MP-2 Microphone Preamplifier User Guide and Technical Information General Description The MP-2 from Sound Devices is a studio-quality location, and live music engineers value the two-channel, portable, stereo microphone compact size and ability to withstand extremes in preamplifier. With its impressive audio performance the field. The MP-2 combines rugged mechanical and comprehensive list of features including and electronic construction, compact size, and high- headphone monitoring, metering and MS Matrix, quality components. The MP-2 allows no- the MP-2 is a flexible front end device for compromise performance for any application. professional studio and field applications. Studio, Features High Performance Microphone Inputs • Three-position LED brightness switch. • Maximum of 66 dB of gain per input. • Two-color LEDs per input channel indicate • Premium Lundahl input transformers provide clipping and limiter activity. superior sonic quality and freedom from M/S Stereo Matrix interference problems. • MS stereo decoder assigned to headphones, or • Sealed, conductive plastic potentiometers for headphones and outputs. long-life, reliable gain adjustment. • Allows for flexible post-production processing. • Phantom power, selectable between 48-volts Audio Limiters and 15-volts. • “Unclippable” input peak limiters via two-stage • High-pass filters with 80 or 160 Hz corner opto-isolator circuit with adjustable limiter frequencies, 6 dB per octave. Filters are threshold (per input). inserted prior to any active circuitry for extra • Dual mono or linked stereo limiter operation. high headroom. Flexible Powering Audio Performance • Internal battery-power from two AA batteries • Dynamic range exceeding 110 dB. with easy access battery compartment. • 10 Hz to 50 kHz audio bandwidth. • Chassis-isolated 5 to 18 VDC input for easy • Exceptionally low distortion characteristics. external DC powering. • Discrete 6-transistor balanced output drivers • Power LED indicates low battery power. provide robust drive for long cable runs. Trouble Free Design Headphone Monitoring • High strength, extruded aluminum chassis with • High current headphone monitor circuit enables protective metal end panels withstands monitoring of program audio or external stereo punishing field conditions. tape return audio. • All-metal connectors solidly mounted to the • Headphone level control and peak-indicator. chassis for durability and RF immunity. Level Metering • Free from “Pin 1” grounding problems. • Sunlight-readable seven-segment GaN LED • RF filtering on all inputs and outputs. output meters. P/N 388.003 ©1999-2000 Sound Devices, LLC Printed in U.S.A MP-2 Microphone Preamplifier User Guide and Technical Information Specifications Gain: Limiter: Mic Input to Output, per channel, continuously variable Thresholds independently adjustable from –10 dBu to +18 dBu Output Gain Range 10:1 limiting ratio LINE 16 – 66 dB 5 mS attack time, 100 mS release time TAPE 6 – 56 dB Amber/Red LED indicates limiting/clipping Frequency Response (see graph below): Dual mono or stereo linked 20 Hz – 30 kHz, +0.1, -0.5 dB -1 dB at 5 Hz, 50 kHz Internal Voltage Rails: (relative to 1 kHz level with 150 ohm source, gain controls +15 V and –15 V, regulated set at 50%) Metering: Equivalent Input Noise: 7 segment GaN (Gallium Nitride) meter with three levels -126 dBu (-128 dBV) minimum Peak responding (150 ohm source, flat weighting, 22 – 22 kHz bandwidth, gain control set at 50% or higher, phantom power off) Power: Internal Input Clipping Level: 2 AA alkaline batteries, 6 hours life typical with +4 –10 dBu minimum, phantom off dBu signal into 600 ohms, no phantom power 0 dBu minimum, phantom on External 5 - 18 VDC via threaded coaxial connector (5.5 mm Output Clipping Level: outer diameter, 2.1 mm inner diameter) Line Pin positive, sleeve negative (50 mA min. at 12 VDC) +22 dBu minimum with 100k ohm load Voltages above 14 VDC cause no damage to unit, but +20 dBu minimum with 600 ohm load will open an internal poly fuse. Poly fuse will reset Tape when voltage is removed. +11 dBu (2.75 V RMS) minimum with 100k ohm load Power LED: Dynamic Range: Green indicates power and good battery. 110 dB minimum Red indicates power and low battery. LED turns red when approximately 1 hour of battery life remain (with phantom THD + Noise: power off). 0.05% maximum Green with external DC power. (from 50 Hz to 22 kHz @ +4 dBu output level, 22 Hz - 22 kHz filter bandwidth, gain control at 50%, phantom off) Polarity: All inputs to all outputs, non-inverting. Pin 2 of XLRs “hot” Common Mode Rejection Ratio: to unbalanced inputs and outputs. 