I used to be really worried about this sort of thing, until I found out that 1) they have essentially dummy-proofed mics nowadays, and 2) the BBC runs their studios with xlr jacks in the walls that ALL have phantom power running to them AT ALL TIMES; you can’t turn it off. So whether they are using dynamic mics, condensers, or ribbons, they are plugging into a connector that has phantom power actively running through it. This realization also made buying a small mixer much easier, considering they usually all have just one +48v switch that powers every xlr in, and I had worried about using a condenser/ribbon combo in these mixers; turns out, since I don’t have any real vintage gear, this is not an issue. After hours of searching for a small mixer (fewer than 12 ins) that had independent phantom power for each channel, and not finding any, I began to wonder why that was. After a much shorter time spent researching the question I found that modern equipment is essentially built to ignore this problem, and that I wouldn’t be frying any ribbon mic I decided to use in the future.
Only ancient 1960's ribbon mics should be taken carefully. No modern ribbon mic should have issues. The biggest reason was Audio mixer companies did not want to add ramped power banks to each channel due to space and cost. This would easily been the solution to many of these myths. Older ribbon mics should not be plugged in directly to any mixer anyways, they have to be plugged in to an XLR ISO box to isolate them from phantom power so you can then have zero issue as they are plugged into powered XLR inputs.
I can't record my voice or have voice calls on skype anymore with my Rode nt1 . I thought the problem was with my audio interface's phantom power but now I'm convinced that the problem is with my mic . I remember that there were many times that I forgot to turn off the phantom power switch on my interface when I was done using my mic , and times when the house's electricity went out in the middle of my recording sessions . These mistakes must have killed my mic . I'm surprised that it lasted for like 7 years despite using it in a terrible way . Now I've learned my lesson to be careful with how I treat a condenser mic . Thanks for the video !
Hey i am dealing with this issue now and i've just got my rode nt1, i've only made this mistake a couple of days ago and now the volume is very low :( it sometimes goes back to normal if i keep it connect with phantom power on for a couple of minutes but then it switches back and forth from being loud to quite. Is it possible to fix this issue or have i wasted my money already? please let me know thanks.
+BavarianMonkey Yes, that was great. In fact, a few asked in this video about the damage phantom power would cause....feel free to answer any tech stuff you know. You've told me some things I never knew about.
+creativesoundlab well, then let's distill the essential facts from my other comments and memory: The issue is: - Whenever a connection is made during patching, it cannot be guaranteed that both signal lines make or break the connection at the same time. - If the phantom power is switched on during patching, it is not guaranteed that it is applied to / removed from the two signal lines at the same time. - Almost any old school microphone or preamp with a transformer in it can be damaged by asymmetrical phantom power application. Many of those have center tapped transformers and if you somehow connect one signal wire prior to the other while patching, you will put 48 volts across this transformer winding which is made for millivolts. - It is only a short time, but it can saturate the core and this saturation can (and often will) stay in the core after the phantom power DC has been removed. => en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remanence - Now that the core is magnetically biased, its magnetization curve cannot be used as it was once designed by the transformer manufacturer. It will show more non-linear behaviour leading to audio saturation (distortion) and less bass. - All of the above can happen with any microphone that has a transformer in it if TRS patches are being used, even if the transformer is not center tapped. During insertion of the TRS plug, the phantom power is being applied between tip (+ Signal) and ring (-Signal). This will lead to DC across the transformer. - The same can happen with the mic preamp input transformer if it is center tapped or TRS plugs are being used for microphone patching. - The same applies if an unbalanced source is connected to the preamp while phantom power is switched on. - Of course, if there happens to be a shorted line somewhere (faulty cable), the phantom power DC is not a short time problem but it can be applied for a pretty long time until you find out why the mic does not work as expected and with time it gets more likely to cause problems. In most cases this can be resolved by demagnetizing the core with audio frequency (you need a lab test rig for that) but it is a bad idea to provoke such defects to begin with. So yes, NEVER EVER use TRS for microphone patch bays and never ever connect / disconnect a microphone to a line with phantom power switched on. Always make sure phantom power is switched OFF before connecting/disconnecting a microphone. (And no, this is not a hypothetical problem: I did repair a vintage microphone because of this and I have one input transformer in the lab that still has no bass because some dumb bavarian monkey measured the winding resistance with an ohm meter... DON'T DO THAT.)
Thanks for the video! I just bought an AKG PP200 (i think) and it wasnt working in my mixing board. Good thing you made this video! Found the switch on the board AND NOW the knowledge to run it!
so if i have an interface with a bank of phantom power channels lets say 1-4 can i use a consender mic on the first channel and 3 dynamics on the rest? or that will damage the dynamic mics?
Christian Paez There is zero damage to modern dynamic mics. The only thing to watch out is a ribbon mic from the 1960's . Only retarded microphones from timbaktu would ever be damaged.
Same thing happens with wall sockets but is even worse. It can result in the plug you put in the socket being damaged over time, and if you have something that is sensitive to voltage, like a mic, it can damage it as you get a voltage spike as you unplug it. Good stuff to know.
If you look at a microphone that shows it is phantom powered with a LED, like the AKG C414 XLS, you can see the power slowly going away when turning the phantom power off. However, you can see the same thing if you just disconnect the cable without turning it off. That means the remaining power after turning off the phantom power is not in the preamp, but in the microphone's capacitors, which makes the "one minute wait to let it drain" practice a little bit useless. You can turn it off, disconnect the cable immediately, and the microphone will still have power going away slowly.
Yes but also consider that the pre amp also has to drain. I put my multimeter into the mic cable and watched for close to 60 seconds as it drained. Some are faster than others.
