What Is Phantom Power And Why Do You Need It? - RecordingRevolution.com
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- Опубліковано 18 вер 2019
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Have you ever seen that little button on your audio interface or microphone preamp labeled 48V and wondered to yourself:
What is a "V" and why do I need 48 of them?!
That little button (also labeled at times "phantom power") is a critical thing to understand depending on what type of microphone you are using in your home studio.
Today I'm going to clearly explain what it is, and why/when you would need it.
What is a V why do I need 48 of em 😂
Oh... My...😅
Bro 💀
The history of 48V is weird. It comes from Norway radio relay stations that had to be able to be run from backup battery. They used 4 x 12V lead-acid batteries (or 2 x 24v) because of availability. There had to be equipment designed to use that power and that solution started to spread elsewhere. So when it came time to actually implement "phantom" power, 48V was logical choice as there were already gear that used it.
If we had to design it today, we would never use 48V as that is stupidly high. We would probable choose 12V or 9V (but not 5V, that is problematic when it comes to circuit design, it is doable but i would not like it, also voltage loss over long wires would be a huge problem.. when things are >7V it is sooo much easier to do everything.. ).
Thanks for sharing, very interesting background.
That's really interesting, but it makes me curious as to why we still use 48v instead of a smaller voltage. 🤔
@@SaintCrownMusic Too late to change, everything is in 48V. We would have to change everything and start to use a butt load of converters. The new voltage also can't be used with XLR, it would have to be a new connector or hilarity will ensue every single day..
In reality, it only poses a slight problem for circuit designers. Current limiting has to be applied to make it safe, while keeping common mode noise low. It is not really that bad, adds another step... that not all manufacturers will do which can lead to damaged equipment but it is kind of rare anymore.
@@squidcaps4308 Thanks for the explanation! I learned me some shit today! 👌💯
@@squidcaps4308 do they call it phantom power because it doesn't
Shock humans? 🤔 I use to switch mics while phantom power is on and I never got shocked.
Whoo. Now i know what phantom power is. Thank you so much!
sana all
Hi Sam 🥰🥰🥰
"I am your angel of music recording"
-Phantom Power
Surprised to see you here
:'D
So phantom power is a power source needed only for condenser mics? Thanks Graham this was a great video!
He took 7 minutes to say that........UA-cam
Hey Jack James. Help me buddy please. I bought a wright professional studio microphone and i don't know if it's condenser or not (not written on box but according to my memory from the missplaced manual i think it ) and the box clearly mentions "power requirement: 48V phantom". I bought this mic an year ago and still hasn't been able to set it up!!! I've changed voice splitter and XLR cable . Still won't work. It takes in the headphone but the audio just doesn't goes in. I'm very very worried. Do I need to buy a phantom power? What should I do ?
I love the way you make things easy for young music producers. Your videos are really helping me and i look forward to join the recording revolution pretty soon. Thank you Sir
you are a genius Engineer and Music Producer
This is one of the best recording videos I've ever watched. Thank you for the upload
This is probably the most informative, easy-to-understand audio-related video I have ever seen. Thank you!!!
Fantastic video for reference and refreshers on microphone types. I used a condenser microphone years ago and want to get one again to combine with my SM57 dynamic.
Thanks so much! This video really helped me understand what to get for my home studio.
Awesome. Super helpful for a newbie in music production. Thank you.
Very quick, straight to the point, and very informative!! Thank you so much!!
Awesome video with great info. Building my own mic and this has been the most helpful video so far. Thanks.
Thank you for your informative and easy to understand video. I am setting up a professional studio and am studying as much as I can so it will be done right. I know what to do and now have a very nice studio with a recording booth to do it in. I am stepping up from a home studio so I'm looking for top of the line equipment and think I have found a good resource to get what I need. Looking forward to watching more videos. Keep up the great work!
thanks for making this concept digestible!
Thank you for clearly describing what phantom power is. Good wishes
Thank you so much for this video. It is very easy to understand and very practical for begginners.
I love the way you explain stuff. Thanks!!!
Great information and INCREDIBLY comprehensive. Now I know it's the phantom of the opera enabling the phantom power sorcery!
Thanks for the video, answered the exact question that I had in a very detailed way.
Great info, thanks from Poland !
thank you for making this super simplified, i am a pure beginner
This is really informative. Thank you.
A very concise video, I appreciate the information!
Amazing explanation. Thank you for this great video
Finally; someone who can explain phantom power and mic selection so that it can be easily understood. Many thanks!👊🏿💯
Great stuff as always!
great and thorough explanation
thanks for going over this. 👍🏽
Good video, straight to the point
Superb definition.
Amazing video super helpful keep up the great work 🙌💯
Great video, very well suited for vocalists
Wow! so well explained so appreciated!!! Thank you!!!
Clear and very helpful, thanks!
Thanks Graham for this video tutorial. It was super helpful and here's why. As a drummer, I have always heard my musician pals on stage talking about Phantom Power but was completely baffled. The fact is, I didn't care. However, now that I'm doing a bit of drum set recording at home, a buddy lent me his Shure PG81 overhead and mentioned it needed Phantom Power. Yikes!! What do I do now and what does this even mean? Your video gave me the answers.
