VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

Diane Maggipinto

i do know this has been discussed previously but whatevs ... i ordered a CEntrance mic port pro (as a back-up, as i use one exclusively now, and this additional is a safety). it's backordered until oct 15. no biggie. the salesperson at sweetwater left a message for me suggesting we talk about alternatives. i hadn't considered anything but the m Hobo Tounge

, so am wondering if you use a usb audio interface w/pre-amp that isn't a m Hobo Tounge

, and do you recommend it? i could use more gain than the m Hobo Tounge

has, for a couple of mics i have ... but then, i've had my original m Hobo Tounge

since 2007 with nary a problem!
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Lee Gordon · Posted: Mon Sep 30, 2013 8:28 am Post subject:

Harlan Hogan sent out an email over the weekend saying the MicPort Pros are back in stock. But earlier in the summer there was a discussion here about the Shure X2U. I haven't used one myself (like you, I have a second MicPort as a backup & for travel), but I believe eX said she prefers the Shure.
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Ed Fisher · Posted: Mon Sep 30, 2013 10:44 am Post subject:

This guys takes a look at several alternatives. Might be worth the read.

http://recordinghacks.com/2009/07/04/usb-interface-review-icicle-micportpro-micmate-x2u/
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todd ellis · Posted: Mon Sep 30, 2013 12:04 pm Post subject:

if you're not in dire straits, i'd wait the 2 weeks and have a matched pair.
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Lee Gordon · Posted: Mon Sep 30, 2013 1:13 pm Post subject:

I agree with Todd. If you were starting fresh, you'd probably want to check out all the alternatives. But if you want it to be a backup for what you're already using, it makes sense to get another one of what you have to maintain consistency of your sound.
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NorthEndVoice · Posted: Mon Sep 30, 2013 1:27 pm Post subject:

The Shure X2U is a much better built unit than the M Hobo Tounge

. It has never failed me on the road. I take both but I use the X2U because it just works.

Ed Fisher · Posted: Mon Sep 30, 2013 3:21 pm Post subject:

There is ONE annoying thing about my Micoport Pro.

The headphone jack and the USB connection are so close together that sometimes plugging in your headphones can be a pain. The workaround for this is to get a small stereo min-plug male to female extender (a skinny one) and use it between your headphones and the M Hobo Tounge

.

But, as far as I can tell, that's the only thing with which I can find fault.

And NO..it does not feel like's it's "built like a tank"...so it demandS a certain amount of care in handling. IMHO
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graemespicer · Posted: Mon Sep 30, 2013 3:59 pm Post subject:

I agree with the above post regarding the build quality of the Shure X2U. It's a much more solidly constructed piece of equipment than the MicPort Pro.

On the other hand, others make a good case for having a matched pair.

Sitting on the fence is damn uncomfortable Smile

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Diane Maggipinto · Posted: Mon Sep 30, 2013 7:26 pm Post subject:

if i thought about it, i could come up with a few nit picky (yeah, lice reference) things about the m Hobo Tounge

. consistency of sound is a good point, though. clutter-a is right about the proximity, and getting to the phantom power teensy eensy button. plus, the mic jack is jacked in that i have to wiggle my cans plus (both sets) to get stereo. still, over all these years it's been great. i appreciate the link to the reviews, c-ash..
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georgethetech · Posted: Tue Oct 01, 2013 12:06 am Post subject:

The little dials on the X2u make it hard to repeat a setting because they are in no way calibrated, so there's that issue... Otherwise, I do like the way it's built better than the M Hobo Tounge

, and I've never had an odd noise issue with an X2u like I did with several batches of M Hobo Tounge

's I sold in the past when I was a dealer. I've heard many a sample of the M Hobo Tounge

with a VO-1:a and there are some odd noise patterns that come up unique to this product. Bob Heil even threw his hat into the ring and made a version, but it was too noisy in my tests, sadly. And it was PURPLE, which was pretty cool, so that's a bummer.
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vkuehn · Posted: Tue Oct 01, 2013 6:09 am Post subject:

Designing a product and bringing it to market must be an interesting task. How many times have I gone in search of something to buy, find that there are two to six choices, and wonder if there is a czar in the industry who issues permits to make sure no one model is optimized!