Sm-58 has a transformer that people like to mod by taking it out. That's what protects it from phantom power. So a modded SM-58 with no transformer will get destroyed. I think the SM-58 sounds great the way it is. Also some audio interfaces have separate phantom power channels. The Apollo twin has that feature. It's always good to get one with that so you can use a condenser and dynamic or ribbon at the same time that don't need phantom power (some ribbon mics require it).
What if I have a Ribbon Mic that shouldn't use phantom power, and a Condenser mic that needs it, into the same interface? Is there a way to safely do this ?
When i plug mines it works buy sometimes sooner or later it starts making a noise like clicking and air .. is this my mic , phantom or computer mixer??
What about a tube mic? I have an external power supply and I've accidentally tuned phantom on and recorded with it on. Everything seems fine, and I'm reading that it doesn't harm anything to run phantom, though you really want to try and avoid it. Do you feel the same way, or could I have damaged my tube condenser?
I have rode nt1a and focusrite 2i2.usb interface. I haven’t tried it on desktop. But when connect interface to laptop and switch on the power supply my mic start work after 1 or 2 mints. And sometimes it doesnot work. Thn I have to reconnect the interface. I am afraid I might demage the mic.
Hi again Ryan, I was wondering if you could do a video on “noise-floor” considerations. Comparing common issues with low dollar mic pre’s and what might cause noise even from quality gear...etc... Brian ( from Canada)
great Info... I went to an audio course near my city and they dont talk about this... (insert Stev Carell gif "Thank You") my condenser appreciate this...
Will it damage the passive mics like sm57s over time though? I have an 8 imput USB interface, and unfortunately four channels get power all at once... and I want to rum more than 4 passive mics... but I also have some active mics too.
do i have to turn off the phantompower everytime? what about those mics that have a swich does it damage the mic if one swiches only the mic off but not the phantom power?
Can you please explain a bit more about what you mean by 'let it drain' and why it takes a minute to drain the power. I wish to understand this electronically so that I can better understand why everything is doing what its doing. In the case of things that hold charge (like the LED light that stays on for a while when you turn the TV off) I thought this was charge stored in some electrical component. I cant see how this applies to phantom power, so i'm looking forward to hearing the science behind it. thanks.
i was joking of what i said before but anyways I have a Vt-4 from Roland with an XLR cable plugged into it powering a condenser mic (AKG P220), and the transformer is connected to the PC via the printer cable, for the printer cable port
I don’t know maybe it’s bcz of low voltage ???? Bcz some times when mic is connected and I start recording the mic is like restarted and it give terrible sound and thn start working again.
so i really need a phantom power for my di box but mixer puts phantom power to all chanels of my console and i use some of my channels to play music from my laptop, ive heard one time that when phantom power is on it doesnt effect dynamic mics but it would damage electronics like phones and laptops so what should i do to be able to use phantom power but at the same time use my laptop
Let's say I had my dynamic mic plugged in with phantom power (not too long but not too short amount of time) and now it still works. that means i didn't ruin it, right?!
Interesting topic, good video as usual. As a side note, I've read somewhere that only xlr connectors are carrying phantom power, or could it be on certain interfaces/power supplies/consoles. .. so that "in theory" , in a combo situation, one could always connect the dynamics with Jacked trs cables and condensers with XLRs so to be on the safe side. Oh by the way, if someone read this & knows a shop or a place where I can buy capsules for large diaphragm condensers IN EUROPE, please hit me up. Thanks!
Any connector could carry the phantom down it that has three wires/points of connection. So a TRS will still transfer phantom, and if you use TRS and it has power on it, it'll for sure do more damage than an XLR would getting hot plugged. My patch bay can connect any mic line to any pre, and it uses TRS and it carries the phantom power to the mic too.
Thanks for this video. One follow up question so I am clear. I have a Shure SM7B mic (dynamic mic) and a Rode NT1-a (condenser mic) and I use my Focusrite as my audio interface. One requires phathom power (the rode) and the other does not. Will plugging both of them into my audio interface and using the phathom power damage the shure mic? I wasn't clear on this and I am affaird to use them at the same time for my podcast and damage the dynamic mic.
Thanks for the video. I have an Azden SGM that does hold a battery. Should I use my Smart Rig Plus (battery phantom power) as well as turn on the battery in the mic? In your video, at 1:25 you make a quick mention of turning on the "mic pre". Please let me know if I understand this right. Do I use both power supplies or only one? Thanks again, the video was fantastic!
I recently got a Shure Sm7B which I know isn't supposed to need phantom power, but I can't get mine to work without it. I have the SM7B going into a cloudlifter then into my Behringer Xenyx X1204usb mixer. AM I missing something? Please any help or advice would be great. I don'y wanna mess up my mic or if something is wrong with it I wanna be able to return it for another one
HVAC Uncensored the sm7b is a dynamic mic and dynamic mics don’t use or need phantom power. phantom power doesn’t harm or affect dynamic mics. Shure actually recommends that your mic preamp can provide at least 60db of gain for an sm7b. The reason is that the sm7b outputs a very low signal. So you need a good quality preamp. The behringer mixer in your case can’t provide the necessary gain to bring the sm7b to line level. Products like the cloud lifter can utilize phantom power and use the extra energy to provide extra dB of gain. I think the could lifter provides around 15db of extra gain. However, nothing beats a good quality mic preamp to begin with.
If you are unhappy with the cloud lifter, the dbx 286s mic preamp can provide the necessary gain for the sm7b. you can connect the sm7b to the dbx preamp and then plug in the output of the preamp into a line input into your mixer.
