Recording - October 2011 - 52
B Y PA U L V N U K J R .
I have owned a Millennia Media HV-3D preamp for years and have used it extensively, appreciating its open, pure, crystalline sound... or, perhaps more accurately, its lack of unwanted coloration for times when color wasn’t what I wanted in a preamp. So I was keen to hear about the release of a 500-Series version of the HV microphone preamps. For those who have never used it before, the HV-3 microphone preamp is an ultra-clean, non-colored transformerless preamp channel with 65 dB of clean gain. The phrase “Straight wire with gain” applies. Originally it was available in 2-, 4-, and 8-channel configurations and was also incorporated into Millennia’s STT-1 Origin Channel strip (reviewed May 2001) as well as their TD-1 portable system (reviewed August 2004). Most of the straight-up HV preamp units tended to be light on features (except for the digitally remote controlled HV-3R). Each channel had a choice of phantom power and 3 stages of input gain, and that was it. No pads, no phase, and no 1/4" instrument DI, something I badly missed. But with the new 500-Series version, that’s all about to change... well, all except for the sound. Introducing the HV-35 On the surface the new HV-35 is still an HV-3 with all that that implies. It’s still just as clean and quiet as its full-rack siblings; it offers 15 dB to 60 dB clean gain in its basic mode and goes beyond that with a new ribbon mode. Visually it follows Millennia’s black scheme, this time in a brushed matte finish, and all of the push-button switches are bright and backlit just like on every other Millennia unit.
Millennia Media HV-35 500 Series Microphone Preamp
A 500-Series module with a sound that defines clarity in the studio
Starting from the top down are: ~ a red peak LED (peaks at +22 dB) ~ a green signal LED (indicates signal at –46 dB) ~ a green Pad button (15 dB) ~ a red Polarity Flip button ~ an amber phantom power button (+48V) ~ a red Ribbon Microphone boost button (+10 dB) ~ an amber highpass filter button (–3dB/octave, 80 Hz corner frequency) ~ a blue Instrument Input switch ~ a small black variable Gain knob (15 dB – 60 dB) ~ a 1/4" instrument DI jack. Features, controls, and modes ~ Pad: The pad button is an interesting addition to the HV-3 family; it drops the signal by 15 dB prior to the input stage to avoid a clipped input level. I do find it curious that this unit offers a pad when according to older Millennia literature a pad was unnecessary on the HV preamps. ~ Ribbon Mode: The coolest new feature on the HV-35, in my opinion, is the Ribbon Mic button. Not only does it boost the unit’s gain by another 10 dB for use with typically quiet ribbons, it also takes the liberty of disabling the phantom power to avoid damage to the mics. This mode also works great with low-powered dynamic mics.
52
RECORDING OCTOBER 2011
~ DI: When the corresponding blue switch is engaged, it changes the unit’s input from the rear XLR input to the front instrument input. It also switches the unit to high impedance for use with guitars and bass. In use I ran the new HV-35 right alongside my original HV3D and after matching the input settings I can say, “I hear zero difference in sonic character or quality!” None! I have no idea how they crammed all of the HV3D’s electronics in there and how they scaled the power to work within the 500-Series voltage restrictions, but somehow they did it. My HV-3D has long been my go-to preamp for ribbon mics, and the way that ribbon use is implemented and encouraged on the HV-35 is even nicer. The original units reach 65 dB and with the Ribbon button engaged the HV-35 can provide 70... so one could ask if an extra 5 dB is important when working with ribbons? The answer is, not necessarily, but it sure is nice to have it and not need it rather than the other way around. The phantom-power cut could literally prove to be priceless if it saves a vintage ribbon mic
Recording - October 2011
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recording - October 2011
Recording - October 2011
Fade In
Contents
Talkback
Fast Forward
Postcards From The World Of Recording
Grace Design m103
Adobe Audition CS5.5
