Is it ok to connect and disconnect XLR mics from a Zoom H5 while the device is powered on?
If the mic uses phantom power, be sure to turn off the phantom on the H5 before connecting/ disconnecting. It's ok to have the H5 switched on otherwise.
Yes it is just fine to connect and disconnect mics from your H5. If you are recording or monitoring the inputs you will likely hear a pop or click.
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This should indeed always be safe nowadays, but note that with phantom power enabled 1. there may even be an audible click on the other channel(s) when you plug in one mic 2. some very old microphones (in particular, ribbon models) might actually get damaged. (But some ribbon mics don't even survive gently ramped 48V, so... better just don't use ribbons unless you have a dedicated preamp.) – leftaroundabout Apr 24 '15 at 14:27
