Using phantom powered mics and non-phantom at same time?

S

ssseals

New member
I'm getting ready to do some drum miking and I've got some Marshall 603s's (that need phantom) and I'm getting ready to buy a kick drum mic that isn't phantom powered.

Is this going to cause a problem running them both through my Alesis Studio 32 board? Will the phantom pwr hurt the mics (kick/snare) that aren't?

Thanks.
 
Yo Flipperman:

If you have a mic that requires phantom power, it must get a phantom power supply from "something" or some built in phantom power source or the mic won't work.

Non phantom powered mics only need a mic line feed through some type of amplifier.

That's how I read your question but maybe I need bigger glasses?

Green Hornet

:D :p :p :cool:
 
quote from Harvey Gerst:
"Most mics use a transformer as the output to the board preamp. A transformer won't pass DC. That's how phantom power works; they put +48 volts DC on pin 2 and 3 (relative to ground), and then the transformer stops it from going any further. But now they have that voltage at the mic and they can tap off of it to power the capsule and the electronics. Can it hurt a dynamic mic? Yes under a couple of conditions.

It could damage a mic if one side of the transformer or the cable is shorted to ground, or the connector doesn't make contact with both signal pins at the same time. For the most part, it shouldn't be a problem, but it's always a good idea (whenever possible) to turn off phantom power before connecting or disconnecting ANY mic.

Ribbon mics are most suceptable to phantom power since the ribbon acts like a fuse, and it will simply break or vaporize, but the transformer will usually offer some safety, even there.
"


https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?s=&threadid=27071&highlight=phantom+damage+dynamic
 
I think the unspoken assumptions that prompted the original question were (i) he wants to plug all the mics into inputs on the same mixer and (ii) there's only a global switch for phantom power: all inputs carry it, or none of them.

Go ahead and turn on phantom power, with the dynamic plugged into the board along with the condensors. If the dynamic is new, unmodified and not broken, you should be fine.

(Don't do anything screwy with your mic cables (like grounding one of the signal lines or something). Don't do that even if you're not using a dynamic mic.)
 
Yeah, that's exactly what I mean. The board only has one phantom switch, which activates phantom on all channels. Some of those channels will have mics that need it, some not. Will it do damage to the ones that don't? That was my original question. Thanks for the quick answers guys.
 
Yo balancing a ball on your nose:]

In that case, just buy a phantom power box; there are many and they don't cost much. Then, you can run your phantom mics in that box and your other mics into your board.

Honk!

Green Hornet:D :cool: :p
 
IMO, the best solution is to buy preamp outboard.
I bought a JoeMeek VC1Qcs with phantom power built-in,and I use it for my condensors mic while I use the board for dynamics.
For example, when I tack the drums, I plug my AT4040 into the Meek, and all the other mics (Sm57, e602,...) into the board.
No problem.
But when I did'nt have the Joemeek, I used to use the board for all the mics:I run the phantom power for all the channels and have no problem with my dynamic mics.
 
The best solution to the "problem" that the original poster asked about is to plug all the mics (including dynamics) into the board and turn the phantom power on.

He might want to get an outboard preamp too, but that would be to solve some other "problem."
 
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