Two questions about the SP828

[Gilliland]

1) I asked this question in an email a year or so ago, but never got an answer. Now it's come up in conversation on another forum, and I want to make sure I know the straight answer: How are the line inputs handled on the SP828? Are they true line inputs that bypass the mic pre for the channel? Or are they actually fed through a pad back into the mic pre? I think this is a fairly common practice at the lower end of the price spectrum, but I'm really not sure how the SP828 handles it.

2) A couple of people have reported problems with hum on the SP828 when all eight channels are being used to provide phantom power to condenser mics? I've never encountered this problem, but I've never needed to power that many mics at the same time. Is this an issue that has affected anyone else?

[Alan Hyatt]

1) I asked this question in an email a year or so ago, but never got an answer. Now it's come up in conversation on another forum, and I want to make sure I know the straight answer: How are the line inputs handled on the SP828? Are they true line inputs that bypass the mic pre for the channel? Or are they actually fed through a pad back into the mic pre? I think this is a fairly common practice at the lower end of the price spectrum, but I'm really not sure how the SP828 handles it.

2) A couple of people have reported problems with hum on the SP828 when all eight channels are being used to provide phantom power to condenser mics? I've never encountered this problem, but I've never needed to power that many mics at the same time. Is this an issue that has affected anyone else?

The opamp is shared for both mic and line input. The line input is balanced. I have not heard anyone complaining about noise on the SP828...but interfacing with other gear can always induce hum or noise depending on the wiring and ground scheme.

[Gilliland]

Thanks for the reply, Alan. As soon as I get my studio recarpeted (floods are NO fun!), I'll try some of my own tests regarding the phantom power question. I've never had any trouble with mine, but I've never tried to provide phantom on all eight channels at once. Hopefully, it will turn out that there's nothing to it.