Of Equal and Opposites Of the dizzying array of questions that the expansive and all-knowing Sound Devices Technical Support Department fields, the one which has the most people confused, bamboozled, and flummoxed is: “What is this ‘impedance’ balanced output stage that you use on on early MixPre’s and the TA3 outputs of the 442?” Here […]
The 302, like all Sound Devices mixers, including the 442 and MixPre, can exhibit a static, or crackling sound when gain controls are manipulated when the unit is first powered. This noise goes away as the power supply and filter capacitors become fully charged.
“Phantom powering” is a method of providing power to microphones by applying a voltage to the same wires that carry the audio signals. Phantom power can be generated from mixing consoles, mic preamplifiers, or in-line phantom power supplies. All of Sound Devices microphone inputs supply phantom power.
Condition: Early models of Earthworks microphones (see Models Affected) and Earthworks model M30 microphone will become unstable and oscillate with transformer-balanced microphone inputs such as Sound Devices MP-1, MP-2 and MixPre.
Rechargeable AA batteries for internal powering of pro audio gear have historically been poor performers. Alkaline primary cells, and more recently Li-ion cells, are usually the preferred cell chemistry. Fortunately, battery chemistries have evolved — in some applications there is actually a runtime advantage when using the newer NiMH rechargeable batteries with portable gear versus […]
Condition Depending on several conditions, chiefly the microphone, the transformer-balanced inputs, such as those on the 302, 442, MixPre, MM-1, MP-1, and MP2, can get into an oscillating condition with a microphone that renders the audio unusable. This oscillation is often described as a “motorboating” condition since this low frequency oscillation sounds like a motor […]