Thank you for the awesome information, definitely very informative.
i became fan of yours , i actually cleared my points😊
Thank you so much, you really helped me understand some things! 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
I cannot thank you enough for your articulate and detailed explanation. I too am moving from live music to studio and this was a life saver thank you 🙏
thank you for this informative video.
600.000 congrats!
Thank you for making this short and to the point without wasting our time with plugs and ads haha
Excellent explanations
thank you for this information, this helps a lot
Thank u a lot buddy now it all makes sense...I was starting to think that I made a wrong choice .now I know what I have to do💯🐼
Thanks for the explanation. 👍🏾
Thank you sir! It was very helpful! 😊
Thank you, that was perfect 👍
Thanks, really helpful
My Man Gram I love your video my dude
Awesome. You solved my problem. Tnx a lot
recordingrevolution# AWESOME VIDEO! I finnally understand this phantom power thingy! THANKS!
Amazing video thanks
thanks for the lesson mate
Starts at 3:24. You are welcome
Thanks brother I Appreciate this 🎻🎷🎤
Definitely subscribed I appreciate you breaking the differences between the microphones down and explaining phantom power bc I was so lost about that “ghost” power lol THANK YOU😊 let me ask...because I AM brand new to recording... I currently only use my iphone 11 and I got the blue yeti for singing which I connect to an adapter which plugs into my phone and then I sing directly into my mic and it’s automatically recording from my phone but I think I want a microphone more specific for singing... and maybe even an interface - for the future when I get a computer because I feel like that’s going to be necessary when I start making my own music... I’m not sure if what I have is enough for now though? what microphone would you suggest for me specifically? If anything comes to mind TY
Loving your videos and appreciate the time and effort you put into them. Maybe you can answer a question that I have been getting half answers from. I have a Heath and Allen ZED10 mixer. I know I can us t as my audio interface but would I gain anything by getting something like a focusrite?
Thankyou - now I know why my dynamic microphone does not create a strong enough signal through the pre amp.
Thanks for the video! I have a question: if I have dynamic microphones and active DI boxes connected to the same mixer, does the phantom power to feed the DI boxes damage the microphones?
Good video!
I have a shure sm94 which is a long range microphone and it needs phantom power because it is a condenser microphone, the other "brother" SM57 does now want it but for its shape, it is also good for long distances, for example, I use them in a theater when we have some shows, of course we cannot provide a microphone for each actor (like 5-6 in the scene) so we use them, of course the sm94 is a beast in long range compared to sm57 but they also do pretty well
Thanks man!
Thanks this is part of our exam
Just got a Rode Nt1 and realized my sound card is as old as I am and doesn't have phantom power... guess I'm going to guitar center in a bit.. lol
I love my AKG C1000S microphone, 20 years old. It has a 9V battery inside so I can use it with my Bose S1 Pro speaker which does not provide phantom power.
I have a somewhat related question with regard to phantom power. Can you damage a tube condenser microphone if the phantom power was accidentally turned on? Most home interfaces these days have phantom power applied to banks of inputs rather than individually. I've been in a situation where I've had my tube mic plugged into channel 1 and a non-tube large diaphragm in one of the other 4 channels. Recorded a full session this way, then realized that phantom was hot on channel 1. Everything seemed fine, and I'm reading that the power supply runs blocker for the voltage backfeed, so your mic should be fine. However... did I somehow damage my power supply with this little mishap?
People aren't here for mic selection. You can tell them what phantom power is in a minute rather than wasting their time
Very helpful thanks. You said there were 3 types of mic but only talked about dynamic and condenser. Is the third type ribbon mics?
You should get a cut, I would happy pay through your affiliate link, its nothing wrong about it, you are a great help and guide, thanks for all you do, god bless you and your family for 100 generations!!!
I'm first. Thanks for explaining this Graham.
very helpful
Thanks 👍
I gave up on finding band members like 4-5 years ago so I….
Got garage band, bought a cheap mic from Amazon. Bought a cheap e drum kit and learned basics, just upgraded to alesis mesh kit this past December and used garage band on my iPad. Made my first recording which is on my channel. It’s raw black metal so thankfully it doesn’t have to be “perfect” but def am trying to hone my recording craft. My dad got me a condenser mic which I used to mic my bass guitar and guitar. I thought I used it for vocals, but being new I think I forgot to turn on the phantom on the mic and my vocals just picked up through the iPad mic 😆🤣 but came out ok (ya know for being raw black metal) I’m getting a tascam dp 24 so I got a whole new world to explore soon
good video, thanks
Love this video, the sound is perfect. what microphone are you using for this specific video and is it a condenser microphone? And how far away from your mouth was it? Thank you.