Im using a Digital MG12XU to record in Studio One 4 but every time I turn on my phantom power for a Super Cardoid Condensor RE510 EV mic I get signal and sound without my House Stereo Master button being even on. And then, if I turn off the phantom power for all 7-8 channels because there's only one Phantom Power button, the mixer does a strange exploding pop on my headphones and in the master fader with all buttons/faders off and gain knobs down. Not sure why this is? Im using external usb 3.0 docks because Im using all my 3.0 as my laptop can only take 2 3.0 ports aka a Spectre x 360. Do you have any recommendations?
My condenser mic is connected to my phantom power then to the sound card on my pc, but while recording my audio drops out like a loss of power. Any suggestions?
i think my microphone is abit stuffed up .. because it sounds different .. still clear but has a slight robotic sound to it .. not much people will notice it but i know the difference..
Just found this video. Kick ass info brother. Question....when I turn on my phantom power I get this high pitch squeal shit coming there monitors on on track in my daw....wtf is that? Any idea? Ground loop or somethin?
If your XLR connections all around (Inputs, XLR cables themselves, pins on the respective mics) are all good and well maintained, phantom power will not hurt your dynamic or ribbon mics whatsoever. It's misleading to say otherwise, especially when most home studio or budget mixers/interfaces supply phantom power to all inputs when engaged, it cannot be selectively applied. So do you really think the manufacturers of these devices intended for the end user to have to chose on multi input devices whether to go all condenser or all dynamic? I read an article from SOS saying the BBC radio and TV studios have phantom power constantly supplied to their wall box connections, it cannot be turned off. Engineers plug condenser, dynamic, and even ribbon mics in and out all day with no issues.
hey ryan! whats up i have been having a lot Low output sound issues from my condenser mic my set up is CLARETT 2pRE thunderbolt ---->MAC BOOK PRO 2014 and then input 2 is my acoustic guitar into a tonebone pz pre and then output is JBL LSR 306 SPEAKERS. THE SIGNAL COMING FROM GUITAR IS FINE HOWEVER THE SIGNAL FROM THE CONDENSER MIC RODE NT2A is very very weak i m talking i have to push the knob all the way to max for the gain and the signal is still weak. someone suggested that i get a phantom power supply for the mic because laptop is not supplying enough power to mic because laptops operate on low power. is that true? should i be using a PC like a IMAC instead for music production ??
Ah good to know. from now on, I'll make note of this when using my AT-8022 with my Zoom H6. By the way, same rules no matter the vultage correct? I only set it to 12 vults for now.
Hey guys, I have a small 2 channel desktop audio interface. I have one dinamic and one condenser mic. Problem is, ai has only one switch for phantom power for both channels. Can I record with both mics at the same time? What happens to the sm57 if I put it on phantom power? This is the only way I can record with both mics...
I use a Røde nt-1 in my home studio(bedroom) , it serves as my mic for skype and teamspeak as well, so it's always plugged in. when ever it's not in use, I turn down the volume, and dis engage phantompower, but the meter shows that it goes into "red" briefly... am I doing it wrong? I love this mic, and really don't wanna destroy it(aka: I'm too damn poor to just go ahead and buy a new one) tnx, love ya channel
+Kenn Jørgensen Yes, the meters jumping up when turning on and turning off phantom power is normal. Best to turn down your speakers, or mute for when you do that.
I just got a bm-800. do I need phantom power? using the xlr to 3.5 cable direct to my computer works, but only with loads of boost, and it isn't clean.
never knew this... Never plug my ribbon into one as its through a fethead even though i think it is an unusual tranformer version that was told probably wouldn't be harmed...but my condensers-I've just been plugging them in... I wonder, if its slowly degrading sound quality or if you mean there's a risk of frying the whole thing?
Hi, what would you recommend in order to connect a Condenser Microphone to a Guitar Amplifier. (I now that it is unusual way, but I still want to make it possible to use my guitar amplifier as a main speaker). I do not need to record anything, but just sing and play my acoustic guitar loudly. Is it enough to buy a Phantom Power Supply or better to buy a Microphone Mixer? How to connect everything together? Thanks in advance.
Yeah phantom power supply, preamp OR mixer, and then re-amp box would be idea. Personally they use to plug harmonica mics right into amps. The PDMIC 78 is an unbalanced mic that a 1/4 inch cable is provided and could go directly in. But that's dynamic.
I just bought a neumann tlm102 and when i turn off the phantom power of my preamp, i hear a few low frequencies pops coming out of my monitors, it lasts about 10 seconds and i can see that it affects the preamp and the compressor. I did not have this problem with my previous mic. You have any idea what it is?
I have an audient id14 and Two Mics I've owned died within the year and im on my second aston spirit. Fresh out the box it sounds loud and clear but after usage i can hear the damage its like really low output sometimes when its used to be stable and highly sensitive. need to know whats going on cause this mic costs a lot
hey im going thru this right now with my rode nt1, it used to be sensitive and now it's super quite. It sometimes goes back to normal and then switches back to being very quite and im super bummed out. Is it possible to get it fixed or did i completely fuck up my mic?
you cannot damage a standard mic while phantom power is turned on. It runs on pins 1 and 2, and the power is applied through pin 3. It simply doesn't do anything to satndard mics which do not require phantom power.
Thanks for the information but I would like others to comment on any experience with using standard dynamic mics with phantom power on. I am looking at a used 4-channel mixer/amp which has phantom power on all the time on all four channels (considering using for solo/duo acoustic work with a combination of condenser and dynamic mics). The documentation states this could damage some mics. I have other units for example a 8-track HD recorder, which has switchable phantom power which I have used condenser and dynamic mics with but never had phantom power on with my dynamic mics. Thanks for any insights.
I did not know this. Im a noob. But suddenly my mic that needs 48v stopped working. All I get is a high noise floor and I can hear my voice just nearly if I yell. Is that a symptom?
