In article ,
Keith G wrote:
A number of days/week or three ago the topic of phantom power 'damaging'
mics was mentioned by me and I couldn't recall where I'd seen it. Here
it is:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk:80/ws/eBayISAP...B:WNASIF:UK:12

Well all I can say is perhaps the classic ribbon of all time - the STC
4038 - was in use with permanently phantom powered inputs for many many
years in BBC TV - they were used as audience reaction mics long after
being replaced for more normal tasks with condenser types. For all I know
they may still be in use for this task here and there.

It could be, of course, just a general note to cover all types of powering
down an XLR cable - T or AB power will definitely not do one any good. But
real phantom power was designed to be transparent to any type of mic - its
main advantage, really, over T power which in some ways is a better
system.


The wording also suggests a certain vulnerabilty in certain areas ('air
blasts') - is this normal??

Of course. You couldn't use one outdoors except on a very still day - or
indeed in a ventilation stream found in many 'studios' without additional
protection. Indeed this is the same with many mics - but they usually
survive such abuse without permanent damage.

It might be of interest that omni directional mics are far less so
effected which is why they make such a good choice as a hand held vocal
mic where high levels of foldback or audience reinforcement aren't
required - despite most thinking it has to be an SM58 etc...

--
*I don't have a license to kill, but I do have a learner's permit.

Dave Plowman London SW
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