New thermostat for your home. A little multiple-outlet AC surge protector that would look good in the location, a pre-amp/USB device like we are discussing, a little pocket-sized audio recorder or an mp3 player to go for an afternoon walk. Who designs these things? What planet do they live on? Do they actually use one in their own life?

I have a feeling that entrepreneurs fund these projects and go to the manufacturing companies is Asia, and they have a designer who is assigned all these devices, and personally uses none of them.

When the FedEx truck shows up sometime today, I will have a new device in my hands that fits right in the middle of all this discussion. If things work out well, I will be back in a day to two with a report on how discerning and shrewd I am. Or then again a couple of months from now someone may post: What happened to ol' whats-his-name. Embarrassed

I wonder what kind of career I could develop as a designer in an Asian factory.

Tom Test · DC Joined: 23 Jan 2007 Posts: 629 Location: Chicago, IL

Hi Diane! Here is what I had to say as part of my Amazon review of the M Hobo Tounge

, comparing it to the x2u, which I also owned for awhile. Neither is perfect.

"After owning both the MicPortPro and the Shure X2u for over a year, I now have some clearer opinions on the merits and disadvantages of both units.

I recorded a sample script with both interfaces, and found that I had a slight but significant preference for the sound from the MicPortPro. It's a slightly richer and clearer sound than what I get from the X2u. The M Hobo Tounge

is also slightly smaller than the X2u, which makes it easier to carry when traveling (I have a backpack to keep my audio gear in that is already stuffed to the gills, so smaller is better). The downside of the M Hobo Tounge

may be quality control. The level and headphone output dials are both make loud scratchy sounds in my headphones when moved (though, crucially, that noise does NOT appear in the recorded sound file!!). It's annoying for sure, but I can live with it. But it does make me somewhat concerned about the durability of this unit.

The Shure X2u sounds very good, though not nearly as good to my ear as the M Hobo Tounge

. It is bigger and heavier. It feels more solid and durable than the M Hobo Tounge

, and I've had no issues with scratchy pots or anything else. However, I really dislike the controls for mic level and headphone output. They are scroll wheels without any markings at all. For me this is a potential problem. I have a few clients that demand consistent sound, and I can't be sure exactly how hot my input is without any numbers on the dials - I just have to do it "by ear." I can't just set it and forget it, but thishonestly is more an annoyance than a deal-breaker.

The good news is that you should be happy with either interface (assuming the MicPortPro doesn't suffer from QC issues). If you are willing to take a risk on the QC - and I can't say what the risk level really is - I do prefer the superior sound quality and portability of the MicPortPro. Those advantages are worth the $50 premium over the Shure X2u."
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Diane Maggipinto · Posted: Wed Oct 02, 2013 5:57 am Post subject:

tom, thanks for that. i was cheered to read that you, too, had scratchy noises whenever you moved the jacks. i thought it was just me so nice to know i'm not alone in the desert (heh. cuz that's where i live ...!)
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georgethetech · Posted: Wed Oct 02, 2013 9:35 am Post subject:

I am afraid CEntrance has shifted priority to consumer/audiophile audio markets... They haven't made any improvements to the design/build in 5 years, and raised the price. Then again, they don't seem to have a problem selling them, so I can see why they wouldn't bother.
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vkuehn · Posted: Wed Oct 02, 2013 9:47 am Post subject:

How big is the market-place that we who look for higher quality make up? I can understand a company looking around and deciding to tailor the product so that buyers at the music stores and mail-order houses will become dealers.

Tell me what other devices I am over looking when I lump the CEntrance product, the Shure XU2, the Scarlet 2i2 and the PreSonus AudioBox 22VSL into the $200 or slightly under category.

Once you decide that none of these are quite adequate for the job, where is the next jump? The $800 and above? Who, uh.... WHAT devices all live in that penthouse?