I unplugged my at2035 microphone and plugged it back in when I went to go record my vocals didn’t sound the same it sounds low like The mic is covered I need help ?
Hey, very nice video, that's what I have been doing. I have a question regarding my pre as I call it. I have a focusrite saffire pro. Should I be concerned with the fact that when I turn the phantom power on no matter whether there is a mic connected or not, I get this hum that almost sounds like a sine in let's say 100-140Hz range? Is this normal?
Hey man! Thanks for the vid, It has the exactly information that I needed xD haha (+1 subscription for this channel) ... But just one question: I bought an Ammoon Mixer Console with a +48V Phantom Power and this PhP if it's on, applies for the 7 channels... so even with that... It's the same method right?
its the same method, yes... I use something very similar. even if the other 6 mics aren't needing php the one mic is. turn off before plugging in and after
Ok my question is : I have my sound card with 2 XLR inputs and the "phantom power button".Can I use a dynamic and a condenser simultaneously???Thanks new sub : D.
Yes, the dynamic mic should not see the phantom power, but the condenser mic will. Always turn phantom power on/off with mics connected, and after turning it off give it 1 minute before disconnecting for the power to completely diminish.
Makes sense... Even plugging a 3.5mm jack will create what I would think to be backfeed from the contactors coming together. having an active low amp 48volts charge to the magnet When plugged in I would think could spike on and off as its being plugged in wearing the coil from spikes possibly... Keep it Safe with SOFT Turnons, offs!
The switch for 48 volts may be even controlled with a low voltage signal to switch the 48 volts on through the electronics inside, warming up as it reaches full connectivity rather than right all at an instances instant..
someone please tell me is there a risk for my computer when I connect phantom power with my microphone to record my gameplays and have more clear sound ?
No risk to your computer. You should be connecting without phatom power, then turning it on when everything is connected. The outputs of your interface only give the signal at line level, no phantom power.
Hey Ron, Thanks for this informative video without a bunch of unnecessary "blah blah blah" :^) Very helpful my friend and you have a new subscriber too!!!
well, the video doesn't explain, why mics are damaged by the various wrong ways of working with them while using phantom power...? Even though a very interesting video, thanks!
+creativesoundlab That was just the first question, that popped in my head, thought I let you now... Great videos, thank your for answering, great channel, you're not trying to lure us in buying sth!
I never realized that it takes a minute or so to totally drain down. Good to know, thanks.
+Malcolm Palm Yeah, I've timed it to be around a minute.
+creativesoundlab Valuable info when working with/switching to ribbon mics. Thnx.
I used to be really worried about this sort of thing, until I found out that 1) they have essentially dummy-proofed mics nowadays, and 2) the BBC runs their studios with xlr jacks in the walls that ALL have phantom power running to them AT ALL TIMES; you can’t turn it off. So whether they are using dynamic mics, condensers, or ribbons, they are plugging into a connector that has phantom power actively running through it.
This realization also made buying a small mixer much easier, considering they usually all have just one +48v switch that powers every xlr in, and I had worried about using a condenser/ribbon combo in these mixers; turns out, since I don’t have any real vintage gear, this is not an issue.
After hours of searching for a small mixer (fewer than 12 ins) that had independent phantom power for each channel, and not finding any, I began to wonder why that was. After a much shorter time spent researching the question I found that modern equipment is essentially built to ignore this problem, and that I wouldn’t be frying any ribbon mic I decided to use in the future.
The fact that yyour desk moves thatmuch when you touch it trigers my OCD
Mine, too. 🤘🤣
Only ancient 1960's ribbon mics should be taken carefully. No modern ribbon mic should have issues. The biggest reason was Audio mixer companies did not want to add ramped power banks to each channel due to space and cost. This would easily been the solution to many of these myths. Older ribbon mics should not be plugged in directly to any mixer anyways, they have to be plugged in to an XLR ISO box to isolate them from phantom power so you can then have zero issue as they are plugged into powered XLR inputs.
I can't record my voice or have voice calls on skype anymore with my Rode nt1 . I thought the problem was with my audio interface's phantom power but now I'm convinced that the problem is with my mic . I remember that there were many times that I forgot to turn off the phantom power switch on my interface when I was done using my mic , and times when the house's electricity went out in the middle of my recording sessions . These mistakes must have killed my mic . I'm surprised that it lasted for like 7 years despite using it in a terrible way . Now I've learned my lesson to be careful with how I treat a condenser mic . Thanks for the video !
Hey i am dealing with this issue now and i've just got my rode nt1, i've only made this mistake a couple of days ago and now the volume is very low :( it sometimes goes back to normal if i keep it connect with phantom power on for a couple of minutes but then it switches back and forth from being loud to quite. Is it possible to fix this issue or have i wasted my money already? please let me know thanks.
Bored Dude did u solve this problem i am going through the same exact thing i have weird power surges in my old house
Great tip Ryan
+RØDE Microphones Thanks Rode!
+creativesoundlab haha, quite a discussion we started there in your last video :D
+BavarianMonkey Yes, that was great. In fact, a few asked in this video about the damage phantom power would cause....feel free to answer any tech stuff you know. You've told me some things I never knew about.
+creativesoundlab well, then let's distill the essential facts from my other comments and memory:
The issue is:
- Whenever a connection is made during patching, it cannot be guaranteed that both signal lines make or break the connection at the same time.
- If the phantom power is switched on during patching, it is not guaranteed that it is applied to / removed from the two signal lines at the same time.
- Almost any old school microphone or preamp with a transformer in it can be damaged by asymmetrical phantom power application. Many of those have center tapped transformers and if you somehow connect one signal wire prior to the other while patching, you will put 48 volts across this transformer winding which is made for millivolts.
