Rupert Neve Portico 5012 - Duo Mic Pre-Amp User Manual
Page 2
INTRODUCTION
1
Thank you for your purchase of the 5012 Duo Mic Pre. Everyone at Rupert Neve Designs hope
you enjoy using this tool as much as we have enjoyed designing and building it. Please take note of
the following list of safety concerns and power requirements before the use of this or any Portico
Series
TM
product.
Safety
It’s usual to provide a list of “do’s and dont’s” under this heading but mostly these amount to
common sense issues. However here are some reminders:
The Portico 5012 dissipates about 35 watts, which means that it will get warm in use. The heat
generated is radiated through the case work and by convection through the ventilation holes.
Therefore the holes should not be covered or blocked. Portico modules may be stacked horizontally
on a desk top or vertically in a rack without heat problems. The anti-slip feet may be removed while
used in a rack, but should be retained for desktop use. Porticos should not be stacked immediately
above or adjacent to other equipment that gets hot. Also bear in mind that other equipment may
radiate strong hum fields which could spoil the performance of your Portico module.
Electronic equipment and liquids are not good friends. If any liquid was spilled such as soda,
coffee, alcoholic or other drink, the sugars and acids will have a very detrimental effect. Sugar
crystals act like little rectifiers and can produce noise, “crackles” etc. SWITCH OFF
IMMEDIATELY because once current starts to flow the mixture hardens, can get very hot (burnt
toffee!) and cause permanent and costly damage. Please contact support as soon as possible at
[email protected] for resolution.
Don’t operate a Portico in the rain! If it gets wet and you suspect that good clean water may have
got in, Immediately unplug the unit, and remove it from the source of water. Take the cover and
knobs off by removing the 2 back-most screws on both sides only. The cover and front panel will
now slide forward and free of the unit. Gently wipe off any water that’s visible with a soft cloth.
Water may have percolated under the PCB and be hidden between the bottom cover and the PCB.
Use a hair drier to blow and dry out any residual moisture. leave the unit for a few hours to
completely dry out. If the moisture was due to CLEAN water, your Portico should be up and
running without any further problem.
Rear connecting cables can get very untidy when a number of Portico modules are stacked on
your bench. It’s a good idea to use cable ties to bunch the cords into a tidy form.
Don’t be tempted to operate a Portico with the cover removed. The cover provides magnetic
screening from hum and R.F. stray fields.
Power Requirements
Each Portico 5012 module has two built in DC to DC converters that provide +/– 17.5 VDC for
the amplifiers and + 48 VDC for microphone Phantom volts. The input is protected from reverse
polarity. The connector center pin must be positive.
The converters will work from any DC supply from 9 to 18 volts that is reasonably “clean”. Avoid
using a Power Outlet on the same circuit as air conditioning or other equipment that regularly
switches on and off. Unplug the Portico power unit(s) during a thunder storm or if it will be unused
for a long period.
When using a 12 volt battery, choose one that has enough capacity to power your Portico 5012 -
or your complete assembly of Portico modules – for the expected duration of your session. For
example, a 48 ampere-hour battery will power 8 Portico 5012 modules for 6 hours. *See power
requirement on specifications page.