12v phantom power?

  • Thread starter Thread starter NationalSandwic
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NationalSandwic

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hello

i've seen 48v phantom power on all the desks i've seen (not many); my soundcard offers 12v phantom power. how will this affect the microphone performance? is it enough, or is it not useful?

thanks
 
NationalSandwic said:
hello

i've seen 48v phantom power on all the desks i've seen (not many); my soundcard offers 12v phantom power. how will this affect the microphone performance? is it enough, or is it not useful?

thanks
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You must check the specs of the mics you are using. Some will be perfectly happy with 12v, some will work with lower max SPL, some won't work at all.

The bigger issue is the soundcard preamp may not be very good quality. It has the obvious compromise of 12v (the hottest rail coming off the computer PSU), it may have many other compromises too. An external preamp is nearly always an improvement.
 
My Rane preamps provide +15v phantom power, and all my mics sound like ass using +12v.

Mine are AT4040, AT4047, SP-C4, MXL-67B.

I turned off the Rane +12v and used a rack mount Rolls Phantom Hex that provides +48v, and the mics sound great. It wasn't the preamp, it was the lack of correct phantom voltage.
 
Most electret condensers are fine with phantom power going all the way down to the 9-12v range.
 
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