Sep 04, 2006 09:39 am No, no damage, don't worry about it.
Using Phantom power on mics that dont need it
Posted on Sep 04, 2006 09:38 am
nickpitt
Member Since: Sep 04, 2006
Hi, im pretty new to all this forum mumbo jumbo, anyway i currently am using a firepod to record im using 2 mics that need phantom power but the firepod only supplies it in groups of 4 so 2 mics that dont need it are being supplied with it wil this damage the mics?
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Sep 04, 2006 09:39 am No, no damage, don't worry about it.
Sep 05, 2006 02:21 am It won't damage dynamics, but it'll ruin crystal and ribbon mics.
Sep 05, 2006 03:16 am What in gods name is a crystal mic?
Sep 05, 2006 01:08 pm Yea jolly good, i dont believe i have any of those types
Sep 05, 2006 01:16 pm Quote:
crystal microphone - a microphone in which sound waves vibrate a piezoelectric crystal that generates a varying voltage
This may be the types that stick to resonating surfaces, like acoustic guitar bodies.
Electret capsules don't like -48v either, unless they have some circuitry to convert it. 9v is what I've seen for them.
Sep 05, 2006 05:45 pm Actually the crystal mic was one of the first used for the old school little reel to reel tape recorders. They were the in thing for those little buggers at one time. They were cheap to make and very small in size. And they had a hideous little tone to them. A bit on the tinny side if I remember correctly.
(edit)
I believe that they were and still are used for the harmonica type microphones you see, the bullet. Which did indeed give a bit more midrange bite to it.
Sep 06, 2006 05:42 am Noize, i believe they were also used for broadcasting as well. There were some paper mics under the ribbon bracket iirc as well.
I don't think phantom power would do a Carbon mic much good either, but i don't know for sure.
Pjk: The C4000 and a fair few other AKG mics are electrets, and they all use 48, though yeah, the smaller ones are 9v, like the little portable ones etc.
Sep 06, 2006 06:41 pm Rigsby, I believe your correct. Good catch! I was just adding bits as I went and kind of just tossed that one and ended. A buddy of mine has a couple of the old crystal and carbon mics from the radio days. Very interesting, but I would be deathly afriad to plug a couple of the ones he has in. Most were made with self contained cords and then they went to odd type power supplies and or pre amp boxes on the ones he has. He lit one up once and the smell was like an old tube radio warming up. Or just plain getting hot.
Sep 07, 2006 01:39 am I have a crystal mic that i keep meaning to swap the cable for. The obvious use is to try it on vocals but i don't really do much of that these days, so heaven knows what it'll end up on. I really should try it one of these days though.
It might not even work, i know you can re-ribbon a ribbon mic, but i doubt you can er.. 'recrystal'. We'll have to see.
I've never seen a carbon mic in the flesh as far as i can recall. I didn't know about the power supplies ..crazy stuff.
Despite the modern technology i have i'm really into the idea of all this old stuff, maybe i'll get me a wax cylinder one of these days, it'd be kind of cool. I could wear a cloth cap and a lab coat when people come to record.
Sep 07, 2006 09:28 pm I want a picture of that session. :-)
I think a crystal element could still be purchased, but if it would fit your particular mic I dont know. I'm sure there must be a selection out there.
As for the carbon mic's. Very unique character to them. Not unlike the crystal mic's of old.
Now you have me thinking of trying something like that out. I'm not sure I want one of those things plugged into my desk though.
Sep 08, 2006 01:20 am Why not? In case you switch the 48 on while it's still plugged in?
Sep 08, 2006 08:00 pm No, not worried about the 48 volt thing. I'm more worried by the smell of burning electrical componants. The last time he fired one of the old things up, it smelled like I stated above, an over heating old tube radio.
Sep 09, 2006 02:46 am Wierd though eh? I can't imagine what damage the desk would get from the mic only the other way round.
Sep 09, 2006 05:38 pm I am sure the desk wouldn't suffer much damage. But I agree the mic and or its electronics could if hooked up incorrectly and supllied with 48.
Besides, these days you can emulate just about any sound those old mics would give so I doubt I will ever be plugging one in.
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