AT822 + Battery Box?

[mrsoul]

I have an AT822 single point mic that only runs on 1.5V AA battery in the mic. If I add a 9v battery box between the mic and the HI-MD mic input would that make any difference in the headroom?

How about into the line input?

I would have the battery in the AT822 in addition to the battery in the box. This would still be well below phantom power levels off a preamp but would it still boost the signal?

Any ideas about this setup are appreciated. I can get a 9v battery box from Giant Squid for $60. Just thinking about some ideas.

Mark

[dex Otaku]

The AT822 runs off its internal battery only, so a battery box will make no difference.

See http://www.audiotechnica.com/prodpro/profi...iles/AT822.html

Stated specs list max. SPL as 125dB which is quite high for mics running off a single AA battery. That is the spec to pay attention to when you're wondering how much headroom it has.

[mrsoul]

Thanks for the reply. I knew the SPL was around 125db but I wanted to know how I might be able to bypass the mic input and still have decent levels. Not that I have had bad results using my mic in on my Sharp DR7 and that mic in. I sometime get a little clip if the soundguy gets happy near the end of the show but I have learned to set the levels just a little low and get them higher once they are on the PC.

Just thinking about options prior to my first show with my new NH900- Derek Trucks in Wilmington, NC on 10/29. I plan to use the mic in with the ACG setting on loud music and also play with the manual levels if they do 2 sets. If only 1 set, then I will probably stick with manual levels through the mic in on low sens. Thanks again for the info and reply.

Mark

[dex Otaku]

Considering the fact that the dynamic range experienced at a typical rock concert is extremely low [unless you actually want all the quietest crowd noise possible], using manual levels and recording with peaks as low as -30dB [0 being digital peak] should still give you excellent results.

Actual professional sound recordists leave as much as 20dB of headroom free just in case - i.e. peaking at -20dB. The amount of noise incurred by increasing the volume later in post should still be negligible, even with a 16-bit system.

It's better to have lots of headroom than it is to have lots of clipping.

Chances are, if you were getting clipping before it was from either a) levels set high enough that those rare peaks clip or the mic overloading the preamp on your MD recorder.

Using an external preamp [not a battery box] which runs to the line-in of your recorder is another option for you. The preamps on most MD/HiMD recorders are rather anemic when it comes to raw headroom due to issues surrounding miniaturisation and low power designs.

[mrsoul]

Unfortunately, I don't think I can use a preamp with that AT822 (or at least one in my budget). I am waiting for Reactive Sounds to test their Boost Box with that mic but I have heard of some noise problems with that mic in that combo.

When I did get clipping with the Sharp DR7 and that mic on the mic input it was probably more due to me pushing the levels more than anything since the clips were at the loudest moments and when I had a little drink and got greedy.

I have learned some lessons the more I use it and my last show worked really good leaving the levels down on the mic input, the line input was too low to monitor (it was an outdoor show and the SPL were low). If there is an opening band next week, I may see what my line input levels show as a test but will probably stick with low sens on the mic input. Thanks again for the input.

Mark