Topic: MR-1000: Transformerless preamp

[macula]

Sorry if my question is silly -- I'm jet lagged having just landed from a transatlantic flight and I have a burning question:

Are the mic preamps of the MR-1000 transformerless or not? I am asking because I hot-unplugged a phantom mic (only once, I swear!) and I wonder how prone the unit may be to demagnetization of the input transformer (if it has one, though I would guess this is a transformerless design?).

If you don't have information specific to the MR-1000, do you know what type of preamp standalone recorders usually have?

Thank you!

[ghellquist]

It is indeed transformerless. As are all of the lower price units. You have to go up quite a bit in price level when talking todays crop of recorders to find any transformers. Units with transformers include things like the Deva units, the Cantar, the Nagra VI. In addition many location mixer units have transformer, noteable are the Sound Devices units.

The transformers in these units are there to solve ground loop problems, not to modify the sound.

In my experience a well designed transformer input will not have any problems with you plugging and unplugging with phantom power on so no need to be concerned really.

Gunnar