A dynamic mic is basically a little electric generator (motion between a coil and a magnetic field produces electricity). Since no power is needed, many dynamic mics come with a 1/4 inch jack and a cable with only 2 wires for the audio signal. An optional third wire can be added for a cable ground to help fight hum, a good idea if the mic cable goes more than a few feet. On the other hand a condenser mic is basically a capacitor, a device that has two separated surfaces that can hold a charge. It takes a voltage to put a charge on the plates and this is where the phantom power is required. Rather than add more wires to the XLR cable, the power is "magically" added to the same wires as the audio signal, which I suppose is why it's called "phantom" because flip the switch and it's there, yet it doesn't interfere with the audio signal. At the preamp the circuit blocks the 48V and only looks at the audio signal. You could say that the preamp has a high pass filter up front that blocks low frequencies (48VDC has 0 frequency) and passes higher frequencies, namely the audio band of frequencies.
that's a much better explanation for me, thanks very much.
@@bashful228 If you want to understand a little more, you might also like to read the comment I added a few comments below (original comment by videditor1076). Hopefully it is understandable
what about balanced line, why do so many "video" microphones not have XLR connectors?
I take it that a condenser mic is going to have much more sensitivity feedback in a situation where the speakers are located close to where the mic is? It seems that if the condenser mic is typically found in a studio then that is because the output of the microphone pickup is isolated from people wearing headphones. So my question is whether a condenser mic would not work well in a chapel at church for a choir, where the choir's sound is amplified by the chapel's sound system consisting of large speakers fixed inside the wall behind the choir? Is a standard coil-type microphone the best solution in such a scenario or is there other types of mics to look into for that?
The phantom power must travel down one the the four nodes in the xlr cable?
Thanks for the easy to understand explanation! What's an example of using phantom power with an electric guitar? Would the guitar make any sound without phantom power on?
What if I want to run the signal through a tube preamp before going to the interface. I'd need a tube preamp with phantom power, right?
Such an informative vide. Do I still need a phantom power with a Behringer 302USB Mixer and C1 mike? Thanks
Will phantom power reduce self noise of condenser microphones?
Is it all good to mix both and click 48v while the dynamic mic is plugged in with the condenser?
thank you
Is the NT1 with Focusrite solo an good option? I know solo isn't the best but I'm only recording vocals and already have a solo.
Your content's been super helpful man.
I've never used the AC adapter that came with my Behringer UMC404-HD, but the phantom power still works. I keep the interface connected to my computer at all times and at least one light stays on all the time, even when my computer is off. The second light goes on as expected when I turn on the phantom power switch. My question is this: Should I be using the AC adapter that came with this interface? If it is not needed, why was it included with the unit?
I recommend you read the user manual. It is probably explained there.
My educated guess: The device is fully powered through the USB port, when used as an audio interface. The AC adapter is included if you wish to use the device merely as a standalone 4-channel pre-amp/mixer, without having to connect it to a computer. At least that was the case for a similar older interface I've owned.
Hey man, I have the Rode NT1
Golden age project comp -3A jr compressor
Warm audio WA 12 MKII. Would I still need the phantom power? I’m in California and I blew out my first preamp. If you can please; I need the help 😭
Hi Graham,
I got 2 Rode M3 and 2 Samson Q2U mics. Today I got the Behringer stuff that allows me to plug in 4 and here is the question.
Could I plug in 2 Rodes and two Samsons to the same Behringer? So one dynamic and two condensers?
I have a question, Im about to purchase the Tascom Model 24 but I've heard there are limitations on the phantom power either all on or all off for the entire board. Would this be limiting or can I switch on all phantom power and its okay? Why are people complaining about that limitation?
I have drum mics that use 2 condenser over head mics, and 4 "regular" mics. My mixer phantom power button uses 6 channels when turned on. So, my question is, with the phantom power on, if I plug in my "regular mics " into one of the channels that is using the phantom power, will I ruin the microphone? Thanks in advance!
That is THEE cleanest SM57 I've EVER seen. Whew. Idk they could be that shiny lmao.
Is this Avalon VT-747SP a good option for a studio or would you recommend in a plugging version?
Thanks for this video! Cleared my doubts
Does the blast of air pressure move the coils or the magnet? It doesn't matter, I guess, but I always thought it was the magnet that was moving
Thanks a lot for the video, good stuff. Hey, I can't access the manual, I would really appreciate it, is the link broken, or something on my side?
Nice video. Sir I have some question, we have a focusrite 2i2 with 2 inputs for mic and we have 2 condenser mic, can we use them at the same time in one audio interface with two inputs for microphone with only 1 phantom power?
Hi . What is the difference between CONDENSER mic vs. Dynamic Especially if im recording vocals.?
i have a samson mtr201 condenser mic plugged into my presonus audio box usb 96 which has a 48v button. for some reason my mic wont pic anything up and i turn on the 48v button after i plug it in. is my mic faulty? should i just use a phantom power supply? i super sure the audio interface is set right because ive used other mics on it (cheaper mics) so i dont know what the problem could be smh
thanx to anyone that tries to help
Hello. Im kinda confused about it(phantom power) being what is needed to use the condenser mic since ive seen a lot of videos using only a soundcard..(or the soundcard does come with phantom power?)
i just got a zoomh6 that has a turn on phantom power setting. If my mic has a battery to support the phantom power, would turning on the feature on the zoom h6 damage the mic