HELP! SP B1 kill my pre?

[laiben]

Hello,

I had a ball mic and M-Audio DUO (with 2 pre built-in) for almost a year and working fine.

Today I just got a Studio Projects B1 and plug into my DUO...
no sound.. I unplug it, and see that both 'sig' and 'clip' led keep
light on ( nothing is plugged!!!!). After I switch on and off my DUO, and reboot and reboot my PC it still don't work, both LED
keep light on even there is nothing connect to that channel. I
plug in my ball mic in that channel and still don't work. it seems
that channel is dead.

Then I try to plug the ball mic in another channel, it works.
they I unplug the ball mic, and plug into the B1, and see that
both 'sig' and 'clip' ligh up (the gain knob is set to minimum)...
and now i have both channel die......

Is that the B1 problem or my DUO problem??!!!

Pls help!!

laiben

[laiben]

And I connect and disconnect the B1 while the phantom power
is ON... is that the problem??!

[oldgtarz]

Pluggin in while phantom powered is supposed to be killer for your condenser mic... When I plug or unplug a mic in my mindprint envoice I always switch the power off.

[laiben]

Thanks..

Will the phantom power damage the mic or the pre (or both?) if I connect them while the phantom power is on?

[MichaelK]

It's like asking, "If my car hits a cow without me wearing a seatbelt, will all three be damaged?"

All due respect, all I can answer is, "I dunno - will they?"

Sorry - maybe someone else can be more helpful.

[loudboy]

I don't practice it, but leaving phantom on whilst unplugging a mic should cause no damage. I've done it inadvertently a ton of times when other engineers leave it on and I'm setting up for a session, no problems so far...

Fletcher (who should know) says that a lot of the classic old consoles were wired w/phantom permanently on.

Loudboy

[Bassomatic]

Originally posted by loudboy
I don't practice it, but leaving phantom on whilst unplugging a mic should cause no damage. I've done it inadvertently a ton of times when other engineers leave it on and I'm setting up for a session, no problems so far...

Fletcher (who should know) says that a lot of the classic old consoles were wired w/phantom permanently on.

Loudboy

+1.

(However, this is NOT the case for ribbon mics, where you'll fry 'em with such treatment).

[MichaelK]

My understanding is that it depends on the mics, that older condensers were more succeptible to damage, either from power supplies or phantom power. I make a point of making sure it's off when I'm connecting and disconnecting, but it's happened on a couple of gigs with no damage done.

Am I right that phantom power is a fairly recent thing, like in the last 30 years?

[laiben]

Guys,

I could certified that my DUO is dead.
I email SP and they said it is impossible for the B1 to damage the
pre. However from what I observed was that right after I plugged in the B1 the pre died.... I have no idea the fault is on the B1 or the DUO. The DUO is my only pre and now I have no way to verify
if the B1 is faulty or not.. and I have no friend do recording so I
couldn't borrow a pre to test.. even I can borrow a pre the B1 may
burn their units.. (i dunno!). In conclusion, it sucks!

BTW when the DUO was functioning I don't think the pre is good,
not enough headroom.

Maybe it's time to buy another soundcard.... $$$$

laiben