Groove Tubes 'The Brick preamp' problem

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hemmick reef

New member
I wonder if any of you experts can help me please?

I bought a GT The Brick preamp for my home studio. I have had it 18 months and todays I noticed the signal cut out. I checked the leads - no problems. I was using an SM57 with the phantom power switched in.
This happened 3-4 times and the only way of sorting it was to switch it off and on again, although it was accompanied by a very unpleasant crackling sound!

Is it misbehaving?

Any advice would be welcome - Thanks.
 
hemmick reef said:
I wonder if any of you experts can help me please?

I bought a GT The Brick preamp for my home studio. I have had it 18 months and todays I noticed the signal cut out. I checked the leads - no problems. I was using an SM57 with the phantom power switched in.
This happened 3-4 times and the only way of sorting it was to switch it off and on again, although it was accompanied by a very unpleasant crackling sound!

Is it misbehaving?

Any advice would be welcome - Thanks.
Click to expand...


I don't know if this solves it, but you do not need to use phantom power with a dynamic mic like the 57.
 
Also ..... if you had the phantom on ...... do you just leave it on?
If so, you shouldn't ...... phantom should be off when plugging or unplugging mic cords ...... if it's on ...... some circuits can be damaged by plugging in while it's on.
That doesn't directly help you find what's wrong but it could be a cause.
 
Only condenser mics need phantom.

If it isn't the tube or the cable, it's an internal wiring problem.
 
I have got a bit confused here!

Most dynamics don't need phantom,
Most condensors do need phantom,
Most valve mics don't need phantom
Most ribbons do need phantom
...with some exceptions...

Is this about right?
 
hemmick reef said:
I have got a bit confused here!

Most dynamics don't need phantom,
Most condensors do need phantom,
Most valve mics don't need phantom
Most ribbons do need phantom
...with some exceptions...

Is this about right?
Click to expand...

No. Most ribbons don't need phantom.

Valve/Tube mics do need power, but it is typically supplied by a separate external power supply.
 
hemmick reef said:
I have got a bit confused here!

Most dynamics don't need phantom,
Most condensors do need phantom,
Most valve mics don't need phantom
Most ribbons do need phantom
...with some exceptions...

Is this about right?
Click to expand...
Most ribbons do not need phantom. (as long as we are listing exceptions, some old ribbon mics will be destroyed by phantom power)

kojdogg just listed almost every exception to the rule that exists, which confused you.
 
kojdogg said:
yeah sorry to create any confusion. i only did so because farview stated as uiniversal something that has some exceptions:
Click to expand...
Everything has exceptions. Even in those exceptions, they don't need phantom because they are dynamic mics. The need phantom because the manufacturer decided to add an active EQ or preamp circuit to make op for some designed-in shortcoming. Phantom power just happened to be a convienient way of powering these add-ons.

The element in a ribbon mic does not need power to work.

The element in a dynamic mic does not need power to work.

The element in a condenser mic does need power to function. If it's a tube mic, it will have it's own power supply that feeds the element and also the tube circuit.

Any exceptions will be noted in big bold print several times in the manual that comes with the mic.
 
regardless of the whether or not the elements require power or not in those exceptions, the microphones ultimately won't produce sound unless the circuit is fed phantom power.
but i am definitely not trying to start an argument here-- especially with you dude :)
 
Thanks. Things are becoming more clear:confused:.....only joking:p

After doing most of my recording within the computer my experience is a bit lacking with microphones, and the two that I have: SM57 & GT67 have not been used very often. The GT67 has it's own power supply so I have known not to use phantom power. Can phantom do damadge to valve mics out of interest?

A couple of mic questions if I could as we are on the subject (I know it's the wrong forum though:o). What other mics would be worth getting to complement the two I have. I have found recently sticking a mic in front of the sound source much more satisfying that trying to create the same effect in software so I would like to look at getting some different sounding mics!

For a home studio what would you recommend - nothing too flash please?
 
I have a Blue the Ball, around 100 bux, its a dynamic condenser (yikes), needs phantom power, I've had good results mic'ing guitar cabs, poor results with vocals.
 
Farview said:
Most ribbons do not need phantom. (as long as we are listing exceptions, some old ribbon mics will be destroyed by phantom power)

kojdogg just listed almost every exception to the rule that exists, which confused you.
Click to expand...

Phantom power will not destroy any ribbon mic alone. It is the miswiring/shorted wire or too much difference in phantom power output resistor values that burn out a ribbon element. Of course, the plugging in/out with PP on probably could do it too. In the past all consoles had PP on all the time (not switchable) and people didn't blow up mics in droves.
 
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