Radial Engineering Workhorse and 500-Series Modules: JDV-Pre, Shuttle, EXTC, and PhazeQ
Blue Reactor Multi-Pattern Condenser Mic
Great River Electronics / Harrison 32EQ 500-Series Equalizer Module
Millennia Media HV-35 500-Series Mic Preamp
Telefunken Elektroakustik AK-47 MkII Tube Condenser Mic
Pulse Techniques EQP-1A3
Audix CX212B Multi-Pattern Condenser Mic
A-Designs HM2 Compressor “The Nail”
It’s Your Music—Know Your Rights. Chapter 19: Album Release Checklist
Electro-Voice RE320 Dynamic Mic
Alesis iO Dock
Putting Together The Pieces
Reviewed & Revisited: Fable Sounds Broadway Big Band Kontakt Edition and Broadway Lites
Readers’ Tapes
Advertiser Index
Fade Out
Recording - October 2011 - Recording - October 2011
Recording - October 2011 - Cover2
Recording - October 2011 - 1
Recording - October 2011 - Fade In
Recording - October 2011 - 3
Recording - October 2011 - Contents
Recording - October 2011 - 5
Recording - October 2011 - Talkback
Recording - October 2011 - 7
Recording - October 2011 - Fast Forward
Recording - October 2011 - 9
Recording - October 2011 - 10
Recording - October 2011 - 11
Recording - October 2011 - Postcards From The World Of Recording
Recording - October 2011 - 13
Recording - October 2011 - 14
Recording - October 2011 - 15
Recording - October 2011 - 16
Recording - October 2011 - 17
Recording - October 2011 - 18
Recording - October 2011 - 19
Recording - October 2011 - 20
Recording - October 2011 - 21
Recording - October 2011 - 22
Recording - October 2011 - 23
Recording - October 2011 - 24
Recording - October 2011 - 25
Recording - October 2011 - Grace Design m103
Recording - October 2011 - 27
Recording - October 2011 - 28
Recording - October 2011 - 29
Recording - October 2011 - Adobe Audition CS5.5
Recording - October 2011 - 31
Recording - October 2011 - 32
Recording - October 2011 - 33
Recording - October 2011 - 34
Recording - October 2011 - 35
Recording - October 2011 - 36
Recording - October 2011 - 37
Recording - October 2011 - Radial Engineering Workhorse and 500-Series Modules: JDV-Pre, Shuttle, EXTC, and PhazeQ
Recording - October 2011 - 39
Recording - October 2011 - 40
Recording - October 2011 - 41
Recording - October 2011 - 42
Recording - October 2011 - 43
Recording - October 2011 - 44
Recording - October 2011 - 45
Recording - October 2011 - Blue Reactor Multi-Pattern Condenser Mic
Recording - October 2011 - 47
Recording - October 2011 - Great River Electronics / Harrison 32EQ 500-Series Equalizer Module
Recording - October 2011 - 49
Recording - October 2011 - 50
Recording - October 2011 - 51
Recording - October 2011 - Millennia Media HV-35 500-Series Mic Preamp
Recording - October 2011 - 53
Recording - October 2011 - Telefunken Elektroakustik AK-47 MkII Tube Condenser Mic
Recording - October 2011 - 55
Recording - October 2011 - Pulse Techniques EQP-1A3
Recording - October 2011 - 57
Recording - October 2011 - Audix CX212B Multi-Pattern Condenser Mic
Recording - October 2011 - 59
Recording - October 2011 - A-Designs HM2 Compressor “The Nail”
Recording - October 2011 - 61
Recording - October 2011 - It’s Your Music—Know Your Rights. Chapter 19: Album Release Checklist
Recording - October 2011 - 63
Recording - October 2011 - 64
Recording - October 2011 - 65
Recording - October 2011 - Electro-Voice RE320 Dynamic Mic
Recording - October 2011 - 67
Recording - October 2011 - 68
Recording - October 2011 - 69
Recording - October 2011 - 70
Recording - October 2011 - 71
Recording - October 2011 - 72
Recording - October 2011 - 73
Recording - October 2011 - Alesis iO Dock
Recording - October 2011 - 75
Recording - October 2011 - Putting Together The Pieces
Recording - October 2011 - 77
Recording - October 2011 - Reviewed & Revisited: Fable Sounds Broadway Big Band Kontakt Edition and Broadway Lites
Recording - October 2011 - 79
Recording - October 2011 - Readers’ Tapes
Recording - October 2011 - Advertiser Index
Recording - October 2011 - 82
Recording - October 2011 - 83
Recording - October 2011 - 84
Recording - October 2011 - 85
Recording - October 2011 - 86
Recording - October 2011 - 87
Recording - October 2011 - Fade Out
Recording - October 2011 - Cover3
Recording - October 2011 - Cover4
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