- It is only a short time, but it can saturate the core and this saturation can (and often will) stay in the core after the phantom power DC has been removed.
=> en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remanence
- Now that the core is magnetically biased, its magnetization curve cannot be used as it was once designed by the transformer manufacturer. It will show more non-linear behaviour leading to audio saturation (distortion) and less bass.
- All of the above can happen with any microphone that has a transformer in it if TRS patches are being used, even if the transformer is not center tapped. During insertion of the TRS plug, the phantom power is being applied between tip (+ Signal) and ring (-Signal). This will lead to DC across the transformer.
- The same can happen with the mic preamp input transformer if it is center tapped or TRS plugs are being used for microphone patching.
- The same applies if an unbalanced source is connected to the preamp while phantom power is switched on.
- Of course, if there happens to be a shorted line somewhere (faulty cable), the phantom power DC is not a short time problem but it can be applied for a pretty long time until you find out why the mic does not work as expected and with time it gets more likely to cause problems.
In most cases this can be resolved by demagnetizing the core with audio frequency (you need a lab test rig for that) but it is a bad idea to provoke such defects to begin with.
So yes, NEVER EVER use TRS for microphone patch bays and never ever connect / disconnect a microphone to a line with phantom power switched on. Always make sure phantom power is switched OFF before connecting/disconnecting a microphone.
(And no, this is not a hypothetical problem: I did repair a vintage microphone because of this and I have one input transformer in the lab that still has no bass because some dumb bavarian monkey measured the winding resistance with an ohm meter... DON'T DO THAT.)
Wow this stuff is NOT common knowledge. Thank you for this lesson.
+gregvalou Thanks for saying that. I wasn't sure if it was or not, and glad I made the video.
Great video! Wish I had seen this sooner lol
Thanks for the video!
I just bought an AKG PP200 (i think) and it wasnt working in my mixing board. Good thing you made this video!
Found the switch on the board AND NOW the knowledge to run it!
so if i have an interface with a bank of phantom power channels lets say 1-4
can i use a consender mic on the first channel and 3 dynamics on the rest?
or that will damage the dynamic mics?
Christian Paez There is zero damage to modern dynamic mics. The only thing to watch out is a ribbon mic from the 1960's . Only retarded microphones from timbaktu would ever be damaged.
Timbukto bwhahahaha I'm dead
Why my sm58 mic won't work if I use 1/4 cable but work when I use xlr cable ?
i think i damaged my mic cz of pluging and umpluging when PHp is on, now what ?? is it fixable ???
This is one of the shortest and most informative videos ever. Good job guys!
+Andrew K. Legato Thanks! Just trying to cover the bases of some topics.
lol probably the shortest vid he has
+JavierG Yes, it is. And there will be others.
I think the same. Great job, it's hard to find videos like this.
I have an audio interface connected to my PC. Is it ok for me to shutdown my PC without turning phantom power off?
Same thing happens with wall sockets but is even worse. It can result in the plug you put in the socket being damaged over time, and if you have something that is sensitive to voltage, like a mic, it can damage it as you get a voltage spike as you unplug it. Good stuff to know.
If you look at a microphone that shows it is phantom powered with a LED, like the AKG C414 XLS, you can see the power slowly going away when turning the phantom power off. However, you can see the same thing if you just disconnect the cable without turning it off. That means the remaining power after turning off the phantom power is not in the preamp, but in the microphone's capacitors, which makes the "one minute wait to let it drain" practice a little bit useless. You can turn it off, disconnect the cable immediately, and the microphone will still have power going away slowly.
Yes but also consider that the pre amp also has to drain. I put my multimeter into the mic cable and watched for close to 60 seconds as it drained. Some are faster than others.
Sm-58 has a transformer that people like to mod by taking it out. That's what protects it from phantom power. So a modded SM-58 with no transformer will get destroyed. I think the SM-58 sounds great the way it is. Also some audio interfaces have separate phantom power channels. The Apollo twin has that feature. It's always good to get one with that so you can use a condenser and dynamic or ribbon at the same time that don't need phantom power (some ribbon mics require it).
+blood lord (Chaotic Sonics) Yes, all good stuff. I remember talking about these things.
What if I have a Ribbon Mic that shouldn't use phantom power, and a Condenser mic that needs it, into the same interface? Is there a way to safely do this ?
didn't know about the power down and power up timing. thanks!
When i plug mines it works buy sometimes sooner or later it starts making a noise like clicking and air .. is this my mic , phantom or computer mixer??
This is really helpful and a good reminder. Thank you.
holy shit, I didn't know anything you said. Thanks for helping me to not kill my recently bought mic
What about a tube mic? I have an external power supply and I've accidentally tuned phantom on and recorded with it on. Everything seems fine, and I'm reading that it doesn't harm anything to run phantom, though you really want to try and avoid it. Do you feel the same way, or could I have damaged my tube condenser?
I never knew that, very valuable!
I have rode nt1a and focusrite 2i2.usb interface. I haven’t tried it on desktop. But when connect interface to laptop and switch on the power supply my mic start work after 1 or 2 mints. And sometimes it doesnot work. Thn I have to reconnect the interface. I am afraid I might demage the mic.
Hi again Ryan,
I was wondering if you could do a video on “noise-floor” considerations. Comparing common issues with low dollar mic pre’s and what might cause noise even from quality gear...etc...
Brian
( from Canada)
great Info... I went to an audio course near my city and they dont talk about this... (insert Stev Carell gif "Thank You")
my condenser appreciate this...
Will it damage the passive mics like sm57s over time though? I have an 8 imput USB interface, and unfortunately four channels get power all at once... and I want to rum more than 4 passive mics... but I also have some active mics too.
do i have to turn off the phantompower everytime? what about those mics that have a swich does it damage the mic if one swiches only the mic off but not the phantom power?
