics (mostly for experimental recording)

a lunchbox with api preamps would surely be an option as well. but maybe this is too expensive. i simply don't need more hi-end preamps at the moment, and all the ones that i already have are not very portable 19" stuff - unfortunately.

i don't really know much about recent options in the mid-price league, since i concentrated on the more expensive stuff in the past years.
so it would be nice if anyone could come up with suggestions, especially regarding the mic pre(s) and perhaps a/d-converters.

please be aware that i don't need any eq or compression in my remote rig. i'm looking for a simple signal path that is as audiophile as possible without spending too much money.

[T.RayBullard]

For pres, I would reccomend a DAV BG-2(do a search on the forum, there is a wealth of info on DAV, a few of us prefer them over Millennia, and other "boutique" pres for critical work) and maybe a couple of Mytek stereo 96 or Lynx Aurora.
the RME has conversion, no?? if it does have conversion, you could spend the rest of the money(the DAV is 1400 for 4 channels) on a SKB case. I use them for lower profile gigs.
sounds like you have the Mics covered.


www.davelectronics.com/bg2.htm

to order(if you go that route) you send an email to
mick@davelectronics.com OR davelectronics@tiscali.co.uk

Originally Posted by airmate

hey guys,

i'm starting to think about buying a small remote recording rig, and i'd like to get some input and ideas.

my studio is pretty well equipped, i own a couple of vintage telefunken modules (v72...), some urei, teletronix, manley, eli and chandler stuff, vintage neumann tube mics, etc.

the remote rig i'm thinking of doesn't have to be exactly in the same league, but it should provide good audio quality that is more or less on par with the gear mentioned above.
that being said, i simply don't want to go the hi-end route this time and spend a couple 1000 bucks...

i want to be able to record two tracks in decent quality on remote locations. perhaps even 3-4 tracks, but this isn't mandatory for the very first time. think of grand piano overdubs recorded in a living room and stuff like that...

i already have a powerbook + rme multiface that i'm probably going to use.

this is some options i already thought of:

- fmr rnp
- alternatively a small portable rack for two siemens/telefunken v276 modules
(i already have them, i would just need the rack)
- 2x neumann km184
- 2x akg c-411 l piezo mics (mostly for experimental recording)

a lunchbox with api preamps would surely be an option as well. but maybe this is too expensive. i simply don't need more hi-end preamps at the moment, and all the ones that i already have are not very portable 19" stuff - unfortunately.

i don't really know much about recent options in the mid-price league, since i concentrated on the more expensive stuff in the past years.
so it would be nice if anyone could come up with suggestions, especially regarding the mic pre(s) and perhaps a/d-converters.

please be aware that i don't need any eq or compression in my remote rig. i'm looking for a simple signal path that is as audiophile as possible without spending too much money.

[pkautzsch]

You might also think about a Tascam or Fostex CF card recorder. Something ite 1200 Euro league.
Their on-board preamps are clean, they are reliable, and not susceptible to transport issues. I wouldn't want to carry V276s or other vintage gear around in a car and over stairs and stuff all the time. If I didn't usually do 8 to 16 tracks, I'd probably use one of those field recorders.
More expensive: Sound Devices 744, Nagra V. NOT Nagra Ares, which is fine for home-recording musicians, but not when you have V76 and stuff like that.

[T.RayBullard]

Also, my buddy at www.oade.com (doug oade)

does mods to the Tascam HDp2 and the Fostex FR-2 that sound tremendous...

he also mods the marantz pmd671 and the pmd660.

all of those recorders are reliable, rugged, and DC powerable, and with the analog stage upgrades sound great as an all in one box.


Doug is a legend in the concert taping scene, and is an electronics genius.

[airmate]

thanks for your suggestions!
the DAV looks quite interesting, although i might prefer the two channel bg-1 version.
i don't want to use 19"-gear, something lunchbox-ish would be nicer.
and it's better for hand baggage as well, however these days it seems to get more and more complicated to carry weird recording stuff with you on an aircraft...