100 dB minimum at 80 Hz 60 dB minimum at 10 kHz Operating Temperature Range: 0 to 70 degrees C Channel Separation: 32 to 160 degrees F Greater than 80 dB at 1 kHz (gain controls set to 50%) Dimensions: Inputs: 43 mm x 94 mm x 140 mm (h x w x d) Transformer-balanced, 2k ohm input impedance (1.7” x 3.7” x 5.5”) Outputs: Weight (unit only): XLR 0.8 kg Active, impedance-balanced, 120 ohm output 2.0 lbs. impedance Tape (3.5 mm) Weight (packaged): Unbalanced, tip-left, ring-right, sleeve-ground, 2.4k 1.2 kg ohm output impedance 3.0 lbs. High Pass Filters: Certifications: 80 Hz or 160 Hz (switch selectable), 6 dB per octave Meets FCC Part 15 Class B Eligible to bear CE mark (see conformance statement) Phantom Power: 15 V through 680 ohm resistors or 48 V through 6.8k resistors (switch selectable) Page 2 ©1999-2000 Sound Devices, LLC MP-2 Microphone Preamplifier User Guide and Technical Information Front Panel Controls, Connectors, and Indicators 2 4 9 11 MP-2 1 -30 -15 0+4+8+12 +16 POWER 2 HP HP+ ONLY OUTS 1 2 MS MATRIX METER TAPE RTNPHONES INT EXT 10 1 3 5 6 7 8 1. Gain Controls 7. Headphone Connector Adjusts the input gain form 16 to 66 dB via Accepts stereo and mono headphones with ¼” sealed, conductive plastic rotary connectors. potentiometers. 8. Headphone Volume Control 2. Input Peak/Limiter LED Adjusts the level in the headphones. Two-color LED illuminates red at 3 dB below 9. Headphone Peak LED clipping; illuminates amber to indicate limiter Illuminates 3 dB before clipping of either activity. channel of the headphone circuit. Also 3. M/S Stereo Matrix Switch illuminates 3 dB before clipping of either Three-position switch assigns the MS decoder. channel of Tape Return audio. Left position decodes M/S to the headphones, 10. POWER Switch center position is off, and right position is M/S Three-position switch selects the power decoding to the headphones and outputs (Line source. The unit is powered from internal Outputs and Tape Out). Connect Mid signal to batteries when in the left position; powered Input 1, Side signal to Input 2. from external DC source when in the right 4. Output Meter position. Center position is off. Indicates peak output level in dBu appearing at 11. POWER LED the left and right outputs. Two-color LED illuminates green when the unit 5. Meter Brightness Control Switch is powered and changes to red when batteries Three-position switch adjusts the intensity of require changing. For external DC, the power illumination of the output meter; low LED is always green. illumination, normal illumination, or super- bright illumination. 6. Tape Return Switch Toggle switch allows external audio to be monitored in the headphones. The center position is MP-2 program audio. The left and right positions monitor tape return audio; the left position is locking, and the right position is momentary. Page 3 ©1999-2000 Sound Devices, LLC MP-2 Microphone Preamplifier User Guide and Technical Information Input Panel Connectors and Controls 15 16 TAPE OUT TAPE RTN LEVEL LR 48V 80 LINK LR 12V 160 ON THRESHOLD 12 LIMITER MIC INPUTS PHANTOM 12 13 14 17 18 12. MIC INPUTS 16. Tape Return Level Control Transformer-balanced XLR inputs accepts Recessed potentiometers adjust Tape Return microphone level signals. Pin 2 = hot, pin 3 = level feeding the Headphone Monitor. cold, pin 1 = ground. 17. Limiter Switch 13. PHANTOM Power Activates input peak limiter. ON position Three-position switch selects either 48-volt or functions as a dual mono limiter, with each 15-volt phantom power for both inputs. Center input signal controlling its own limiter. LINK position turns phantom power off. functions as a stereo limiter, with both left and 14. High Pass Filter Switch right inputs controlled simultaneously. Center Three-position switch selects 80 Hz or 160 Hz position of switch turns limiter off. corner frequency filters, 6 dB per octave. 18. Limiter Threshold Level Control Filters affect both inputs. Center position of Recessed potentiometers adjust peak level of switch removes filters from the signal path. limiter activation. Can be independently 15. Tape Output controlled for each input. 3.5 mm TRS stereo output (unbalanced) can be used to feed consumer level DAT, MiniDisc, and CD recorders. Tip = left, ring = right, sleeve = ground. Output Panel Connectors 20 21 22 TAPE RTN 23 1(L) 2(R) 5-14 VDC 19 LINE OUTPUTS - + 19. Strap Slot cold, pin 1 = ground. Pin 3 can be grounded or Attachment point for camera straps. ungrounded to drive unbalanced inputs. 20. Tape Return Input Connector 22. BATTERY Compartment 3.5 mm TRS stereo (unbalanced) connector MP-2 operates on two AA batteries. Insert allows external audio sources to be monitored positive (+) end of batteries first. in the MP-2 Headphone circuit. Tip = left, ring 23. External DC Power Input = right, sleeve = ground. Accepts external DC power source (battery 21. Left and Right Line Level Outputs supply or AC to DC transformer) from 5 - 18 Active-balanced XLR line-level outputs. +22 VDC. Locking, threaded coaxial connector.