Anybody else pairing an RNP with a Digi 002?

ibleedburgundy

ibleedburgundy

The Anti-Lambo
I got an RNP 3 weeks ago and it is definitely an improvement over the pres in my 002. I've used it with a Nuemann KM-183, SM57, and an Audio Technica 4040. I used the Neumann and SM57 on guitar tracks and the 4040 for vocals.

Anyway, the sound seems a little more clear. More desirable. I didn't hate the preamps on the 002, but the RNP seems a little more true to what I'm hearing.

I might even get another one.
 
bennychico11 said:
funny thing is the line inputs on the 002 don't bypass the preamps on it. So you're still sending it through the pres ;)
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That's true if you're using the XLR inputs 1-4, but not the line inputs 5-8.

I have an RNP and a Digi002 Rack. I have not had a lot of time to experiment with it yet to tell the truth, especially on vocals. I did notice that I like my Pbass a lot more when I put it through the RNP and then into the Digi002. It's punchy and I don't have to worry about the preamp breaking up on the low E.

Try singing into an SM57 into the RNP!! Impressed me for sure. I don't know what it is the RNP does to the SM57, but it really brings it to life.

A pair of SM81s in X/Y on my Martin sound good through the RNP, although it seems to me like it enhances the midrange in a way that does not bring out the best qualities of that particular guitar. Nothing that can't be EQd out or worked around by better mic placement on my part. I have heard great sounding clips of acoustic guitar through an RNP, so it's either my guitar or me or both, not the RNP that is the weak link in that chain.

I also have a Digi001 and I did do a lot of AB between the RNP and the Digi001 mic preamps. The RNP through the line inputs on the Digi001 are definitely an improvement over the mic preamps in the Digi001 on vocals.

In my personal experience, the whole preamp thing is way more subtle than I thought it would be, but I agree with your comment that things sound "a little more clear." When I do these various AB tests and play them back or listen to tests done by others, I can hear a very tiny difference, but don't have enough context of the whole sound I am shooting for to say that one is definitely the better choice. They just sound....... different......

bilco
 
wreckd504 said:
just to double check what you're saying bilco

line in's 5-8 bypass the 002 pre's... yea?
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OK, I don't want to pass myself off as an authority on this stuff, but when I look at my Digi002 Rack:

Inputs 5-8 - Our only choice here is between a +4 line level input and a -10 line level input, which tells me that there is not anything but a dedicated line input there. The RNP outputs +4, so that's what I set mine too.

Inputs 1 - 4 Here there is some kind of padding going on that lets us switch between, mic, line and instrument levels. So bennychico11 is correct when he says "line inputs on the 002 don't bypass the preamps on it." if he is talking about plugging the RNP into Inputs 1, 2, 3 or 4 set to line level.

That's how I see it........ but I'm just the bass player.....
 
bilco is right, thanks for clarifying for everyone. Lines 5-8 don't HAVE any amplification (notice there is no gain knob on the front/top of the 002/r). So if you want to avoid the pres altogether, plug into 5-8.
Otherwise the 002 just pads the input on 1-4 if you select Line in...but it still goes through the amplifier. So, sorry if you're using more than a 4 channel external analog pre
 
Haha I was starting to think my ears were victim to a wallet-induced placebo effect. :D

I used lines 5 and 6. I usuallly use 7 tracks for drums but I reduced that to 6 so I wouldn't have to use one track of mackie 1604--->ADAT----002. And like I said, the stock pres on the 002 are OK for me. It was the mackie/ADAT that I wanted to exclude. So the RNP was a very good fit for me.
 
ibleedburgundy said:
Wow, I would be nervous about shipping my 002.
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don't be. many many people use their service and have been thoroughly happy with it. They are pretty well known for what they are able to do with the Digi mods

Also, why wouldn't digidesign do these mods in the first place if they thought it was advantagious?
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because then they would have to price the 002 $600-800 more than it already is priced. The 002 isn't an audiophile's dream box. It's a simple interface made for their LE software so you can get 18 inputs into it. They could make the best of the best interface, but it would cost you. And since they are trying to sell to home users, they need to cut costs somewhere. It's not that the 002 sounds BAD...it's just some users would like to pay the money to upgrade parts of it. Heck, there's people out there that mod everything, computers, mics, etc.
 
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And Digi has incentive to make the 'home' systems noticeably inferior to the higher priced HD system. If you get decent enough at home recording, you'll start looking more seriously at the HD systems, thus more profit for Digi. The Black Lion folks seem to be offering an alternative that is really quite decent for the money, getting an 002 to start sounding and performing more like an HD.

I was leary of shipping the device myself, but had zero problems and the board returned perfect, sounding TONS better than it did before. The recordings that I made right before and right after don't sound like they came out of the same studio.

I'm glad I stopped fighting the stock 002's smeared blurry crap. There is no amount of EQ, post-production, or mastering that can overcome the deficiencies induced by sucky pre-amp and AD convertors.
 
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