Just bought a ribbon that works with phantom power. I unplugged it before turning phantom power off. :,(
Really great video - well done!
So my drum mic kit has both condenser and dynamic mics and I'm putting them into the same mixer. What is the protocol for this situation?
Very worth and simple explained
I have fried (by mistake) a input twice, unplugging a xlr while phantom power was on. Can anyone tell me how to disconnect the phantom power circuit?
Cheers for the tips man!
It's a useful tipp, but a more technical explanation of why these things are damaging the mic would be really nice. Maybe that's just me though
+Da Spotz Yes, agreed, more videos to come.
Can you please explain a bit more about what you mean by 'let it drain' and why it takes a minute to drain the power. I wish to understand this electronically so that I can better understand why everything is doing what its doing. In the case of things that hold charge (like the LED light that stays on for a while when you turn the TV off) I thought this was charge stored in some electrical component. I cant see how this applies to phantom power, so i'm looking forward to hearing the science behind it. thanks.
Capacitors, they act like little short term batteries.
What would the best way to send a XLR microphone to a Mixer and a computer at the same time without blowing up the computer?
Great points!
Great advice, thanks
i was joking of what i said before but anyways I have a Vt-4 from Roland with an XLR cable plugged into it powering a condenser mic (AKG P220), and the transformer is connected to the PC via the printer cable, for the printer cable port
You just save me for returning 3 microphone in the same day. Thanks by the god I saw this video beodre returning them
before**
I don’t know maybe it’s bcz of low voltage ???? Bcz some times when mic is connected and I start recording the mic is like restarted and it give terrible sound and thn start working again.
Thanks for the tips! :)
Is it the reason for requiring a phantom power ...... there is a huge coil winding to a condenser mic....as compared to a dynamic one....
Please reply
so i really need a phantom power for my di box but mixer puts phantom power to all chanels of my console and i use some of my channels to play music from my laptop, ive heard one time that when phantom power is on it doesnt effect dynamic mics but it would damage electronics like phones and laptops so what should i do to be able to use phantom power but at the same time use my laptop
Thank you!
Let's say I had my dynamic mic plugged in with phantom power (not too long but not too short amount of time) and now it still works. that means i didn't ruin it, right?!
Interesting topic, good video as usual. As a side note, I've read somewhere that only xlr connectors are carrying phantom power, or could it be on certain interfaces/power supplies/consoles. .. so that "in theory" , in a combo situation, one could always connect the dynamics with Jacked trs cables and condensers with XLRs so to be on the safe side.
Oh by the way, if someone read this & knows a shop or a place where I can buy capsules for large diaphragm condensers IN EUROPE, please hit me up. Thanks!
Any connector could carry the phantom down it that has three wires/points of connection. So a TRS will still transfer phantom, and if you use TRS and it has power on it, it'll for sure do more damage than an XLR would getting hot plugged. My patch bay can connect any mic line to any pre, and it uses TRS and it carries the phantom power to the mic too.
ok then.. I'll keep it in mind.. Thank you for having taken the time to answer to me... Nice of you..
Thanks for this video. One follow up question so I am clear. I have a Shure SM7B mic (dynamic mic) and a Rode NT1-a (condenser mic) and I use my Focusrite as my audio interface. One requires phathom power (the rode) and the other does not. Will plugging both of them into my audio interface and using the phathom power damage the shure mic?
I wasn't clear on this and I am affaird to use them at the same time for my podcast and damage the dynamic mic.
A cheap phantom power ($20) can damage my condenser mic? (Rode Nt1-A)
thank you for the heads up!
my phantom power supply makes a weird buzzing sound my mic isnt causing it because i plugged in the mic separately and it worked do you know a fix
OMG i've been doing it wrong for a looooong time, thank you
Thanks for the video. I have an Azden SGM that does hold a battery. Should I use my Smart Rig Plus (battery phantom power) as well as turn on the battery in the mic? In your video, at 1:25 you make a quick mention of turning on the "mic pre". Please let me know if I understand this right. Do I use both power supplies or only one? Thanks again, the video was fantastic!
I recently got a Shure Sm7B which I know isn't supposed to need phantom power, but I can't get mine to work without it. I have the SM7B going into a cloudlifter then into my Behringer Xenyx X1204usb mixer. AM I missing something? Please any help or advice would be great. I don'y wanna mess up my mic or if something is wrong with it I wanna be able to return it for another one
HVAC Uncensored the sm7b is a dynamic mic and dynamic mics don’t use or need phantom power. phantom power doesn’t harm or affect dynamic mics. Shure actually recommends that your mic preamp can provide at least 60db of gain for an sm7b. The reason is that the sm7b outputs a very low signal. So you need a good quality preamp. The behringer mixer in your case can’t provide the necessary gain to bring the sm7b to line level. Products like the cloud lifter can utilize phantom power and use the extra energy to provide extra dB of gain. I think the could lifter provides around 15db of extra gain. However, nothing beats a good quality mic preamp to begin with.
If you are unhappy with the cloud lifter, the dbx 286s mic preamp can provide the necessary gain for the sm7b. you can connect the sm7b to the dbx preamp and then plug in the output of the preamp into a line input into your mixer.
Im using a Digital MG12XU to record in Studio One 4 but every time I turn on my phantom power for a Super Cardoid Condensor RE510 EV mic I get signal and sound without my House Stereo Master button being even on. And then, if I turn off the phantom power for all 7-8 channels because there's only one Phantom Power button, the mixer does a strange exploding pop on my headphones and in the master fader with all buttons/faders off and gain knobs down. Not sure why this is? Im using external usb 3.0 docks because Im using all my 3.0 as my laptop can only take 2 3.0 ports aka a Spectre x 360. Do you have any recommendations?
