Will Phantom Power Hurt My Dynamic Mikes?

[greatmagnet]

Hey kind folks,

Just another newbie question:

Just picked up a small 4-bus Soundcraft mixer with direct outs on it's mono channels, which I plan to use as an eq-able front end to my DAW and my analog 8-track. The bummer is that the phantom power is the kind that affects ALL CHANNELS when you turn it on. I'd like to use that phantom for my overhead condensers on the drum kit, but should I be worried that the phantom will affect my Sure SM57s, and my AKG D112? If so, will it actually HURT dynamic mikes or will they just sound crappy?

If it's a bad thing, I guess I could buy a couple tube mic preamps and strap 'em to the mixer inputs (in "line-in" mode of course) for the overheads as a phantom band-aid. Yes?

[thunderboy]

No problem.

jt

[jakeao]

Phantom power won't hurt dynamic mics. The oly thing you have to be careful with are ribbon mics.

[Auxillary]

They are all lying. Phantom power will destroy any mic. I have phantom powers in my living room and they break things all the time.

[leigh]

I think we need a FAQ for this board. Unfortunately, no one would read it, and we would still get several people asking this every week.

No offense to Caldo, as it's a perfectly valid question.

Leigh

[jayrope]

ribbon mics definately DON'T like phantom power.

[thunderboy]

Unless it is a Royer phantom-powered ribbon mic.

jt

[cgarges]

Ribbon mics are not automatically damaged when they receive phantom power. Like Leigh said, it's been discussed here before--LOTS. If your mic cable is wired incorrectly or you connect or disconnect your cable while phantom power is active, you MAY risk damaging your ribbon mic. Actually, if you plug or (more likely) unplug a mic from a preamp that is sending phantom power, you're more likely to do damage to certain types of preamps than to the mics. As a precaution, it's best to connect your mics before you activate the phantom power and disconnect them after the phantom power has been turned off. Do a search here and you'll find this discussed previously and in greater detail.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

[todd]

mr garges,
you'd better be careful, you're only 5 posts away from tinitus!!



todd

[cgarges]

mr garges,
you'd better be careful, you're only 5 posts away from tinitus!!



todd

Thanks...

[cgarges]

so...

[cgarges]

much...

[cgarges]

Todd...

[cgarges]

...If you were telling me that, I wouldn't be able to hear you for all this ringing in my ears.

Chris