BEST mini jack PREAMP on PORTABLE RECORDER

Disease8

Disease8

New member
Hi I am recently looking into the cheaper side of the portable reorders available on the market today. I have had bad experiences with the Tascams. I wonder if there is any cheap recorder with a mini jack input that has decent preamps on that mini jack input?
It seems that mini jack preamps are never up to scratch of an xlr input quality wise and always sound thin and stale with higher noise floor.

I was looking at the tiny Marantz PMD620 and the reviews and specs seem like it has better than average preamps for only mini jack. Anyone can verify this?

I hear the H1 has lousy mini jack inputs on it.

The cheapest xlr input recorder is the Tascam dr-40, but I am wary of Tascam now after having two faulty recorders from them!

I would appreciate feedback on the recorders with mini jack inputs and if there is one that has a pre amp anywhere comparable to that of an xlr preamp.

I appreciate any help in this matter!
 
shoprt answer is no although someone may pop in with knowledge of a product I'm not aware of.

But essentially mini-jacks don't have a pre-amp like an XLR does. They're usually for 'line' level sources. I'm actually not aware of minijacks with mic pre-amps on them although, as I said, someone may know of one.
But for sure anything that needs phantom power isn't gonna work into a mini jack.
 
Lt. Bob said:
shoprt answer is no although someone may pop in with knowledge of a product I'm not aware of.

But essentially mini-jacks don't have a pre-amp like an XLR does. They're usually for 'line' level sources. I'm actually not aware of minijacks with mic pre-amps on them although, as I said, someone may know of one.
But for sure anything that needs phantom power isn't gonna work into a mini jack.
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Dude you dont seem to understand what the word pre amp means. A mini jack is a pre amp as it amplifies a signal be it line level, mic level...etc. A pre amp has nothing to do with phantom power. I wouldn't expect Phantom Power on a mini jack preamp because that would be impossible. The work pre amp simply means its amplifying before the main output amplifier (power amp, headphone amp..etc)..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preamplifier
 
Disease8 said:
It seems that mini jack preamps are never up to scratch of an xlr input quality wise and always sound thin and stale with higher noise floor.
Click to expand...

Maybe you know this already but, just to clarify, the type of connector has no effect on the quality of the signal passing through it.
Yeah, sure, there's probably a correlation in that lower quality devices are more likely to use 3.5mm jacks, but that's as far as it goes.

Basically, you could convert a mic's XLR output to 3.5mm and then back to XLR and pop it into a Neve preamp.
There'll be no difference in quality as a result.
They're just two different arrangements of metal contacts.

Disease8 said:
Dude you dont seem to understand what the word pre amp means. A mini jack is a pre amp as it amplifies a signal be it line level, mic level...etc. A pre amp has nothing to do with phantom power. I wouldn't expect Phantom Power on a mini jack preamp because that would be impossible. The work pre amp simply means its amplifying before the main output amplifier (power amp, headphone amp..etc)..
Click to expand...

It wouldn't be impossible to have phantom power. It just would be advisable due to the way the contacts are made with a jack type connector.
With XLR, pin 1 (ground) is slightly longer, just like UK mains plugs. This means ground makes contact before the two pins carrying 48v.
With a jack connector ground would be the last connection to be made when plugging in. That's why you don't see 48v available over jacks.

I can't really answer your questions about quality, but it might be important to ask what kind of mic you intend to use.
I'm betting 3.5mm microphones aren't used much around here, and I'm wondering if that would be a weaker link than the recorder or it's preamps.
 
Steenamaroo said:
Maybe you know this already but, just to clarify, the type of connector has no effect on the quality of the signal passing through it.
Yeah, sure, there's probably a correlation in that lower quality devices are more likely to use 3.5mm jacks, but that's as far as it goes.

Basically, you could convert a mic's XLR output to 3.5mm and then back to XLR and pop it into a Neve preamp.
There'll be no difference in quality as a result.
They're just two different arrangements of metal contacts.



It wouldn't be impossible to have phantom power. It just would be advisable due to the way the contacts are made with a jack type connector.
With XLR, pin 1 (ground) is slightly longer, just like UK mains plugs. This means ground makes contact before the two pins carrying 48v.
With a jack connector ground would be the last connection to be made when plugging in. That's why you don't see 48v available over jacks.