I have a rode nt usb mic. If I convert it to plug it into my interface can I or will I need to use my 48v phantom on?
Just plug it in via usb. This video is only helpful for xlr mics.
Creative Sound Lab thank you!
thank you sooo much
My condenser mic is connected to my phantom power then to the sound card on my pc, but while recording my audio drops out like a loss of power. Any suggestions?
i think my microphone is abit stuffed up .. because it sounds different .. still clear but has a slight robotic sound to it .. not much people will notice it but i know the difference..
Good tips. I had no idea.
+James Ferrell Thanks.
Just found this video. Kick ass info brother. Question....when I turn on my phantom power I get this high pitch squeal shit coming there monitors on on track in my daw....wtf is that? Any idea? Ground loop or somethin?
If your XLR connections all around (Inputs, XLR cables themselves, pins on the respective mics) are all good and well maintained, phantom power will not hurt your dynamic or ribbon mics whatsoever. It's misleading to say otherwise, especially when most home studio or budget mixers/interfaces supply phantom power to all inputs when engaged, it cannot be selectively applied. So do you really think the manufacturers of these devices intended for the end user to have to chose on multi input devices whether to go all condenser or all dynamic? I read an article from SOS saying the BBC radio and TV studios have phantom power constantly supplied to their wall box connections, it cannot be turned off. Engineers plug condenser, dynamic, and even ribbon mics in and out all day with no issues.
hey ryan! whats up i have been having a lot Low output sound issues from my condenser mic my set up is CLARETT 2pRE thunderbolt ---->MAC BOOK PRO 2014 and then input 2 is my acoustic guitar into a tonebone pz pre and then output is JBL LSR 306 SPEAKERS.
THE SIGNAL COMING FROM GUITAR IS FINE HOWEVER THE SIGNAL FROM THE CONDENSER MIC RODE NT2A is very very weak i m talking i have to push the knob all the way to max for the gain and the signal is still weak. someone suggested that i get a phantom power supply for the mic because laptop is not supplying enough power to mic because laptops operate on low power. is that true? should i be using a PC like a IMAC instead for music production ??
Ah good to know. from now on, I'll make note of this when using my AT-8022 with my Zoom H6. By the way, same rules no matter the vultage correct? I only set it to 12 vults for now.
I hate the fact that with my zoom h5 and h6, you have to dive into seven layers of menu to toggle phantom power :/
My only gripe with that gear tho
Can i just leave my mic powered on all the time,even if it's not in use?if there is no negative effect on the mic or preamp.
No negative effects other than having DC voltage applied to the mic. I always power up, use the mic, then power down.
I didn't understand you.The mic i'm talking about is K2.Can you please elaborate or make a video about this topic?
Hey guys, I have a small 2 channel desktop audio interface. I have one dinamic and one condenser mic. Problem is, ai has only one switch for phantom power for both channels. Can I record with both mics at the same time? What happens to the sm57 if I put it on phantom power? This is the only way I can record with both mics...
nothing bad, power wont go to the 57 since its not wired for it
I use a Røde nt-1 in my home studio(bedroom) , it serves as my mic for skype and teamspeak as well, so it's always plugged in. when ever it's not in use, I turn down the volume, and dis engage phantompower, but the meter shows that it goes into "red" briefly... am I doing it wrong?
I love this mic, and really don't wanna destroy it(aka: I'm too damn poor to just go ahead and buy a new one)
tnx, love ya channel
+Kenn Jørgensen Yes, the meters jumping up when turning on and turning off phantom power is normal. Best to turn down your speakers, or mute for when you do that.
+creativesoundlab tnx for the tip, I appreciate that :-)
Awesome! I'm enjoying these daily videos. However how is it with passive ribbons? Can they take phantom power? Thanks
+SD Dolina It's really not good for them.
I just got a bm-800. do I need phantom power? using the xlr to 3.5 cable direct to my computer works, but only with loads of boost, and it isn't clean.
Any condenser will need phantom power. You also need a preamp and converter to connect to any DAW.
Should I use Phantom Power on my Rode Procaster?? Could it damage my mic??
never knew this... Never plug my ribbon into one as its through a fethead even though i think it is an unusual tranformer version that was told probably wouldn't be harmed...but my condensers-I've just been plugging them in... I wonder, if its slowly degrading sound quality or if you mean there's a risk of frying the whole thing?
+jorgepeterbarton Not sure, it's just a best practice here of what to do.
Hi, what would you recommend in order to connect a Condenser Microphone to a Guitar Amplifier. (I now that it is unusual way, but I still want to make it possible to use my guitar amplifier as a main speaker). I do not need to record anything, but just sing and play my acoustic guitar loudly. Is it enough to buy a Phantom Power Supply or better to buy a Microphone Mixer? How to connect everything together? Thanks in advance.
Yeah phantom power supply, preamp OR mixer, and then re-amp box would be idea. Personally they use to plug harmonica mics right into amps. The PDMIC 78 is an unbalanced mic that a 1/4 inch cable is provided and could go directly in. But that's dynamic.
Should I apply phantom power to an electret condenser? For example a Red12 from 12Gauge microphones
Yes, it powers the preamp in the mic.
Excellent advice thanks so much.
I just bought a neumann tlm102 and when i turn off the phantom power of my preamp, i hear a few low frequencies pops coming out of my monitors, it lasts about 10 seconds and i can see that it affects the preamp and the compressor. I did not have this problem with my previous mic. You have any idea what it is?
Where you able to figure out what it was?
