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Re: Sound Devices 744T

Subject: Re: Sound Devices 744T
From: Walter Knapp <>
Date: Mon, 14 Feb 2005 12:12:54 -0500
From: Rob Danielson <>


> Sorry, I missed this post earlier in the week. I agree, there's 
> little I could point to and say with confidence was result of a 
> difference in the 744 and MP2 preamps.
> 
> I figured out what prompted the impression of greater transparency 
> with the 744 pre. I had by-passed the bi-amplification on my rear 
> speakers and forgot about it. The 744's signals were getting bi-amp'd 
> and the MP-2s' signals were not (creating additional load on the full 
> range speaker's subwoofers). Comparing the pres calibrated, I'm 
> getting similar results between two MKH 30's I had commented upon 
> earlier-- like the mbho test. Sorry about this! The test is still 
> informative, I guess. Amazing to me that the pres sound so similar 
> given that one design uses transformers and the other doesn't. 
> Plenty of field experience ahead as I'll likely keep the MP2 on the 
> rear mics now. There might be more difference with a quieter setting 
> and flatter mics, but its not likely to be profound.

I was pretty sure you were going to find some difference like this when 
I saw the sonogram of your sample. There was way less difference than we 
could distinguish. Sonograms are very valuable tools for keeping your 
ears honest.

I also generally find that high quality closed headphones are going to 
give me a clearer picture of fine differences. Speakers always have the 
local ambiance interfering. Though one does have to check the recording 
in speakers too.

You have reached another truth. As you go up in equipment quality the 
differences become vanishingly small. It's all good, more or less. With 
high quality equipment you choose between two good recordings, taking 
the one that suits what you want best.

> Here's another reassuring feature of the 744: Yesterday, I 
> interrupted the external DC power supply when it was recording. There 
> was no Sony battery installed so it shut-down instantly without 
> closing-out the data/sound files files. When I re-started the 744 on 
> AC,  a menu prompt informed me the unit had not been shut-off 
> correctly and asked if I wanted to repair the audio files.  The 
> repair took about 7 minutes and all four, 1GB files were fully 
> restorted and accessible.  Rob D.
> 

Mostly this is a standard disk repair putting end of files on and 
updating the disc directory. But it's good they thought of that happening.

The Portadisc will also handle this situation fine if it suddenly loses 
power. First thing it will do is automatically write the toc.

Walt




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