I can't really answer your questions about quality, but it might be important to ask what kind of mic you intend to use.
I'm betting 3.5mm microphones aren't used much around here, and I'm wondering if that would be a weaker link than the recorder or it's preamps.
Click to expand...

Yes I agree its not because its a mini jack connector, that is why I think there must be one that has decent circuitry to pre amp the signal instead of the crap they seem to put in there. I am using a decent mic and have a 3.5mm to xlr adapter, then using the battery power on the mic. If the mini jack input has the right impedance and amplification for the mic it should work fine shouldn't it? I am using a sennheiser mke 600 and have had very good results through a decent xlr preamp. Just want a mini jack one that is in the same ball park, doesn't have to be top notch. Seems the marantz pmd620 has reviews that seems to say this but its hard to tell without buying one of every recorder and test them all side by side lol
 
I know connectors dont make any difference I specifically asked about the pre amp not the mini jack connector. I'm not totally noob like everyone else on here hahahah
 
Disease8 said:
I know connectors dont make any difference I specifically asked about the pre amp not the mini jack connector. I'm not totally noob like everyone else on here hahahah
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Heh. Good stuff.
I'm sure you'll find a suitable unit under your own steam then.
Maybe you'll be courteous enough to let us know?
 
Steenamaroo said:
Heh. Good stuff.
I'm sure you'll find a suitable unit under your own steam then.
Maybe you'll be courteous enough to let us know?
Click to expand...

Yeah of course I will!
I am starting to get the feeling that hardly any manufacturers will bother to put any effort into the mini jack inputs on their recorders and XLR is probably the way to go. :-(

Shouldn't have sold my damn zoom h4n. Seems the cheapest decent recorder with XLR is the Tascam dr-40.. I don't really trust tascam as I got two defective units in a row from them!
 
Disease8 said:
Shouldn't have sold my damn zoom h4n. Seems the cheapest decent recorder with XLR is the Tascam dr-40.. I don't really trust tascam as I got two defective units in a row from them!
Click to expand...

I don't have first hand experience with the h4n, but it has some good rep around here.
I do, however, have a DR40 and while it's fine for youtube videos or whatever I'm doing with it, I was disappointed with the hiss/noise level when using dynamic mics.

I mean, it never completely ruined a recording, but I figure you just shouldn't be able to hear hiss with modern equipment.
 
Steenamaroo said:
I don't have first hand experience with the h4n, but it has some good rep around here.
I do, however, have a DR40 and while it's fine for youtube videos or whatever I'm doing with it, I was disappointed with the hiss/noise level when using dynamic mics.

I mean, it never completely ruined a recording, but I figure you just shouldn't be able to hear hiss with modern equipment.
Click to expand...

I have had a similar bad experience with Tascam, I bought a DR60 which I have to say had the best damn preamps I have heard on such a cheap piece of kit but it became faulty on the second day of shooting a feature film! I then got a cheap Tascam DR70 and that just sounded terrible on the mini jack input, loads of hiss and tinny AWFUL! And they said it had 90SNR in the specs!! SUCH A LIE! So I am not shocked at all about your feedback and thanks it might have saved me lots of time and money. I will stay away from Tascam unless I decide to risk another DR60 and hope I got one that had some quality control! Maybe the MKII version is improved.
I think I will have to just use my smart phone for now and save up for a Fostex FR2 LE which is the cheapest "pro" recorder on the market from what I can tell.
If you get an adapter then you can put your own mics and headphones on a smart phone like android, I bet its quality is on par with that damn DR70!! Hahhaha
 
Disease8 said:
Dude you dont seem to understand what the word pre amp means. A mini jack is a pre amp as it amplifies a signal be it line level, mic level...etc. A pre amp has nothing to do with phantom power. I wouldn't expect Phantom Power on a mini jack preamp because that would be impossible. The work pre amp simply means its amplifying before the main output amplifier (power amp, headphone amp..etc)..

Preamplifier - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Click to expand...
pretty snotty for no reason dude. And yes ..... I've owned and operated a studio for 44 years ..... I know pre amps just as well as you and since I was polite I don't see why you chose to be a snot.

And while the pre on a minijack is a preamp ..... it is usually NOT the same as a mic preamp as mini jacks are usually for line level sources.

I imagine you'll be rude again for no reason but let's see.
 
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