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


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

"Keith G" wrote in message
news

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


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

Absolutely not. The element of any dynamic or ribbon mic is supposed to be
totally disconnected from pin 1.

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

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

Unless the mic has been incompetently designed it's not possible for phantom power to damage it.

Ribbon mics often require a step-up transformer. If that transformer has a centre-tapped output then
phantom power could damage it if the mic was plugged or unplugged whilst the phantom power was on (due
to the possibility of contacts mating sequentially). A centre tap is absolutely not required however.

Graham

Arny Krueger wrote:

"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


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

Absolutely not. The element of any dynamic or ribbon mic is supposed to be
totally disconnected from pin 1.

Bad design is not unknown. Checking with an ohmeter would resolve the issue.

Graham

On Sat, 15 Sep 2007 06:54:59 +0100, Eeyore
wrote:



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

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

Unless the mic has been incompetently designed it's not possible for phantom power to damage it.

Ribbon mics often require a step-up transformer. If that transformer has a centre-tapped output then
phantom power could damage it if the mic was plugged or unplugged whilst the phantom power was on (due
to the possibility of contacts mating sequentially). A centre tap is absolutely not required however.

Graham


Possibility? Make that 100% certainty. Balancing transformers should
absolutely never have a grounded centre tap.

d

--
Pearce Consulting
http://www.pearce.uk.com

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
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote in message
...
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...



OK, thanks for all the interesting and helpful replies - it's put
ribbons nicely into perspective for me. My own ribbon mic is an 'active'
and uses 48V phantom power; I won't be using it out of doors and I
certainly won't be using it with a kick drum!

In article ,
Keith G wrote:
OK, thanks for all the interesting and helpful replies - it's put
ribbons nicely into perspective for me. My own ribbon mic is an 'active'
and uses 48V phantom power; I won't be using it out of doors and I
certainly won't be using it with a kick drum!

As with any mic it *could* be used outdoors with a suitable windgag.
Rycote being perhaps the most famous maker. But they are very expensive so
it would make more sense to start off with a mic better suited anyway.
As regards kick drums many won't use any 'decent' general purpose mic on
them preferring (usually) a moving coil type which will handle a very high
SPL. The ancient AKG D12 is still kept for this specific purpose by some
studios.

--
*What are the pink bits in my tyres? Cyclists & Joggers*

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

"Keith G" wrote in message
...

"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote in message
...
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...



OK, thanks for all the interesting and helpful replies - it's put ribbons
nicely into perspective for me. My own ribbon mic is an 'active' and uses
48V phantom power; I won't be using it out of doors and I certainly won't
be using it with a kick drum!

Indeed not:-) Use an AKG D12 there. It is a dynamic cardioid.
For BD (bass drum) there is none better.

"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Keith G wrote:
OK, thanks for all the interesting and helpful replies - it's put
ribbons nicely into perspective for me. My own ribbon mic is an 'active'
and uses 48V phantom power; I won't be using it out of doors and I
certainly won't be using it with a kick drum!

As with any mic it *could* be used outdoors with a suitable windgag.
Rycote being perhaps the most famous maker. But they are very expensive so
it would make more sense to start off with a mic better suited anyway.
As regards kick drums many won't use any 'decent' general purpose mic on
them preferring (usually) a moving coil type which will handle a very high
SPL. The ancient AKG D12 is still kept for this specific purpose by some
studios.

Indeed the D12 is still a good mic.
It was used also extensively on vocals (Dusty Springfield etc)
It had a two colour cage. Silver on the front and black on the back.
Due to its pleasing physical appearance it was also popular
on photo shoots. There was a famous sleeve photo of Francoise
Hardy (Ooooh!!) singing on the back of the mic. It was quickly
changed.

Iain.