FYI, Busman does a mod to this unit (I had mine modded). I'm not sure about the gain stage, but I think his mod gives a bit more headroom on the preamp. It's still not as robust as the Sound Devices pre's, but then again, what else is? <grin>. I frequently have to run -10db attenuators between the mics and my MR1000.
Other than that, I love the unit and the sound is really good. One issue I've had is finding the right plug for the power jack - none of the Tekkeon plug adapters fit right. But others have not had the experience I've had, and a fellow TS'er hooked me up with the right tip, (another hat tip to Busterr!)
Hey all, Busterr just sent me an adapter tip that fits the MR1000, something for which I've been looking for over a year. Despite my offers, he declined any form of repayment, so I at least wanted him to get some recognition for his generous, community-minded spirit. You da man!!!! Thanks!!!
I've run the unit for about 4 hours on 2100MaH rechargeables, but that's about the max I'm willing to risk. It does suck some juice down when running.