I have an audient id14 and Two Mics I've owned died within the year and im on my second aston spirit. Fresh out the box it sounds loud and clear but after usage i can hear the damage its like really low output sometimes when its used to be stable and highly sensitive. need to know whats going on cause this mic costs a lot
hey im going thru this right now with my rode nt1, it used to be sensitive and now it's super quite. It sometimes goes back to normal and then switches back to being very quite and im super bummed out. Is it possible to get it fixed or did i completely fuck up my mic?
What if you accidentally turn it on with an sm57? Did I wreck my mic? How would I know?
No, it won't hurt your SM57. Most dynamic mics are ok to use with FP. Be careful with ribbon mics.
you cannot damage a standard mic while phantom power is turned on. It runs on pins 1 and 2, and the power is applied through pin 3. It simply doesn't do anything to satndard mics which do not require phantom power.
Thanks for the information but I would like others to comment on any experience with using standard dynamic mics with phantom power on. I am looking at a used 4-channel mixer/amp which has phantom power on all the time on all four channels (considering using for solo/duo acoustic work with a combination of condenser and dynamic mics). The documentation states this could damage some mics. I have other units for example a 8-track HD recorder, which has switchable phantom power which I have used condenser and dynamic mics with but never had phantom power on with my dynamic mics. Thanks for any insights.
Nate David Same lol i was shitting myself
I did not know this. Im a noob. But suddenly my mic that needs 48v stopped working. All I get is a high noise floor and I can hear my voice just nearly if I yell. Is that a symptom?
Hmm...did you try recording without plugging in the XLR cable? (Both power on and power off)
how does this damage it
Are those wa76s!?
Thanks man. Exactly what i needed to know
I unplugged my at2035 microphone and plugged it back in when I went to go record my vocals didn’t sound the same it sounds low like The mic is covered I need help ?
Unknwn Boyz same issue here, sounds like it was recorded in a cave
Unknwn Boyz same issue, ever got it fixed?
i have mxl 990 and 991. so what best usb interface for xlr phantom power microphone to usb?
Popular choices are the focusrite scarlet and the presonus iTwo interfaces.
thanks,
what about blue icicle preamp?
Hey, very nice video, that's what I have been doing. I have a question regarding my pre as I call it. I have a focusrite saffire pro. Should I be concerned with the fact that when I turn the phantom power on no matter whether there is a mic connected or not, I get this hum that almost sounds like a sine in let's say 100-140Hz range? Is this normal?
Yeah I don't think that is normal. It should sound quiet and no noise.
First thing with anything hum related. Check grounding of everything.
*What's different phantom power and focusrite?*
Focusrite is a brand and phantom power is used to power condenser mic's.
0:31 I Don’t Want You To Do That
Do wireless mic need phantom power?
some do.. I used to own an EV wireless kit that required Phantom power .be suree to check you manual.
Hey man! Thanks for the vid, It has the exactly information that I needed xD haha (+1 subscription for this channel) ... But just one question: I bought an Ammoon Mixer Console with a +48V Phantom Power and this PhP if it's on, applies for the 7 channels... so even with that... It's the same method right?
its the same method, yes... I use something very similar. even if the other 6 mics aren't needing php the one mic is. turn off before plugging in and after
Thanks man (Y) I`ll be carefull with that then... see you on the next vid! Take care (Y)
Ok my question is : I have my sound card with 2 XLR inputs and the "phantom power button".Can I use a dynamic and a condenser simultaneously???Thanks new sub : D.
Yes, the dynamic mic should not see the phantom power, but the condenser mic will. Always turn phantom power on/off with mics connected, and after turning it off give it 1 minute before disconnecting for the power to completely diminish.
I got the same on mly Roland Quad Capture and I was afraid, great tip here =)
I have an audio technica at2020 plugged into a blue iceicle
Awesome. Follow the steps
At 3:26 you have BAD CABLE, when you touched your cable sound was much better. !!!!!!!!
mxl 770 plus PS400 phantom powe, is it fine?
It should be. Most mics have a range of voltage it can run off of. Most of the time, you want 48v.
Mygod thanks for replying. When connecting the phantom power to the laptop, which is better, xlr-3.5mm jack or xlr-usb?
If phantom power doesn’t hurt an SM57. Will a recording sound any different because it’s on or will it sound normal?
I've heard some people argue that there's a subtle difference in the sound, but most say they can't hear any.
Makes sense... Even plugging a 3.5mm jack will create what I would think to be backfeed from the contactors coming together. having an active low amp 48volts charge to the magnet When plugged in I would think could spike on and off as its being plugged in wearing the coil from spikes possibly... Keep it Safe with SOFT Turnons, offs!
The switch for 48 volts may be even controlled with a low voltage signal to switch the 48 volts on through the electronics inside, warming up as it reaches full connectivity rather than right all at an instances instant..
randumb thoughts//
is the AT 4040 phantom power?
Yes
someone please tell me is there a risk for my computer when I connect phantom power with my microphone to record my gameplays and have more clear sound ?
I'm tryna figure that out now, you ever figure it out?
No risk to your computer. You should be connecting without phatom power, then turning it on when everything is connected. The outputs of your interface only give the signal at line level, no phantom power.
thanks a lot man I got my phantom power and connected it - works perfect :D
Hey Ron,
Thanks for this informative video without a bunch of unnecessary "blah blah blah" :^)
Very helpful my friend and you have a new subscriber too!!!
Thanks man!
well, the video doesn't explain, why mics are damaged by the various wrong ways of working with them while using phantom power...? Even though a very interesting video, thanks!
+soundophil Yes other videos will follow. Thanks!
+creativesoundlab That was just the first question, that popped in my head, thought I let you now... Great videos, thank your for answering, great channel, you're not trying to lure us in buying sth!
10sec advice stretched to 4:57 :) Man you're on fire :D